It's actually hard to know what to do in this situation. I can't unfortunately offer any advice, but hopefully some others that have been there before can.

I agree with the above, I really don't have any advice either.
I too have been in that situation waiting...
Sometimes it seems like the artist perhaps is bored with the idea..
A more recent example for me, is I waited patiently 8 months or so and questioned an update..
the artist finally came out with a 'list', even then mine was put on a back burner, I eventually suggested a new idea and saw results within two weeks..
But in other cases I too have been waiting over a year for some..
Artist keeps putting out personal works and such.. I don't know how to handle it myself since I considered them a 'friend' and was helping them by commissioning them.. =/
Sorry I have not much more advice..

problem with that is that, in this community Artists seem to rule while commissioners have to bare all the burden alone of losing money. common in the professional world is to pay deposit up front and pay the rest when the art is complete. in this community on the other hand its everything now or nothing. youl find very fuw artists here that are willing to work the traditional and fair way.

Jazz
Also i wouldn't hesitate in making a Artist beware on their livejournal webpage, this hesitation/second guessing if i should get on their case or not is exactly why people here are so easy to rip off... if you waited over a year then its unlikly youl ever get anything back without forcing them to act.

Other then that not much you can do if you where waiting half a year for an commission.

You can link a google spread sheet to your Profile page listing Artists you have commissioned good and bad rated by price, Turnaround, quality of communication, quality of the Art, eta.... Ive seen that done before but forgot what their name was. doesnt realy help your situation but it may help others find good ones and avoid some bad ones.

like i said artists in this community here tend to want all their money up front regardless if they are asked to send a final watermarked wip before sending the final work or not. And some artists here do react a bit distasteful or charge you exsorbent fees if you set a deadline often while its pretty much a mandatory thing and doesnt imply extra charges in the professional world.

well theres not much an alternate so people will still pay, same reason why to this day the furry community still centers on honestly one of the worst websites in the western world...
i agree that for digital works at the very least 6 months or so for most art done on FA isnt needed but listing bad artist(exclusively) isnt needed nor is it the way. we wait longer then it should be because we as the customers or patrons of Artists in this community are way too complacent with waiting forever for a commission and relying on a seemingly endless hope that the issue will resolve its self -allowing more leeway for artists that live from commissions then they should- , this mindset is dangerous not only to themselves but to the community as a whole. People here fear asking for a refund or inquiring on update until its too late, because. This by the way comes from the same effect that directs the prices here.

Of cource artist here have their life thru one has to set limits if they are regularly offering their services for money

Yea... and as an artist, this fucking sucks. I am at the moment a new artist. I have only gotten 3 paid commissions and I have used this method.

a $75 dollar commission that I had done before I believed this same system. They got the art, and I still havent gotten paid.

So... again why would large name artists even deal with that?

This is why you dont draw a line until you are paid. Other wise you wear a sign around your neck that says "Free art"

Stiffed again...

i think that you may need to gently "threaten" them with an Artist Beware.. i hate to say this, i really do. but if its going on 6 months, than theyve had plenty of time to do it. Type up an AB about the artists in question and have it ready, and then tell said artists that you are prepared to post it soon if you dont see any WIPS or completed pics soon.

Well.. 6 months for a paid commission isnt terrible.. i mean, look at how long it took for me to get yours :P
Same situation (except for the expidation tip), long wait time, other commissions taking precedence, personal art, etc.

And, for future.. i would say before commissioning a new artist it would be wise to look into them a little bit, see how long there que is backed up, talk with previous customers of them, do some digging...

Of course, none of that helps now... :P


BIggest delimiter is communication. 6 + months of radio silence? Bad! Artist Beware time! however, Constant communication (even with BS excuses), then maybe be more lenient.

Yea... I have no room to complain...

My 6 months for over 2 grand worth of art from a single artist in 28 different pieces has no bearing on the 9 months for your free piece of owed art...

I will just shut up now and give them 18 months. I should give others twice as much as what I have done to others. I hate being a hypocrite...

I read over this. I am sorry. I was being serious, but it looks like I was being very sarcastic.

You are right. I have no right to complain when I have made others wait even longer for art, no matter the cost involved.

Thank you for reminding me this.

i am here to help where i can.

The difficult part is the waiting game we play as we wait for art. Is is easy to see why we ourselves are delayed, how it takes 9 months to get a sketch done (and i thank you for being open and honest though the whole process). It is difficult to see why it takes someone else so long to complete art, because we this idea that everyone who sells art here has just one job. We forget that they are human too... *

2k in art/ 28 pieces is roughly $75/piece, not a small order. If the artist cranked out one piece every two weeks, it would take an entire year. (Two weeks tournaround on a $75 piece is pretty decient imo.)

I completely understand the frustration though, know you are not alone :) The greater the price, the more impatient we can become (i have a tail that i am waiting on, that has been done for well over two months, that i am waiting on shipping for)

Stay strong and be patient, and for the love of all things fluffy; dont beat yourself up about it dude! You go to great lengths to help the community, and you end up needing help yourself (That is irony, not hypocracy!) :)

-friendly hugs- I am glad to help!


*as long as they are open and honest with progress and delays. shady dealings or radio silence are bad omens and unacceptable.