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Commission woes (my new rules)
6 years ago
General
Hello Fuzzies!
I've had a change of heart with how artists conduct their business practices because I'm running into some really crappy issues regarding commissions that I've already paid money for. So if you are all wondering why I haven't uploaded anything to my FA in so long it's because I've been jaded three times in a row now by artists who have not upheld their end of the bargain.
I won't beat a dead horse since I'm well aware I'm not the only one with this issue, but rather I'm making some new rules for myself. And I encourage you all to learn from my mistakes as a long time commissioner.
1. Now when I commission a piece of art I will start setting deadlines with the artist if one isn't already in place by the artist because there has been too many instances when an artist will conveniently "forget" or simply take priority of other commissions over mine (in one case indefinitely it seems).
2. I will also refuse to be charitable to artists who want donations in exchange for art, because if that's the case I might as well be purchasing as a customer and not as someone being generous. I find that artists who want handouts have no honest intention of putting in work since a handout isn't a business transaction and therefore they feel no obligation to create art for you.
3. Lastly, I will refuse to do business with artists that don't show WIP's. There is no excuse for an artist to bar a commissioner from seeing a work in progress (unless arrangements are made that specify otherwise), because it's an important part of communicating if there needs to be changes made. It's also validation for the artist to see that they are legit in fulfilling their end of the deal.
These are my new rules and I think that they are totally fair for the artist and myself. Any thoughts or opinions will be appreciated on this topic. =3
I won't beat a dead horse since I'm well aware I'm not the only one with this issue, but rather I'm making some new rules for myself. And I encourage you all to learn from my mistakes as a long time commissioner.
1. Now when I commission a piece of art I will start setting deadlines with the artist if one isn't already in place by the artist because there has been too many instances when an artist will conveniently "forget" or simply take priority of other commissions over mine (in one case indefinitely it seems).
2. I will also refuse to be charitable to artists who want donations in exchange for art, because if that's the case I might as well be purchasing as a customer and not as someone being generous. I find that artists who want handouts have no honest intention of putting in work since a handout isn't a business transaction and therefore they feel no obligation to create art for you.
3. Lastly, I will refuse to do business with artists that don't show WIP's. There is no excuse for an artist to bar a commissioner from seeing a work in progress (unless arrangements are made that specify otherwise), because it's an important part of communicating if there needs to be changes made. It's also validation for the artist to see that they are legit in fulfilling their end of the deal.
These are my new rules and I think that they are totally fair for the artist and myself. Any thoughts or opinions will be appreciated on this topic. =3
Number 1 is tricky, because artists are known to be people that follow their own pace and their own rules. Some of my best commissions were from people who took -forever- to complete it, and yet I’ve been the most satisfied with it. My longest wait time for a finished commission was two years, and I paid in half of the cost up front. When my turn finally came around, I got my piece finished at a higher tier than what I paid for for being so patient.
Now, would I recommend them to someone else? Not really. Two years is a bit over the top. Am I happy with the result? Absolutely.
Ultimately, it comes down to if you care about how fast you can get your artwork. I just tend to be super chill about it, even letting other people jump me in artist queues because I’m not in any rush.