Hi guys,

Sorry it’s been a while. I had a lot of personal things to manage, some still need to be managed.
I am doing as best as I can, and ready for some art.

Gem




My twitter:
https://twitter.com/wolf_gem







Hello my watchers,
I hope I’m not annoying anyone with my YCH reminders. Please let me know if I get too spammy.




Hay ya!

I hope everyone had a great Christmas!

I’ve been inactive for about 3 months now. Had some major health issues and a big operation that is taking its toll on me. Also had some family drama that I won’t bore you with.
To cut a long story short, I was not fit to draw and do commissions. However, I’m much better these days and plan to return to FA and taking commissions in the new year - starting sometime in January.

See you all in 2018!!

Love Gem xoxox

Hey all. Sorry I have not been active on here for a while. Had a lot of family issues to sort out, and medical expenses too. I will be opening up for some YCH's and commissions very soon. However I am having surgery on October 31st, and will recovering for about 1 week.

I hope you all well, I miss you are all and hopefully some arts will be posted soon. So keep a look out.

Seriously guys go see this OMG I died and went to heaven :love

http://giphy.com/gifs/judy-hopps-pa.....jIrzPi?ref=fbt

Originally written by
 Lilythekitsune


Often times I get commissions from people not very well versed in commissions, even regulars. Things are all over the place, I'm never told full information, stuff has to be changed due to indecisiveness and more, among other issues. I write a journal a long time back on this and figured I'd make a new one. This applies to a LOT of artists, but no two artists are the same so take this journal with a grain of salt and research your artists's TOS before buying!!!



HAVE AN UP-TO-DATE REFERENCE SHEET:

I cannot stress this one enough. Have a reference sheet that is CLEAR, up-to-date and, if possible, flat colored. If your character has unique markings or tattoos, please be sure to have them in FULL VIEW. Normally for tigers/zebras and spotted characters, the stripes and spots aren't 100% exact every time. But for characters with markings, such as facial markings or underbelly stuff, it's important to have these things on display.

Text on a reference sheet is NOT required and often times skimmed past. If something is important--make it shown! If your character has ear piercings and they aren't shown on the ref. sheet but are said in text...guess what the artist will miss? MAKE SURE EVERYTHING ABOUT YOUR CHARACTER IS VISIBLE. If your character is plain, such as a regular red fox, showing the backside isn't so important as we know the back is orange...and nothing else.

I recommend updating your reference sheet once a year if possible. If you don't commission often, then this can be skipped, but if your character has gone through changes, be sure to get it updated or get a fresh one!

PLEASE DO NOT OFFER AN ARTIST A WRITTEN REFERENCE SHEET UNLESS THIS IS YOUR FIRST TIME GETTING A REFERENCE SHEET. If you ABSOLUTELY MUST use text, I HIGHLY suggest using a free lineart base and coloring it with MS Paint to get the gist across. Asking for "a blue lizard with green fingers and stripes along the tail" is surprisingly blank. What color are the eyes? How thick are the stripes? What kind of lizard?

ALWAYS ASK AN ARTIST BEFORE OFFERING A WRITTEN REF SHEET AND ONLY OFFER TEXT IF YOU ARE BUYING A REFERENCE SHEET COMMISSION. Many artists refuse to do work from text so it's best to shell out the money and get one good ref sheet!


DON'T TELL US YOUR CHARACTER'S LIFESTORY:

This is gonna sound harsh but...artists don't care about your character's life. We don't care if their dad died, and their sister does drugs, and their puppy has three legs, and they dyed their hair brown once when they were 14. This is USELESS INFORMATION and I cannot tell you the times I asked for the commission IDEA and people gave me 43 paragraphs on their character's lifestory. PLEASE don't send us information like this as it's distracting and hard to sift through.

HOWEVER; there are exceptions. If an artist offers artistic freedom commissions, you can be like "well her sister passed away so can I get something sad involving her gravestone?" THIS IS TOTALLY OK. Telling us the details of their birth and the time they gave a horse a hug and got kicked is NOT OKAY.

Keep it simple, keep it on topic.


HAVE YOUR IDEA READY BEFORE PURCHASING:

Please make sure you have your idea ready BEFORE ordering from an artist. This makes it much easier to keep your work on schedule and be completed as soon as possible. If you want a cute pinup of your character and then decide you want a battle scene instead, the artist has wasted their time and you've wasted your money. Artists charge for corrections more often than not and starting over from scratch is a headache and stressful.

IF it's a timed commission, say, open for three days, that's three days you have time to think on it. If you're REALLY indecisive, PLEASE do the artist a favor and ask for artistic freedom. This way you won't be able to change every little thing and the artist can finish the work stress-free. PLUS artistic freedom enables the artist to draw in their comfort zone and often you get even better work because of it!

If artistic freedom isn't your thing, you can talk to the artist about ideas. Maybe you want something dark but aren't sure what. Bounce ideas back and forth. Much like in restaurants and even in paint stores, often times the professional can have an idea you wouldn't have thought of. Trust your artist and talk to them. Never know what idea they might have and what your new favorite piece might be.


DON'T RUSH THE ARTIST!!:

I cannot stress this one enough. There is nothing wrong with asking an artist about updates on your work. However, asking daily, asking constantly, and getting antsy puts pressure on us and often times, you're not the only client doing so. Like myself, I usually have 5-10 commissions open at once and I'm NOT always working. Have some patience.

Never, ever order a commission on a deadline, and if you do, order it weeks--if not months--in advance. If you want a drawing for your friend's birthday and it's three days away and you expect the artist to get it done in 3 days, you're out f your mind. IF there is a deadline somewhat ahead, ask the artist about an estimation it'd be done by. Don't get mad and threaten refunds if the art's not done in 2 days. Most artists have full-time jobs on the side as well and the added stress won't get your work done any faster


COMMUNICATE WITH THE ARTIST:

Keep in touch with the artist. So many times I see stories of people mad at the artist because they "haven't updated in a while". Business run in 2 directions, to and from. You need to put in the 50% as well if you want there to be any progress. If an artist suddenly disappears and there's nothing you can do, then you can complain about the artist not keeping in touch.

Even if the artist just sends an apology and explains they are still working, that's evident enough that they still care about the work--about you, the client.


DON'T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR WIPS:

If you're getting a large piece, you can always ask for a work in progress. If the artist hasn't started yet, of course, don't do that. Often times, I don't really do WIPs because I work in one sitting (and I'm bad at being professional). But other artists are great at what they do and send WIPs when requested or even just randomly. I especially see this being done with YCHs.

Granted, artists might sit down and do it in one sitting like me, depending on how easy the commission is. If it gives you a better piece of mine, REQUEST A WIP WHEN YOU ORDER.


READ THE ARTIST'S TERMS OF SERVICE BEFORE BUYING:

I cannot stress this enough. People buy from me all the time--even regulars--and break dozens of rules I have listed without even realizing. It's a simple read-through and lists their rules as well as your rights. This often includes refunds, contact information (in case FA shits itself), do's and do not's, work estimations, and more. If the client doesn't read the ToS, then they are, contractually, breaking a contract. This can come back to bite them if they request a refund after work's been completed as that Term of Service can be shown to Paypal's dispute department, as well as FA's staff.

Please make sure to read a ToS, and if you don't understand something...ASK!!! An artist would rather clear up confusion than fight with you for 180 days over Paypal's dispute system. Be courteous and respect the TOS.


GIVE THE ARTIST A TIP!!!:

Even if it's a dollar. Tip. Your. Artist. We are a service, and when we do good, comments from the client might not even be there. I've done free art and raffles and never received even a THANK YOU. You know how badly that hurts? Hurts pretty badly. Please tip your artist. Stripe, Google Wallet, Paypal, etc. all TAX the money receiver, so artists already lose out on money. Sending extra to cover the taxes or sending extra just because the artist did good is an amazing way to ensure that the artist works harder on your art next time around or works harder in general.

A quote from  Lilythekitsune
"It might seem silly, but even a dollar tip can make an artist's day. I've been drawing for 7 years and in that time I've mad, out of about 800 commissions... less than 15 people tipped me. When I get tipped, it's like a rainbow appeared out of a unicorn's ass right in front of me. it's an incredible feeling and gives me confidence. Other artists will get the same feeling."



CREDIT THE ARTIST AND THANK THEM!!!:

I've seen art I've drawn be uploaded from the client without even my userpage linked back. I've seen adoptables I sold and people uploaded them immediately saying "adopted from someone". Yeah, my watermark has my name RIGHT THERE but guess what? Someone who likes said commission or adoptable might not be BOTHERED to look for me on FA/DA/etc. They might just favorite the image and go about their day and guess what? Not only did I lose a potential client but I also lost potential exposure.

It seems pretty stuck-up, but when you're A BUSINESS, word of mouth is EVERYTHING. Clients are my word of mouth. If you link back my page, that's exposure. That means more art for my watchers and more possible clients/friends. It's not all about the money in the art industry; numbers account for a LOT.

If you get an adoptable or a commission...BE FUCKING HONEST. "I really love this commission the artist did a good job!" or "Definitely get some art from them, they have a good turnover rate!" Not only does this give us confidence, a lot of artists actually check the client's page and see what they say on submissions. So if someone goes "hey that looks cool" and sees you complimenting and promoting the artist, that passerby might go "I have some cash, I want a piece like that!" That's how majority of artists get their commissions--me included. It takes a minute out of your day.

BE SURE TO THANK AN ARTIST FOR ALL RAFFLE CHANCES AND FREE ART AS WELL. DON'T BE RUDE.


UPLOAD THE ART YOU GET:

Again, this is more promoting, but it also has another purpose. An artist worked on that piece for possibly hours and you only favorited it. Guess what? That artist feels really weird because you didn't upload it and probably thinks you hate it. Or that it wasn't good enough, or a number of negative things. Now, this is mostly an issue with me but some artist friends I know feel the same way.

Even worse, the client won't even favorite the upload or comment on it. Then what's the point of buying it if it feels like you don't even like it? It always feels a little disheartening when clients never upload their piece.


PLEASE DON'T COMPLAIN ABOUT PRICES OR TRY AND HAGGLE:

Seriously. You don't go buy a new cellphone and be like "WOW this is HOW MUCH?? I only got $00, will you sell it for $100?" Don't. Don't you EVER do this. If an artist is out of your budget, ASK ABOUT A PAYMENT PLAN. Seriously. Artists are cool people, not everyone has $200+ lying around they can drop on art. I have several regulars who pay me in chunks. As long as we're paid eventually, it's cool.

Artists offer discounts for several reasons, so don't abuse it. You're so much better than attacking an artist for trying to put food on the table. If an artist's art is what you REALLY want...send them a note asking for a quote. Don't be a dick when it's higher than you expected; ask for a payment plan or politely say you can't afford that right now but will come back. DON'T EVER LEAVE AN ARTIST HANGING. They will expect a response and if they don't get it, it hurts.

You don't go out to eat, ask how much the steak is, and then ignore the waiter. You ask for an alternative instead. "I can't afford the mega detail...how much would this be for a basic detail?" There's always options. Being human is the best thing you can do; respect your artist.


COMPLEXITY DOES NOT EQUAL UNIQUENESS:

As an artist, variety is the spice of life. I LOVE my regulars, but drawing the same characters over and over gets boring and stale quickly. Offer a new character. However, complexity in characters does NOT make it unique. Think of the artist--and every artist-- who has to draw that character. neon colors with horns, stripes, spots, lots of fur, extra limbs, wings...all rolled in one. Think of the time that will take. Think of how bright that character is and how LONG an artist has to stare at that, Respect the people who work for you.

Having a unique, striking character is great. People sell adoptables all the TIME with beautiful colors and great palettes, and they're REASONABLE. Don't make your character something a mega Digimon would be ashamed of being. Keep it simple, but keep it fresh. Example: There's thousands of Talon knock-offs out there so I gave him a huge mane. Likewise, I've seen quite a few KIba's out there so I tweaked his design and gave him a really crooked blaze. That is unique but it's not 4 hours of work. It's a simple marking that defines him.


FINALLY, AS A LAST RESORT...RESEARCH ALL CLIENTS AND ARTISTS BEFORE BUYING.:

Won a threesome YCH and these new people you never heard of? Check 'em out at Clients_Beware. Artist seems really rude and upfront in notes? Check 'em out on Artists_beware. See any of those clients/artist's names on there? DO NOT DO BUSINESS WITH THEM. Alert the artist said client is on the list, and tell the artist you saw their name on A_B and wish to not do business with them. This ensures there aren't any Paypal disputes, as well as keeping your block list neat and tidy. I block people all the time--even old clients--if I find them on C_B/A_B.

It might seem rude of you to block someone you don't know, but in the long run it can save you lots of headaches. I know people who bought art 2+ years ago AND STILL DON'T HAVE IT. Don't be afraid to write an A_B either; worst case scenario is they chew you out, but you'll warn other people of their mishaps.

This isn't just for people on FA. I see the DA list growing daily. There are just scummy people out there, so don't be afraid of speaking up and blocking them/refusing to do business with them. This also ensures that artists, especially fursuit/plushie makers can't pull a fast one and steal your cash. Be smart. There's thieves in EVERY industry.

-updated: 9 August 2022






I WILL NOT DO ART CONTAINING:
WATERSPORTS, SCAT, CUB or GENITAL VORE


**The following ToS applies to all purchase types**


Payments/Refunds/Time Frames

1.) I accept payment via PayPal only - NO eCHEQUES!
2.) Payment must be made within 48 hours (unless specified) or you will be blacklisted, and art will not be started until payment is received.
3.) No refunds will be given for the following: Impulse buying, change of mind, disappointment in art, loss of interest in art, impatience, not what buyer expected, buyers remorse, etc.
4.) If a commission is cancelled at commissioners request for reasons other than those listed in #3 , a partial refund may be given based on how far the artwork has progressed.
5.) Turnaround: My turnaround time is 1 - 3 weeks depending on number of orders and their complexity. Commissioners will be contacted if any personal issues arise that cause delay.


Auctions (YCH/Adopts etc.)

1.) By placing a bid you are agreeing to the ToS.
2.) DO NOT place a bid if you can’t/or don’t indent to pay. This will have you blacklisted and you will be banned from purchasing from me again.
3.) Always reply to the previous bidder, failure to do this will render your bid invalid.
4.) DO NOT delete your bid (see #2). Blacklisting will apply.

_____________________________________________________________________

**DO’S and DONT’S (ToS extension)**


Commissions/YCH's/Trades/Gifts

You are:
ALLOWED to post it in your gallery AS LONG AS you give credit in the submission comments.
ALLOWED to make your own avi of the piece I make you. (If you receive an avi from me, it would be nice to have credit given somewhere on your front page. Though it is not entirely needed.)
ALLOWED to post it to your gallery some place else (aka deviantart, soFurry, etc) AS LONG AS you put that the piece was created by me (a link would be nice but is not needed).
ALLOWED to post it on a sharing board or social media (aka fchan, G+, twitter, etc) AS LONG AS you put that the piece was created by me (a link would be nice but is not needed).
ALLOWED to request that the piece not be posted in my gallery or to put you down as anonymous. Please tell me this ahead of time when you ask for the commission/trade/ or if I offer to make you a gift.
ALLOWED to request for a large water mark or my signature (and your character copywrited to you) to be on the picture in my gallery and yours (though you will receive through email the original with the normal small signatures). Please request this ahead of time.
NOT ALLOWED to alter the signature in anyway! (ex: erasing it out, etc).
NOT ALLOWED to claim that you drew/made the art. It is your piece, you commissioned it/traded for it/ received it as a gift, but I made it. I don't think this will be a problem at all, but it doesn't hurt to post it anyway.


Sharing my other artwork

Artwork I make in general (ie: not a gift, commission from you, or traded to you) you are:
ALLOWED to share it on forums/sharing boards/social media (ie: fchan, facebook, twitter, etc) AS LONG AS you don't claim the piece to be yours. Remember to give credit to me (Gem-Wolf) as the artist. Bonus points if you link back to my gallery!
NOT ALLOWED to re-post the piece in your gallery here or on any other art site. If it does not belong to you (via commission, trade, gift or has your characters in the piece) then it is not yours, don't post it. That's called stealing!!
NOT ALLOWED to recolor the piece. DON'T do it.
NOT ALLOWED to color line-works UNLESS YOU ASK ME FIRST FOR PERMISSION! After I give you permission then you can do it and add it to your gallery with credit to me for the outline (this is a must).

Failure to follow these terms & conditions will see you blacklisted, and you will no longer be allowed to purchase or receive art work from me!