Beware: Thug/Monsterite/Monsterites

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/830804.html

WHO: Thug on FA / Monsterites on tumblr / Monsterite on dA

WHERE: I commissioned them on their FA account [ Thug ] but they seem to have abandoned it. They have accounts on dA ( Monsterite ) and on tumblr ( monsterites ) and weasyl ( thug )

WHAT: Digital bust of my character, 20 usd in value, to be completed in 2-5 weeks or so.

WHEN: I commissioned them on 10th of October, and paid on the same date. I've not received any contact from them since 19th of November 2014 despite my attempts at contacting them and posts on tumblr stating they would be getting in touch with customers.

Proof and explanation under cut.

PROOF:
Commission journal on FA: http://s20.postimg.org/xle6h2w3h/ab_2.png
My note to them/them accepting my commission: http://s20.postimg.org/mxafi8m4d/ab_3.png
Proof of payment: http://s20.postimg.org/gobbjfke5/ab_1.png
Unread note on FA: http://s20.postimg.org/yi6tkq3gd/ab_4.png

EXPLAIN: I commissioned thug on 10th of October for a bust; initially everything went well. The original turnaround time stated on the journal [x] was about weeks, but "may be as long as a month." I paid and began waiting.

After a month I had not heard anything from them, not even a "this will take longer than expected", so I shoot them a pm: http://s20.postimg.org/jq23tdxj1/ab_7.png
The note got read but I received no reply, so I sent them another PM a week later: http://s20.postimg.org/atrbpg6wt/ab_6.png
This time they replied and told me they had a chaotic time real life, and told me they had a sketch for me and could work a stream. I declined this offer, because I too have a spotty schedule and from my understanding we also live on different time zones. They did not offer to show me the sketch and I didn't have the sense to ask it as I was under impression they'd already started and could finish it on a timely schedule, so this is my bad and I have no proof they have even started my artwork.

On December 3rd I sent them another note where I simply asked if they could e-mail me instead of using notes on FA. This note is still unread and they have no recent activity on FA, leading me to believe they have abandoned the account. They gave me no other means of communication.

Towards the mid/end of December I decided I would try and find the artist on other sites just to see if they were alright. I went to their tumblr and decided to see if they have finished and posted my artwork on tumblr and just forgotten to tell me (it would not be the first time this has happened to me) and found out they had posted this [x] promising to contact/refund everyone if they had not finished art by the 1st of Jan. Satisfied with this I decided to just wait.

I received no contact from then on 1st of Jan, but decided to wait some time before contacting them, just in case. February came and I became a bit anxious over the fact they had not contacted me despite these several [x] post [x] on tumblr. I sent them an ask on tumblr [I have no proof of this as tumblr message system is really bad 😞 ]

A few days later they had had activity on the site and I had received no reply or contact from them. I sent them a new ask, and also decided to go and check my PayPal receipt, and found their e-mail addresses. I sent them this e-mail to both of their addresses.

It's been a month since and I have yet to receive a reply. I've sent one more ask to their tumblr, which has not been answered.

I have no idea how to contact them -- I don't want to pressure them too much, but not receiving any kind of communication from them when they have repeatedly promised to contact customers is making me think they have forgotten about me, and even if they have not received any of my messages they still have my FA they could use to contact me. From what I understand their rl if pretty hectic at times, but I don't feel like this excuses the complete lack of communication.

At this point I'd rather have a refund than the art, but if they have started the art already and would just contact me I would gladly take the art too. I had not problems waiting, but I do have problems with the utter lack of personal communication, posting on tumblr (which I don't follow) instead of directly contacting me and promising to contact people and then not contacting me. I have not been able to contact this artist for several months despite them being active, and since accepting commission I've only received one message from them.

EDIT: Shortly after this post went live, the artist has contacted me and issued me a refund! The matter is now resolved.