(this article includes screencaps featuring conversation involving a musical artist and collaborative partner, Caero, who granted me permission to include screenshots featuring his dialogue:
proof 1
proof 2)
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In march, I hosted an auction in collaboration with a musician where the winner would receive a custom theme song for their character and I would make an illustration of the character using the music as my inspiration.
The winning bid was 960 usd (to be split 480 for each of us.)
The musician sent an invoice and on July 3rd 2019 the invoice was fully paid. The musician delivered my half of the payment without incident.
The musician proceeded to experience some life turbulence and his correspondence with both me and the client suffered as a result. Trixx requested an update on how things were going with him and he responded.
Feeling a little antsy as some more time passed after this, I contacted the musician and offered the idea to draw the illustration first. He assured me that he would have something to show soon.
I unfortunately do not have screencaps for this part but he was true to his word and submitted a musical sketch, which Trixx approved. I then produced an illustration sketch based on what he provided. She approved the sketch, and requested a background that was a “kingdom, city devastation through the battlefield.”
Following this, the musician fell out of contact again, and once again, Trixx inquired for an update, and received no response after two days. At which point, I apologized for her inability to get in contact with the musician and told her that I would reach out to him.
Here’s the conversation I had with the musician.
Following this conversation, I followed up with Trixx, letting her know that I understood the musician had spoken to her, adding that I would hop on ahead and complete her illustration within the week, providing updates each day until the work was complete.
The following is what transpired:
This is the link to the previously completed collaborative auction linked to in the screencaps above: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/27946332/
This is the link to Trixx’s completed illustration: https://www.dropbox.com/s/jd7o726jjdq7yi4/trixx.png?dl=0
(Version without the radial blur: https://www.dropbox.com/s/qdtk31qyfksez9u/trixx_2.png?dl=0
The conversation continued down this trajectory, eventually leading to a very confusing moment where Trixx began linking me to examples of work that were not provided as examples in the auction description, eventually going as far as to accuse me of editing the auction details (effectively gaslighting her). She dropped that particular topic as soon as she realized that she had been looking at the details and pulling up examples provided in the description of an entirely different auction than the one she had bid on.
Eventually, I had considered completely redoing the background and most of the character for an additional charge (which she had warned me not to make too steep, on the premise that she has already paid for the illustration). I offered to redo things on the condition of her trust that I was putting forth my best effort for her. She voiced her lack of confidence, and I quickly determined that the safest course of action was to encourage her to take a partial refund.
I had her invoice me for the partial refund, and promptly paid that invoice
I left the group conversation, and she sent me one last personal DM
Not wanting to continue the conversation with respect to my own time and emotional resources, I blocked her on discord following that last message I sent.
The musician told me that he was going to issue her a full $480 refund.
I sincerely believe that Trixx is not a wholly unreasonable person, and that the responses from her as seen in these screencaps were shaped largely by the wait time and lapses in correspondence. I tried my best to juggle the issues surrounding the musician and the needs of the client, but in the end, the variables failed to line up in a manner that was conducive to good business and a happy customer. This is my very first experience with both a situation and a client like this and it has been a great teacher.
However her conduct, her assertive devaluing of my work, dismissal of my numerous attempts to problem solve with her under the assertion that I’m trying to rip her off, the moving goalposts, and her aggressive attempts to pursue the matter even after a refund had been issued for completed work has been disrespectful beyond what was called for.
"Fursuit maker" "Space Meme" (herein refered to as "Maker") was paid $625 to create a costume / fursuit, (herein referred to as "Fursuit") materials and money, along with a ":duct tape dummy" were sent.
Maker never created the Fursuit or produced any product, and was asked to refund money and or return materials, neither of which were refunded/returned as of 2020 Jan 3.
On 31.01.2019 I contacted ChazThePanwhere over a Furry Marketplace Group on Telegram. She made an offer for a comic she and a friend were working on. The role should be the mascot of a school and thus the main character of the project. She said there would be art, t-shirts and all kind of merch on that comic so the slot would be a bit pricey, but for 700$ I could join, but I had to be fast because anotherone already was interested in the slot. So I agreed to pay for it.
She then sent the Invoice via Paypal and I paid roughly 700$
The first days went good, the first pic arrived only 4 days later. (Also she forgot to draw my hair, but that's a minor issue)
Next thing came on 20th February
And then she took one month to fill it, but she said she was super busy and so I didn't want to be rude and thought it was okay (I know how it is to be busy sometimes). But then things changed. She didn't write me anything over months, so I decided to write her in June.
She told me she was in some serious trouble because she doesn't have money anymore and was sick and everything. I said it was ok and wished her well.
Next thing again I had to write her because I heared nothing from her. It was 15th September meanwhile and so I decided to drop out of the project. I tried to make her a fair offer, because she already did some art and had some trouble, so I didn't request a full refund.
Followed by the picture of the invoice in case she doesn't even remember it. She took it easy and said she couldn't pay it all by now, but she would do in installments and I was really relieved that it would go this easy.
I also wrote with her partner (the storywriter of the comic) at this time. I just wanted him to know I wouldn't be part of the Comic anymore and it turned out he didn't even know that ChazThePanwere took money for drawing, she told him she would do it as a sparetime project.
This got me a bit uneasy. On 21st September (6 Days later) she then contacted me again and said, that she would not give a refund now, because in her contract she said she will only give refunds if she doesn't make progress in 12 Month. She showed me the phrase and she was right.
So I gave her time until today (5th February 2020) to do some more art, but she didn't. So I wrote her a friendly but resolute message that I want my money back or I would take several actions (this Beware being one of them) and gave her two weeks (and again an option to friendly discuss it all out) to send it to my PayPal account and she said she wouldn't send me my money back, but rather rush six more pics and then close the project as done. This is the reason why I decided to write this beware today and not in two weeks as first said.
I am more than sure I will never get my money back, but maybe it helps other people to not live through the same thing.
On December 16, 2018 the artist posted openings for sketch commissions.
I contacted him that same day for a spot and began discussions for the picture. With the details agreed upon, I paid the very next day on December 17, 2018 via PayPal.
On January 8, 2019 I checked in with the artist and was told that the commission would be finished the next day. Although not complete, the artist sent me a WIP instead around January 15, 2019 that I accidentally deleted from chat while I was trying to save it.
The next day, the artist asked for my Twitter, which I believed he wanted to use to tag the completed picture. Two days later, I received notification that he had completed it and would be sending it soon.
This would be the last time I would hear back from the artist. I contacted him multiple times via Telegram (our main source of contact), which went unread even though his status continues to be “last seen recently.” I had also sent him an ultimatum via the email account he provided for PayPal, from which I got no response.
It has been over a year now and I still have not gotten a response from any of my messages or emails. I even checked his Twitter in an attempt to DM him and noticed he does not have those open to non-mutuals. I unfortunately did attempt a chargeback but PayPay stated it was beyond the acceptable timeframe I’m order to do so. At this point, I have chalked this up as a loss.
Thank you for your time.
On July 9th, 2016 the artist posted a YCH animation auction on furaffinity that I won via auto buy on July 11th for $2000 USD. Me and the artist agreed on 6 installment payments with the first paypal invoice sent and paid for on July 12th and the second invoice sent and paid on July 29th. I was getting regular updates the first few months with communication exclusively through telegram but then communication stopped for a few months and then after he got back to me with what would be the last update I sent my third and final payment on February 7, 2017 and after that I didn’t hear anything from him for months.
I didn’t get in contact with him again until July, 16th 2018 via email inquiring about the status of the commission as I haven’t gotten an update for it in well over a year and asked me if I wanted a refund or finish the commission with me choosing to finish it.
Didn’t get in contact again with the artist until April 2, 2019 via twitter direct message where he again said he was sorry for the wait and that he was going to finish the commission but still no update on the commission was delivered. On June 24th, 2019 they said due to health problems they weren’t capable of finishing the commission and was going to refund me the money I paid in installments of $200 a month sent to my paypal account. They didn’t send me a payment until August 5th, 2019 and it was only $50 with the promise of $150 later but it never came. I haven’t gotten in contact with the artist since with $950 USD still owed to me for the unfinished animation commission.
One day on October 3rd, 2018, the artist asked me if I was interested in getting art from him. He was offering a discount: $50 USD for two character line art, $15 less than what he usually charges for it. He supposedly wanted the money that night (which I think is a red flag all on it's own), and it was an artist whom I really liked. I decided to get a friend in on this and we decided to commission Synx. He then explained that he needed it for his medication which I could completely understand. We pay and wait for him to be ready before we sent our details.
A week goes by and I ask for an update. He says that we are next and he will be able to make our commission in a few days.
A few more days go by and they mention that they are delaying our commission a few days because they're making a big move. Like before, I let it go.
Later in December, he tells us that he is now busy with work, also adding that our commission has "highest priority."
More time goes by... until recently when in another Telegram group chat, I see art with his name on it. We were not the "highest priority." I ask Synx about it, and he now says he is ready to get started. I will admit, that I did not discuss with Synx what we wanted, but I was waiting for him to be ready.
Full picture. Note the 2020 date on the top left.
I let him know the details of what we wanted all that time ago and he says he will update us with a time. He keeps saying "I will try tomorrow" only to find out he hasn't.
Recently, I have been bumping him to see if he has even started, only to find more excuses. He offers us more art in compensation for the lack of progress over the past year. Still nothing.
As of Feb 2, 2020, I had subscribed to alerts to his Picarto which tells me when he streams on that platform. Hoping that it would be our commission, I log in and watch the stream only to find out that he isn't working on our stream. I ask if he has a timeline for our art, only to have him say "no exact date."
Picture from the stream on Feb 2, 2020.
I am extremely disappointed with this artist, and would advise not working with them. At the very minimum, don't give them your money until they are actually starting the art. I love their art, especially since they hit kinks that I love, but this experience was just horrid.
I commissioned Sabletide / Stark / Glaciekat after meeting them on a Discord, on the 1st of November.
I want to add that I tipped them a $5 extra because I know that artist life can be hard and that I liked their art a lot.
Moreover, I didn't ask for a specific delay from the beginning. I let them take their time and have free will about their decisions and what I wanted with the commission.
Here's the timeline of what happened (see Discord and Gmail screenshots):
Between the 1st and the 13th of November, I had no news from them.
On the 13th of November, they told me that they'll send me Works In Progress (WIPs) when they will be home.
On the 14th they said that they weren't home but they'd send me the WIPs "tonight".
On the 16th I sent them my ref sheet. No answer.
On the 17th I asked them the WIP, they said that they were doing edits. I told them just to change the face markings of my character.
One month after, on the 7th of December, I sent them an email asking for news and saying that I lost their Discord nickname. No answers.
December 12, I asked them to answer me within 48 hours, otherwise I would do a PayPal dispute.
December 13th, still no news from them at all, I asked a refund to PayPal because I didn't want to get scammed. They finally answer my e-mail after I created the PayPal dispute.
16th of December, after we got back to each other on Discord the same day, I asked they if they were ok to draw my Fursona even if the character have completely changed. They said it was okay (they could have said no) and that they could get it "mostly done today" (on the 16th of December). I then closed the PayPal dispute.
On the 17th of December they sent me a WIP.
On the 19th of December I went back to them, they said they were slow because of the holidays, which I understood. I asked they not to tell me any more delays because I can't just come back every time they say "I'll finish it in one week/one day" etc because it's frustrating both for them and I. They told me it would be "within 2 weeks for sure". I understood.
On the 11th of January, I asked they if I could get any answer from them.
On the 14th of January, they sent me another WIP. They said it "shouldn't take too long".
And today here we are, 4 months after and all I had were just WIPs.
I didn't ask for any deadline or any precise date but they gave me a bunch of delays that they didn't keep.
They could have said no for the whole new character - I would have understand it - but they didn't and accepted to re-draw the character entirely.
They didn't keep me updated at all, which ended up with me disputing for the payment because our conversation was so lost in Discord I couldn't get it back.
I ended up asking for a partial refund, because I ordered a bunch of other commissions in the meantime and all of them have been completed but theirs.
I understand that they have priorities, studies aside their commissions, but keeping me waiting and keep saying that they'll do it in [insert a delay here] isn't going anywhere.
On January 10th 2019, the artist opened commissions on twitter throught a google form, I sent a form asking for an icon commission. On January 14th 2019, I received and paid the invoice on Paypal. After that, on January 17th 2019, my commission info was added to the artist's Trello page. Little to none activity is shown in their Trello regarding my commission during the rest of the year.
On November 16th 2019, I try to contact the artist on their Twitter asking why is taking so long with my commission and if there's any sketch I could see as a progress (if any) but I get no answer. On November 19th 2019, my commission shows some activity on their Trello, with the cheklist's items "Roguh sketch" and "Final sketch" completed. After that update, until this day, the artist hasn't showed any sign of activity in their Trello or Twitter.
On January 11th and January 23th 2020, I tried to contact them again, asking what's going on? Why the lack of activity, is everything ok and what's the situation with my commission but I haven't got any answer from them so far.
I don't know what's going to be honest. Before November, the artist was constantly to somewhat active, delivering commissions (kinda at a slow pace though imo) and taking some more from time to time but then, without warning, they just disappeared; no announcement, no responses, no other way to contact them, nothing. I know there has been some people looking for them too, also for pending commissions.
I don't want to think bad of the artist but this doesn't look good for them. At this point I just want my commission soon or my money back (along with an explanation if possible).
IMAGE PROOF
Publicity of commissions
Paypal invoice
Trello activity of commission
First attempt to contact the artist on Twitter, Nov 16th 2019
Second attempt to contact hte artist on Twitter, Jan 11th 2020
Thrid attempt to contact the artist on Twitter, Jan 23th 2020
https://imgur.com/mQa5eK
On February 7, 2019, the artist BlindCoyote sent a public tweet offering a commission opening for one sketch for $50 USD, or $100 USD for flat colors. I publicly responded expressing interest in the opening, to which the both of us went into Twitter Direct Messages (DM) to discuss the details further. Payment was agreed upon, and conducted through Paypal.
On May 24, 2019, BlindCoyote sent a work-in-progress sketch through the same Twitter DM channel. Details were discussed and agreed upon.
On July 19, 2019, I had some concerns that I wished to ask BlindCoyote. He did not respond.
On July 30, 2019, I requested the commission be cancelled. BlindCoyote still did not respond. So on August 4, 2019, an email was sent threatening to take action through a Paypal chargeback if he did not respond. He responded the next day, requesting the Paypal address thru which to send a $75 refund, which was responded to. That was the last time I ever heard from him on the matter. A refund was never issued.
Two further emails demanding action on his part were also not returned.
I paid for a custom Cinnadog from byronbae on 1/18/2019, which were $40 base price + extra for other trait add-ons. The total transaction was $45 after adding 1 $5 trait to the custom base price. They mentioned there would possibly be a long wait time due to taking multiple slots. deviantART journal, claim proof, and payment proof below.
I waited with no update until I received notification on 5/3/2019, where byronbae let everyone still pending know that they were having IRL issues, but should still expect sketches soon. Hearing nothing for several more months, I messaged them again on 9/15/2019 asking for status updates. Byronbae replied that they would be able to potentially get their queue done in October.
On 11/28/2019, with no other updates in October and November, I asked for a refund. I received a reply that byronbae was willing to refund me but had no income, so I would need to wait until January. I let them know what I paid and waited for an update.
I do not follow byronbae directly on deviantART but checked their page to see if they were active, and noticed they posted a journal on 1/3/2020 mentioning the outstanding commission issue. They claimed that they would be working on refunds and pinging people involved. As of 1/27/2020, no communication has occurred and no refund has been issued. I commented to ask status updates, but it has now been over 1 year since the initial transaction.
