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  • Artist Beware: Strype


    DSabot
    • Who: Strype / StrypeisonFire
      Where: https://www.furaffinity.net/user/strype/
      https://twitter.com/StrypeisonFire
      When: 11/04/2018
      What: Commission
      NSFW Content

    Message added by James

    This item has been assigned as a "Caution" post as the transaction wasn't abusive and is resolved.

    A large portion was removed for containing proxy.  We ask individuals keep their posts entirely focused on their own transaction, and do not involve unrelated third parties.

    [ This article contains uncensored NSFW imagery (nudity). ]

    ...

    I initially got into contact with Strype on the 3rd of November, 2018.

    One day later, on Nov 4th, we came to an agreement on a single character thigh-up commission for $220,- USD.

    1616009681_00000001.AgreementTransaction1.PNG.c4a1f2f83863b9206ff9d3ce2feeb7cb.PNG

    I subsequently provided them with my PayPal address and paid their invoice in full that same day (Nov 4th, 2018).

    1993727645_00001.AgreementTransaction2.PNG.809ef37f74663f5e4bd346062fc7b349.PNG

    1810050271_2.Transaction4thNovember2018.thumb.png.8a3c39811477f4f804d6937919a3ab73.png

     

    They confirmed my payment as completed, and informed me that I'd have linework to look at later that week.

    1832837262_AgreementTransaction3.PNG.8a364a10654de41d05b575cc9281c015.PNG

     

    On the 16th of November, 2018 (~12 days following the 4th), I received the linework along with a brief apology for the wait.

    1438667905_ApprovalofSketch1-2.PNG.3a0f697ea0d84482e92d83f626452b46.PNG

    I approved of the linework some hours later, on the same day.

    140474115_ApprovalofSketch2-2.PNG.1aa2ccbc982cafabede07de78e5be473.PNG

     

    After this point, a long period of silence and no updates would occur.

    This is where I want to bring one's attention to the fact that the artist does not have a ToS.

    Below is a collection of screengrabs from their primary sites (FA and Twitter), both having no ToS to speak of whatsoever.

     

    Furaffinity Account Page

    1670129946_FANOTOS3.thumb.png.bd67880ed3e50c2eb110a37b7e251f8c.png

     

    Furaffinity "Commissions Available" Post 1/2 + 2/2

    2138583492_FANOTOS.thumb.png.ed5c8aad6b2424e8bdbe574225d54788.png

    1822259947_FANOTOS2.thumb.png.2817f3fcfbd8588d54bd670df24418d8.png

     

    Twitter Page

    1782726266_TWITTERNOTOS.thumb.png.d68574003c85c544c12448617262f565.png


    (Additional screengrabs from other sites such as Furry Network (https://furrynetwork.com/strype/) and Weasyl have also been collected, but will not be included here as they are not in use by the artist at the time of writing this article.)

    In short; the artist has no rules, no commitments, and no incentive to adhere to any sense of professionalism with commissions that start off at over 200 USD.

    I should obviously have considered this a red flag prior, but I did not. That was a mistake.

     

    Reiterating; November the 16th, 2018 was when I received and approved of the linework for my commission.

    I waited until December the 17th, roughly one month later, before I sent them a note asking for an update.

    133642743_UpdateRequestAnswer1.PNG.3cd30b0550491c21ebfa3520b2384fc1.PNG

    No progress had been made - but they had added me to their 'priority list'. I thanked them for the update and continued waiting.

    Following Christmas and New Years, on the 12th of January, 2019, I sent them a new note asking for an update if possible.

    (The mentioning of 'three weeks' below here on my part is referring to me inquiring about some lighting conditions in the commission, as they had not yet started, three weeks ago.)

    1812505978_UpdateRequestAnswer2.PNG.0f404b8abba271f325ed68488c283773.PNG

    Understanding their reasonings, I wished them the best and continued waiting, hoping for an update.

    On the 1st of February, 2019, I ended up sending them a new note, asking for an update.

    100298750_UpdateRequestAnswer3.PNG.446d2892f850f92f15a98fddc713acb3.PNG

    Still no progress - but understanding their situation (they have been open about these issues on their public Twitter, no censoring necessary), I remained patient, hoping for an update soon.

    It was during this phase of waiting I came to realize that getting put on a 'priority list' since the middle of December last year actually doesn't mean anything at all.

    Strype had been taking on multiple commissions between late December in 2018 and up till early February in 2019 - all while my commission was supposedly a priority.


    December 30th, 2018 - Multiple Slots

    1881620851_1.December30th2018-MultipleSlots.thumb.PNG.40e0fc7964528fa24eb532b5840ccc33.PNG

     

    January 21st, 2019 - One Slot

    1481994193_2.January21st2019-OneSlot.PNG.4d7ae7195e9ed1707df6fa1a6e273214.PNG

     

    January 26th, 2019 - Multiple Slots > (This one is especially interesting and will be referred to shortly)

    2072812530_3.January26th2019-MultipleSlots.thumb.PNG.9b7da3a482fd7b4d731a6b6e9cf1d446.PNG

     

    February 10th, 2019 - Multiple Slots

    1472590651_4.February10th2019-MultipleSlots.thumb.PNG.baf02dc34e95e0ff660bcaa19cba2dc2.PNG

     

    The most alarming about these openings is the fact that these commissions were not prioritized behind my commission.

    One of them was actually taken in late January, (Jan. 26th opening), but ended up being completed less than a month later, before my commisson had even been started.

    I know this due to getting in contact with the commissioner in question.

    [See mod note above]

     

    Following these discouraging news, I wrote up a note asking for a reply in direct response to what I had learned, confronting them with my concerns on the 19th of February, 2019:

    This is how my message looked:

    2134379712_UpdateRequest4-1.PNG.0d97d31f3cac41bff790e753f842a51e.PNG


    This is the reply I received:

    168043808_UpdateRequest4-2.PNG.c14e6e3a6ef93dbbb3888aee4211250f.PNG

    Reading this reply, the troublesome lack of any ToS the artist would've had to abide by, became clear to see.
    I thanked them for the update and expected results to show up soon.

    Three days later, on February the 22nd, 2019, the artist finally delivered my finished commission, thanking me for my patience.

    1640757949_CommissionCompleted.PNG.854b682c0495727812e93767f210ae95.PNG

     

    Credit where credit is due, I was satisfied with the finished results, but they had arrived 3-4 months after I had paid my commission in full.

     

    1176611094_FinalMessage1-2.PNG.a5b687b22f44115f6241b08d5e43f789.PNG

    My commission had arrived roughly one week before my PayPal refund (March the 3rd) opportunity would've been rendered forfeit; not a reassuring fact.

    Wanting to give them a second chance however, I inquired with them if they would be interested in taking on a second commission, granted that another uncertain 3-4 month waiting period was not to repeat itself, put in a polite of a manner as possible. Their response was simple, and sounded as follows...

    932170792_FinalMessage2-2.PNG.3cb5667a4ff0baa97e2635167d993067.PNG

    There was nothing extraordinary about my experience with them, and 3-4 month waiting period.

    If I wanted another commission, I should expect another 3-4 months of the exact same treatment, over again.

    ...

    I urge you to stay away from this artist at all costs, at the very least until they possess a ToS to prevent what happened to me, from happening to you.
     

    FNET NO TOS.png

    FNET NO TOS 2.png

    Final Message 1-2.PNG




    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments

    Maybe I'm misunderstanding something, but shouldn't this be a 'caution' rather than a full beware? They delivered your art, and though their priorities seem a little iffy, 3-4 months really isn't totally unreasonable for art. 

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    • Administrator
    5 minutes ago, Calix said:

    Maybe I'm misunderstanding something, but shouldn't this be a 'caution' rather than a full beware? They delivered your art, and though their priorities seem a little iffy, 3-4 months really isn't totally unreasonable for art. 

    Please see either the top of this post OR the screencap I attached below (which is of the top of this post).

    We already made it a Caution post due to the artist's behavior. Which while no it is not BAD persay... but frustrating for this particular client who felt that others should be aware of how Strype works.

    Screenshot_20190302-144221_Chrome.jpg

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    3 minutes ago, Xaila said:

    Please see either the top of this post OR the screencap I attached below (which is of the top of this post).

    We already made it a Caution post due to the artist's behavior. Which while no it is not BAD persay... but frustrating for this particular client who felt that others should be aware of how Strype works.

    Screenshot_20190302-144221_Chrome.jpg

    Ah! My mistake, sorry. I saw the bit about the proxy but my eyes skipped right over the line above that for some reason. Thanks for the reply!

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    The same thing happened with my boyfriend when he commissioned him. He at one point told my boyfriend that he works on commissions in no particular order and will work on what he feels like when he feels like it. He made it sound like he only works on stuff that's he's interested in. So if he doesn't like your idea I guess you might be waiting for a long time. 
    I also remember that he did not provide a sketch for approval and only provided line work, and when my boyfriend asked for changes Strype wanted an additional $75 because he does the line work by hand and would have to "start over" to make any changes. He waited about 3 months before asking another update then trying to obtain a refund. The two of them eventually worked it out and my boyfriend got his money back and agreed to let Strype keep $75 for the line work he did. It was a terribly painful ordeal.
    For someone as popular as Strype not having a ToS baffled me, I was immediately concerned when I could not find any traces when I went digging around for them during my boyfriends ordeal.  
    I feel for you, and for anyone who has (or currently is) dealing with his random policies and aloofness.

    TL;DR Boyfriend had similar issues with the artist that resulted in the artist losing their cool. 
    Ditto on the "I urge you to stay away from this artist at all costs, at the very least until they possess a ToS to prevent what happened to me, from happening to you."

    Edited by NovaCaine
    missing words, grammar
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    Strype has a bad habit of doing this. But, in the neighborhood of ToS's, unless your business is legally registered in your country of origin, even most times, them having a ToS doesnt actually mean squat. =/

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