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https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/798520.html WHO: Jailbird WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/jailbird/ WHAT: A single character flat color SFW art WHEN: about two and half months ago PROOF: Comment on journal http://i.imgur.com/7lEaE1X.png Later a note asking if it was ok to move from sketch to flat color http://i.imgur.com/6CZPXwy.png And payment sent http://i.imgur.com/RweU93m.png EXPLAIN: After the payment was sent. I could never get them to answer anything! Noted them about a month after I ordered the picture cause I wasn't on any updated lists http://i.imgur.com/Tacgs40.png Also publicly commented hoping they'd answer http://i.imgur.com/KkmhHhg.png never got it. After a week or so of no contact what so ever I noted them once more http://i.imgur.com/kJr3hz0.png making them aware if I didn't hear back I'd be taking it up with paypal. So when I got no please still I did just that. After no reply I noticed I was on their refund list? http://i.imgur.com/bylRZEz.png and I also commented publicly about that as well http://i.imgur.com/guolLxW.png They never got back to, no reply to notes after they got payment. I don't mind waiting for art, but you need to keep updated. When you keep taking slots it makes people worry and you really should reply back! I did get my money back http://i.imgur.com/c2LcETd.png without them replying once to that even. I was very happy when I was able to get a slot, cause I've wanted art from Jailbird for a while now. After this I have unfollowed them and never want to deal with them, because they don't seem to care to reply to comments or notes to people that have paid them for work.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/798153.html WHO: Jencity on deviantART http://jencity.deviantart.com WHERE: deviantART WHAT: 5,000 word horror story with adult content. WHEN: March 8, 2014. First payment was sent around same time. April 12th "delivery payment" was made to get the story. Trouble started since. Commission Details. PROOF: Notes from "when story was done" until she stopped responding. My Note of sending to multiple e-mail addresses. Hospital Journal. Final Note Sent. Second Journal (Her return). EXPLAIN: I responded to an ad Jencity had in the dA forums for writing commissions. We talked via note about the commission details, but I settled on a 5,000 piece that cost $100, with half upfront first and the rest due when the story was done. I did voice concerns that I didn't want the commission to take forever. She assured me that wouldn't happen, that it would only take about two weeks. I sent her the payment and waited. Right away there was problems. Two weeks had already passed and she hadn't even started on the story. Then around mid-April she said that it was ready, sorry for taking so long. That to send the second half of the payment and that she'll send the story. I waited a week and nothing came. When I asked where it was, she apologized and said she'd resend it, that she wasn't at a computer for the entire week. She also said that she'd post it in her gallery. I gave her another address to send it to (that didn't have a spam filter) and said I'd watch her dA page. Another week went by. I sent another note asking where my commission was, that its two weeks since I paid. April 30th I get a blanket message to check her journal. In the journal she says that she's been admitted to the hospital and doesn't know when she'll be back out and that she barely has access to things on her phone. Disgruntled I waited. Two more weeks went by and I figured she'd be out of the hospital by then. I asked her about my commission, but noticed something odd when I landed on her dA page. Her activity in "Recent" showed that she logged in 1 day ago. Also none of my notes past the hospital admittance date had been read. She would log into dA every two days or so. May 30th I had it. I filed a dispute with Paypal over the second amount (as the first one was too far gone to do anything about it. I waited till this date as it was before it reached the 45 day limit, just to be on the safe side if something was amiss.) I also sent a dA Note to her asking either for my commission or my money back. This went by without any contest, and I won the dispute for the second $50. About five days later she posts a journal about "being in the hospital for over a month". She publicly addresses "me" in her journal about the PayPal refund, saying that I "insulted her work ethic" and calls what I did petty. She has read my note over the summer (not sure when, noticed it one day while going through my Sentbox). She has not responded to me directly about this issue since, nor messaged me since her "mass Note" when she entered the hospital. I did file for a chargeback at my bank for the first $50, but that never came through. I cannot find it in the comments on her profile page as it seems to be hidden (I did not think to screenshot them at the time), but I saw something similar happen in 2013, apparently. But someone had commissioned her for a story; Jencity said she sent a copy, uploaded it to her gallery for 24 hours then promptly deleted it because "it wasn't her property anymore and it was undesireable". He had missed this upload window and never received her e-mail and came asking for her to resend the story. She didn't because "I don't own it and I deleted it for reasons." There was some back and forth but she gave the guy a refund but the guy still wanted the piece. I should have taken it as a forewarning of things to come. There was also another incident which showed up in the forums via search here: http://forum.deviantart.com/jobs/services/1831421/

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/796126.html WHO: KingyYosmemaru / Akira.and.Haku both at Furaffinity. WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/kingyyosmemaru WHAT: She had ordered a Wing-it commission from a journal I had posted about two and ahalf weeks ago, I no longer have the journal up, as I deleted it when I completed both commissions from it, but I have screenshots of our conversation after the slot had been accepted. WHEN: About 2 and a-half weeks ago, September 1-3rd, I believe would be a good estimate. PROOF: Here is the listing of all correspondence I had with her, She asked if she could send payment initially during the sketching stage, which I told her it’d be fine to do at the flat stage, she agreed. * Replies with any smiley faces are hers, I don't normally use them when discussing commissions. http://sta.sh/0687yk1pj0x This shows my un-read notes, And a note that states I will report her to Artist Beware if she doesn’t atleast speak to me, aswell as shows that she HAS been on and watching people. (( I’m only reporting this today, because once again. I can see she’s watched four people since this morning.)) And the shouts I’ve left on her page, incase she deletes them. (( White’d out line is my Paypal.)) http://sta.sh/0s3ep1qtzbf The finished Commission. http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14467267/ EXPLAIN: I never thought I’d have to post a Artist Beware, too be honest I thought I would’ve been posted on here due to some idiotic things I had done when initially starting commissions. I’ve never had a issue like this, someone not paying me for my services. So I’m deeply saddened by this as she was very responsive and kind when talking with me. I was a idiot and finished her commission, as I was motivated and excited to be working on it or her. She asked for some edits which I accepted to do.. and then she never replied back. I’ve since switched to doing invoices and a more acceptable payment procedure. But I know she commissions other people, so I’m just putting this up here in-case it happens again. Edits for spelling. Update, 9/29/2014. Kingyosmemaru has gotten back into contact with me to work something out.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/797127.html WHO: Knuxlight, @tehknuxlight on Twitter , http://www.furaffinity.net/user/knuxlight/ on FurAffinity, and https://www.weasyl.com/~knuxlight on Weasyl. WHERE: Twitter.com WHAT: $35 Bust WHEN: 2013 was when this started. PROOF: Sadly the initial agreement was made in 2013, and I cannot recover my DMs from the time. (I admit that this was a mistake - because my friend commissioned him and got art within weeks, I thought I didn’t need to screenshot our DM exchange.) Although I do actually have a screenshot of the payment here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17247468/Screen Shot 2014-08-29 at 6.10.32 PM.png Fortunately Paypal actually is pretty good at keeping track of these things. However, since then, Knuxlight has acknowledged me, as well as the fact that he has owed work: -https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17247468/Screen%20Shot%202014-08-29%20at%205.31.34%20PM.png <— Initially, Knuxlight told me that he was hoping to have this done by the week’s end. After he failed to produce even a WIP, I asked again. -https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17247468/Screen%20Shot%202014-08-29%20at%205.26.45%20PM.png <— Knuxlight gives the hard date of August 27th. (This exchange happened on August 20th, 2014.) https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17247468/Screen Shot 2014-08-12 at 2.05.07 PM.png <— Knuxlight talking about the bust work that has been owed. Note the dates. EXPLAIN: One of my friends recommended me to this artist because he was quite satisfied with a commission he did for him. Knuxlight was drawing bust commissions for $35, mostly practice. He took two batches, I was in the first - as you can probably figure out now, guess who was the one person in batch one that didn’t get anything then. Knuxlight then proceeded to talk about how he had school. Now I can understand that he was actually trying to do things to better his life. During this time, he didn’t take any commissions and then finished, graduating from school. In fact, he apologized for this right here. http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5287222/ (You will note this was posted in November of 2013. In October, he had also said “Hey, tell me what you wanted” and did not provide a sketch.) Now, here’s what I really found suspicious: In 2014, he said the Busts will be worked on over weekends. (Source: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/17247468/Screen Shot 2014-08-12 at 2.05.07 PM.png ) Until around July/August, I noticed that he made no attempt to contact me, and then I noticed there weren't any "Bust" tweets But here’s what I found oddly suspicious… …he had been taking more commissions. Which were all finished first. If you view his Twitter media, you will notice that he had been taking commissions for quite awhile - and actually finished them all. [NSFW WARNING!] At first, I assumed that these were owed work, but I have discovered since then that they were not, and he has been prioritizing new commissions. Throughout the month of September, I have attempted to contact him and remind him that the hard date he had given me and that I would like a refund or my commission, an he has not responded. Now, I know that I have screwed up on this in several ways: 1) I did not take a screenshot of the initial agreement. 2) I did not take a screenshot of the livestream chat when he was working on an icon (Which was a separate transaction.) and similarly, I do not know if I was thorough enough about that when I said “Say, do you also know when you’ll be able to work on my commission? I’m Anpumon on Twitter…’, and it likely got drowned out. 3) I should have noticed the red flags. I’m going to be extra careful to find them now. (You can find them all over his FA and Weasyl pages.) 4) Among the red flags is this entry right here http://artists-beware.livejournal.com/675756.html#comments where it’s revealed he had done this before.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/796376.html WHO: SUGARFACTORY WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/sugarfactory WHAT: A box with fursuit accesoires, which was included in our deal about buying a second-hand partial. WHEN: I started contact around April 2013. It's now been 17 months since I didn't get the box she promised she will send. PROOF: Where to start 😉 These are screenshots from skype. She said she would include the extra if I would fo with the buyout deal ($1100) http://i.imgur.com/QtCV0nw.png . 8th May 2013, promising more stuff: http://i.imgur.com/XUg5km9.png & http://i.imgur.com/UtPbn1i.png 19th May 2013: My box arrived but not everything was included (the extra's). Checking with her http://i.imgur.com/xIsrPXo.png 25 June 2013: Promising her a box in return: http://i.imgur.com/uSDOOl7.png 27 June 2013: She wanted to include in the box a set of extra handpaws since the ones I got in the buyout deal weren't in good condition. http://i.imgur.com/rJqIAot.png 11 November 2013: http://i.imgur.com/H4zkB2V.png Telling her to skip the handpaws if must because I really would love my stuff at some point. 13 January 2014: She keeps stating she will send the box and is working on it... http://i.imgur.com/qlbJykT.png 15 March 2014: I've send her my box, with worth over 120$ of stuff. http://i.imgur.com/vpXY2ev.png Also she promises me a tracking even without sending anything. 21 March 2014: She lost the tracking it seems.. http://i.imgur.com/RQF0RGV.png 25 March 2014: Yes she lost it http://i.imgur.com/rMwlRp6.png And I never received the package since. but wait a minute? the fursuitaccesoires weren't included? 9 May 2014: http://i.imgur.com/9ThsE7g.png An excuse for not sending the box. 21 May 2014: http://i.imgur.com/N0XGVzF.png Saying to stop putting anything in the box extra and just send it to me. May 2014: Ignoring me http://i.imgur.com/T7cBgaL.png 5 June 2014: I wrote a message to her that I was despressed with not getting anything http://i.imgur.com/Ohuuz54.png . also http://i61.tinypic.com/1zdma9u.png saying that I would love to pay to get it here 24 July 2014: She's sending a box soon, because she's selling another suit, asking her if she will send mine too.. http://i.imgur.com/aF9XYi5.png 29 August 2014: Her fursuit she sold, has arrived at the new owner. Mine again... not send. http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14401597/ Today (27 September): https://twitter.com/sugarypuppy/status/515870207848374272 First time I ever EVER see a picture of stuff that would been send my way. But where's the bandana's? Jail-Plushie? Only recognizable thing is the tail. I can give you a lot more screenshots if you like. EXPLAIN: Sugarfactory sold her fursuitpartial "Jail" from OneEyedDoe in April 2013. She said if I would get the buyoutdeal instead of bidding, I would get extra's. As you can see in the links, she later promised more and more stuff. I was so exciting and I thought we were really friends. THANK GOD I've received the most important part: the partial. The fursuit is with me and I'm suiting with it over 1,5 years now, I'm really thankful for that. It surprised me that she didn't send everything that was in our deal in that first fursuit box (19th may). Also later suddently, in a second box that never arrived, she said that the fursuitstuff weren't included (25th of March.) One thing that made the package take long was that she commissioned extra handpaws because mine were a bit old now, at Autumnfallings. But they took so long that I said to her to get her money back, leave them out of our deal, and just send me the box. I also though that sending a box back, would help our friendship. I did send a box with Dutch treats and candy and toys, but never got a box from her back. Lost? Never been send? I'm not sure. The problem since the beginning was: - She said she will send it <..insert day here..> - She said it failed <..insert excuse here..>. Really, she gave every excuse possible. No money, sick, floodings, postal office closed, adress lost, busy, ow and when she had no money I offered to pay the shipping, but she refused. I even have PROOF that she send out other boxes and stuff as well.. but why not MINE? (The second fursuit she sells 29 August) The only thing I said over the last YEAR was "Please when will the box be send?" and than the above steps took place. She stated later that, this box she owes me are all GIFTS and she can take the time she needs Update (29-9-2014): Sugarfactory promised to send out the box this Monday. The content is discussed. I will update when I received a working Track&Trace. Update (6-10-2014) Package send 1 oct. Tracking works and it's on its way to Europe About the critique in the comments below: Yes, I used some inmature language and was angry. I read the termes about keeping it polite on this forum but I didn't always keep that in mind and I'm sorry for this.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/795792.html Who: Furrybandicoot Where: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/furrybandicoot/ http://www.furaffinity.net/user/bandicootstudios (Both abandon but active on Facebook.) What: Two felt badges, $22.00 When: Feb 15th-Present. *I piled up all the screenshots in a album on Imgur, link is below. Boyfriend's name is also crossed out. http://imgur.com/1BKBQ5T&3DQRFvM&O80ZcBt&IS8zZB5&vYbDbfB&bxmc9ii#0 *Picture 3 and 4 are switched around. Sorry to confuse! Explain: Bandicoot is a local-ish fur that is on our state fur group. In February she posted a few pictures of her felt badges done for other local furs in the group. I got a liking to them and asked for two, for my boyfriend and I. Paid the same day and was told they would be finished within 2-3 days. I sent over a private message for an update and was told they were mostly finished. We had a fursuit build party coming around, which was perfect for her to bring them by instead of mailing them. Came to the party and I can't remember the reason she didn't bring them. No biggie. She said they would be shipped to me when she got home. After that, no further contact. Around the 25th of August a couple of friends of mine drove up to meet with Bandicoot to visit and other personal reasons. Again, I asked about my badges and given another explanation of them being misplaced in her home. A bit annoyed but brushed it off and said okay and asked to keep me updated if they turned up somewhere. Update: This was the last reply I got and no response since, during all that she has been online and posting freely. Why is it so hard to mail them to me? I have not asked for a refund due them being completed, yet no proof that they are. Just have that bit of hope to them being done as she stated. Update: 10/9/14 That was the last time she contacted back than unfriend my from FB. She has ignored others whom she owes to boot. So I'll be counting this as a loss. http://imgur.com/CmpPRHx Do not commission this artist. You'll receive every excuse in the book and no product.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/794833.html WHO: Crystal-for-ever WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/crystal-for-ever/ WHAT: Wing It Commission -Two Character Adult Piece- WHEN: Commissioned and Paid May 10th 2013. Final contact April 18th 2014, Unresolved. PROOF: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/klb764ym9hk0299/Artists Beware Log.png EXPLAIN: Note Logs explain it all, but, commissioned her, waited over a year for the piece, communication was shoddy at best, wouldn't refund, gives no ETA, defends the wait by saying she's waited 2 years for art before. From what little I can see before she deletes the comments, this isn't new for her. Current Mood:Frustrated EDIT: Sep. 29th 2014 Update: Was talking with the artist, still won't refund but is offering to make the wait up to me by doing the piece she was paid to do. Oh, and a sketch. I've included the full conversation below. The TLDR is she asked me to take this post down and offered to finish the piece she never started... after I give her the info again, I told her I'm not interested in trying to get the art out of her anymore, after over a year, I just want my refund. Excuses follow, she really wants to settle the dispute art wise and offered to do a little extra in a sketch as her way of fixing this. PROOF: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/pw21jzcahg3m19k/Update Log.png EDIT: Sep. 29th 2014 Update: I listened to what she had to say, I told her I want my refund. Full log right there. It's similar to talking to a brick wall. I don't think this will get resolved. PROOF: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/s/h8yjxwfqivhl3d3/Second Update Log.png EDIT: Sep. 29th 2014 Update: Issue resolved. She has issued my full refund.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/794623.html My experience with AMWULF: A lack of communication on several commissions and zero updates on said pieces. Worst of all, even the artist forgetting I had commissioned them altogether. Most details about the commission agreements were exchanged verbally and in-person because this artist was living with us as a roommate. However, I do have screenshots of the monetary transactions that took place, detailed emails sent to the artist showing the date, and notes from other third-parties that had paid AMWULF to join me in group-commissions. I recently contacted AMWULF on September 16, 2014 to request a full refund on all pieces owed. I received a series of angry text messages and excuses as well as no concrete dates or payment plans except, and I quote, "will pay it back in chunks”. Overall, his behavior can be summed up as unprofessional, condescending, and immature. The following is a sample of screenshots showing my unfortunate interactions with AMWULF, starting with a typical text conversation, filled with his usual unprofessional, vulgar attitude: ----- WHO: He goes by the name AMWULF on Fur Affinity ----- WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/amwulf/ ----- WHAT: The commission that is the longest overdue was that of a Your-Character-Here featuring my horse character with the bid-winner’s character, which belonged to Maho-Gato (http://www.furaffinity.net/user/maho-gato). The total cost, split between Maho-Gato and myself, was to be fully paid to AMWULF, and I was to include a full backstory for the piece’s description. This all took place on November 23rd, 2012, when I had a verbal agreement with AMWULF. Maho-Gato was satisfied with AMWULF being the artist, but expressed he was very upset over AMWULF'S lack of communication and excuses. I can personally verify AMWULF expressed agitation with Maho's concerns even months after the initial auction closed and funds had been sent to AMWULF's Paypal. Here are the screenshots of me contacting Maho with AMWULF agreeing to taking on our commission: Maho and I eventually requested a refund from AMWULF, which has still not been granted, nor has AMWULF given a time frame for when we can expect to be paid back. On the second commission, I had requested a multi-character picture from AMWULF with a total cost of $80.00 USD, with other characters being added at no additional cost. Due to the length of time that has passed, I cannot pull up the bank or transaction record. However, I do have the date I sent AMWULF the details being May 1st 2013. This piece has not been done and I have received no sketch or updates from him whatsoever. Here is the email and date for verification: On the third commission, I ordered a two character piece by AMWULF of my Husband's fursona and myself totaling $120.00 USD. I was told verbally that, due to bills, AMWULF needed emergency commissions and said he would finish the piece that same day. This was supposed to be a surprise picture for my Husbands new character. All I saw was an unfinished sketch and that was nearly six months ago. Here is the paypal transaction verification image: And here is the detailed email description I sent him on January 21st 2014: ----- WHEN: The first piece was started on November 23rd 2012. Signs of trouble appeared several months after when Maho approached me several times regarding the piece. The second piece was started on May 1st, 2014. Signs of trouble again several months later. Multiple assurances the piece would be done with no progress. The third piece was started on January 21st 2014. Signs of trouble began a week later at no mention or update of art in question. ----- PROOF: Various screenshots listed above. ----- EXPLAIN: AMWULF avoids any talk of art that is owed by him. It creates an air of hostility due to his immense backlog spanning over two years and multiple group and single pieces owed in the hundreds and thousands of dollars to multiple furs who have waited patiently throughout these lengths of time for a product that has yet to manifest itself. I have come to the conclusion that I will not see any art or even a refund in a timely manner. AM's lack of professionalism in dealing with people he owes art, including even personal friends, is unprofessional and the excuses he gives when dealing with other people’s money is poor and unsatisfactory. I would advise any person seeking art by an artist to look elsewhere lest they find themselves in a similar situation. [From the Comments] valmirdraftstud [OP] Jan. 21st, 2015 08:17 pm (UTC) Regarding Refunds Here is the status and history of refunds Amwulf has paid. The amount totals 500 USD which is the total amount owed. The total time for repayment took over 4 months. Oct 15th Amwulf repaid 250 USD. Nov 24 Amwulf repaid 100 USD. Jan 21 Amwulf repaid a final payment of 150 USD AB posted September 20th 2014. So it took a total of 5 months and 1 day from this AB's posting to receive a full and complete repayment.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/793080.html I want to start off by saying I commission a LOT of people every year. I love buying art, and I LOVE the artists I work with. I so rarely have a problem - and I am that person who doesn't mind a long wait as long as the line of communication is kept open! That has been the biggest issue here, as the artist has failed to write back and has basically disappeared off the face of the sites where I can find her. - I apologize in advance for the length of this post; I was trying to be exceptionally thorough, as this has now been going on for a while. WHO: Deviantart user xJem - http://xjem.deviantart.com/ also known as Subeta user MasterBeauPre. (according to her Subeta profile, she is also on Gaia and FurAffinity, though I've been unable to hunt her down there yet) WHERE: Subeta.net; I made an art buying board and she sent me a mail on that site offering her services on 2/18/14 WHAT: Four pieces of art in a "noveau" style, two for myself and two for my wife as a gift, of four of our OCs. - My sMail to xJem with the details of the commission - xJem's response WHEN: The first contact was on 2/18/14, with the terms of the commission being agreed upon on 2/26/14. The $105 payment for all four was sent after seeing all four sketches on 2/28/14. Problems began almost from the start, as xJem stated she had 'deleted the files' and it was a good thing she had the sketches to go over, but I wasn't too worried. The first two completed images were received on 3/10/14. On 3/17, I received a mail from her saying her laptop was broken and she would be out of touch for about one week. I told her that was fine; I was going on vacation that very day, and I would look forward to updates when I returned. I returned on 3/24, and sent a message on 4/1 asking if there were any updates. After not hearing anything for a few more weeks, I went to DA to send a quick message. I think it's important to note xJem had been seen both on Subeta and on DA in this timeframe. I sent a DA message on 4/12. I did not hear back on DA or Subeta, so I eventually sent her an e-mail via the e-mail address she had provided me for Paypal. I sent this on 4/15, trying to keep it light and friendly, just in case she hadn't been on DA or Subeta! I finally received an e-mail back on 4/22, which was full of more excuses (internet issues, broken laptop, deleted files, etc). At this time she did indeed include the 3rd half-finished portrait. I responded telling her I didn't mind waiting, I just wanted to be kept in the loop! I did not hear anything back until 5/7, when she sent me the 3rd finished picture and two freebees to thank me for my patience. I want to interrupt myself here to say, that while I graciously appreciate the freebies... I feel like it would have been far more professional to FINISH the commission I paid for and then offer me something if you really felt so inclined (I flat out told her I didn't need anything extra, just my original commission!). I don't want to sound ungrateful. Free art is amazing. But... it is now 8/23 and I still don't have the final image I paid for. I wrote back on 5/8,and she did as well. I did not hear anything for a while and sent her a message on 5/23. She wrote back on 5/27 telling me of yet another issue and asking if I could wait a little longer. I told her sure. This e-mail on 5/27 is the last I've heard from her anywhere - on Subeta, DA, or via e-mail. PROOF: Oh boy, so many screenshots. I've kept them in chronological order to the notations above! - Completed Paypal transaction from 2/28/14 - sMail on Subeta stating that the files had been deleted and acknowledging she had received payment on 3/1/14. - sMail on 3/17 where xJem states her laptop is broken. - My quick sMail asking for any updates on 4/1 - My DA Message to xJem on 4/12. - E-mail sent on 4/15 - E-mail response on 4/22. - E-mail with the third image and first two 'free' images on 5/7 - Early May e-mail communication. - Last communication I had from the artist EXPLAIN: I wish I had an explanation. I don't know if it's the guilt of constantly putting it off that is causing her not to respond, or if she just bit off more than she could chew with other commissions. She is still around; her DA page says, as of today, that she was last seen a week ago, so she's at least been checking in since she last messaged me on 5/27. At this point, all I want is my final image, especially because... it was a matching set. I don't care about the 'free' art, and never did (and at this point, it doesn't feel free; it feels like the last part of my commission payment paid for two things I didn't order and that's it). I'm frustrated at how this entire thing went down, since she started off so reliable and kind and it turned into this. I'm not sure if she's still active on Gaia and FurAffinity, and just ignoring her existance on the sites that I happen to know her on, but if you DO run across her, please be careful commissioning her - at least for a larger order. Lesson learned.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/792761.html WHO: ThisPornGuy WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/thispornguy/ WHAT: $130 Three character commission with background WHEN: Paid on April 8th, 2014, June 5th, 2014: Last response PROOF: http://i.gyazo.com/3ad3156fdbb681eb5cb52052ca5f6117.png / Skech Received http://i.gyazo.com/17651ef726bf530397e863806d9e09e2.png / Payement Sent http://i.gyazo.com/c5a23e56e458663e695b6b0bd97a2ac7.png / Payment confirmation http://i.gyazo.com/1cdce44b738c36091bf534cec3f7e4cd.png / Status update http://i.gyazo.com/5cee171a4bbdd1b9973af622727e445e.png / Last Email http://i.gyazo.com/19a0eafa17dc9e254429353f3e669d56.png / Note on FA left unread EXPLAIN: My friend and I commissioned this artist back in March of this year, communication has been well back then. The commission was $130 in total for a full color three character piece with background. I received the sketch on April 8th of this year. Once I receive the preview sketch, I sent the payment on that same day. Ever since I have receive the sketch and sent the payment, the communication has decreased, immensely. I have gotten about 2-3 emails from this artist since April, the last one being on June 5. In those emails, I was told multiple times that the commission was nearly finished but still have not gotten the finished product. In the last email I got on June 5th, I was told that he had a hard drive issue in which all of his work had been erased. However, he still told me I was going to get an update or have the finished picture done within 1-2 days, and yet, nothing. I have sent multiple emails, along with my friend doing so too, to this artist and noted him on FA and neither of us have not received any response from the artist. He is, however, somewhat active as he has uploaded content to FA at the end of June and beginning of July, however he still hasn't been responsive on when he would be finished with the work. I'm writing this because the amount of communication is slim to none, and it's ironic that it happened once payment was sent. The artist is still around as he has favorite'd a piece on FA back on August 10th, the note I sent to him back in June is still left unanswered. I did manage to talk to one of his other commissioners and this person has not received an email from the artist since May. I don't know his issue but not responding to any emails has infuriated my friend and I as we are looking for answers. Current Mood: Infuriated

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/791647.html WHO: "Knon" WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/knon WHAT: $15 colored sketch style bust badge WHEN: paid December 2013 – currently unresolved PROOF: Numbers in the "Explain" section correlate with these: 1. https://www.dropbox.com/s/8kb7jm2akkyyt53/1.png?dl=0 2. https://www.dropbox.com/s/syrugy0x6uhsi56/2.png?dl=0 3. https://www.dropbox.com/s/n8cb7qc8k8bas80/3.png?dl=0 4. https://www.dropbox.com/s/amt8xxj0tu3e9rg/4.png?dl=0 5. https://www.dropbox.com/s/69fe69uafv5c276/5.png?dl=0 6. https://www.dropbox.com/s/ooa43l4ljtk5g1y/6.png?dl=0 7. https://www.dropbox.com/s/jkfzi03aoi187b6/7.png?dl=0 8. https://www.dropbox.com/s/5xoe913eqkg3nf4/8.png?dl=0 9. https://www.dropbox.com/s/izyknxnk731ph89/9.png?dl=0 EXPLAIN: -Dec 2013-early Jan 2014- I approached the artist after they opened for commissions via journal asking for a colored sketch style bust badge. (1) They responded with a “no problem!” just a few days later and then noted me with questions about details and their PayPal. (2) I responded with what I was looking for as well as the payment. (3) They then added me to the queue that was in the aforementioned journal. (5) -Feb 2014- I left a shout on Knon’s page (4) asking if they would add the queue in the journal to the queue that was listed in their homepage. No response or action was taken by the artist. I decided to send the artist a note asking for a refund. The note shown as being read but was not directly responded to. (6) -May 2014- I decided to send a friendly note to a person who frequently commissions this artist and asked if this lack of response was normal and whether or not to worry. I was assured it was normal and things were fine. Just a few days after that, the artist posted a journal saying that things were fine, they were alive, and would get back to people that wanted refunds. (7) -August 2014- I sent a note again asking for my refund. The note was neither read nor responded to. (8) A week later I sent a final note asking for a refund within 24 hours or I would resort to posting an A_B. (9) That was now 2 weeks ago. I believe I also sent a Skype message to the artist within this time period, as their Skype info is posted on their home page, but I don’t know how to go about getting evidence of that. So now here we are. This is my first post to A_B as well as my first time ever dealing with Livejournal, so I apologize for any mistakes in this. Thank you for your time.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/791353.html WHO: Dogbone, Dogboneartwork, Leachymonster, Rainbowjokerhound WHERE: www.weasyl.com/profile/dogbone and www.inkbunny.net/dogboneartwork WHAT: 20$ Iron Artist Commission back in February WHEN: February 12, 2014 Payment was sent same day Trouble started recently, after she blocked me on twitter cutting off a line of communication. She had responded to me on Inkbunny before this. Along with when I questioned her about blocking me after this PROOF: Weasyl Journal (archived incase of deletion) https://archive.today/ROnfW showing I had obtained a slot. I was requested to send money to her email. https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/19358828/ss%2B(2014-09-01%2Bat%2B10.36.54).png PayPal transaction of 20$ on the same date. Contact requesting update on the IA sketches http://puu.sh/bhPlI/adefcb24b2.png Shortly after I noticed she had blocked me I contacted her again, and received a snappy response just wondering if the situation had changed since she was cutting off a line of communication suddenly. http://puu.sh/bhPvp/d26a58a8b5.png EXPLAIN: I had contacted her on Inkbunny in regards to this. Shortly after she blocked me on twitter which signaled to me she had no desire to finish my sketch. Mind you this was commissioned over half a year ago now. As of current none of the Inkbunny or Weasyl IA sketches have been posted. She has claimed a few times in streams they are being worked on. I feel I have been more than lenient, but half a year is not acceptable. Not when she continues to take on more new work continuously. 9/7/2014 UPDATE: Dogbone insists the Iron Artists are being worked on. Stating it was a lack of communication on Weasyl... Except it was on Inkbunny and I think she blocked me there after the second request of an update. http://puu.sh/boTlh/081aea240c.png 2/22/2015 UPDATE: Dogbone has posted a bunch of IA commissions, with mine... but with one huge error. She drew Anthro instead of Feral as I originally requested. Email I sent to inform here: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/19358828/ss%2B(2015-03-02%2Bat%2B08.46.39).png Inkbunny PM sent to inform them: http://puu.sh/gk4PU/7da130f8ee.png Original Weasyl post requesting Anthro: http://puu.sh/gk4Lz/51582fd096.png 3/19/2015 UPDATE: Dogbone has completed and fixed my IA commission to be feral. She was very polite and was willing to work with me and allow me to upgrade my IA commission to an instream commission. Issue resolved fully and complete satisfaction met.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/788701.html WHO: Lightness7 WHERE: Through Furaffinity and Paypal WHAT: First he sent me a note asking me for a commission. I accepted it, and he payed me the 22 of April with paypal for 40€ I've completed his commission within 9 days, he was happy with it. WHEN: From the 22 of April to now PROOF: Screenshot of the notes for the commission : http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/226/d/6/proof_1_by_floravola-d7v3nq2.png Screenshot of the notes for the "refund" : http://fc09.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/226/f/c/refund_by_floravola-d7v3nqc.png Paypal screenshot : http://fc02.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2014/226/d/5/paypal_by_floravola-d7v3npw.png Emails I've sent him : http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2014/226/f/5/mail_by_floravola-d7v3ok8.png EXPLAIN: Though a month later, on May 22, he asked for a refund on paypal and I couldn't do anything about it, I asked him about it. Apparently he told me he got his credit card stolen and that I'll get the money back. I've sent him a note some days later, but he never replied. I noticed he wasn't active on Furaffinity anymore after this, he probably left the site to make another account. I've sent him two emails with his paypal adress asking him to refund me, but he didn't reply to me there either. The 21 May he got his money back, and I had 40(+16€ of fees) to give to paypal. The money in my account was -56€. I had to get it back to 0€. I phoned to paypal to know if I could get the amount refunded, but since it's no physical good, they can't do anything about it. What he probably did was to issue a refund because his credit card was « stolen », I checked with couple artists and he did the same to them. And he was found active on his account 2 weeks ago from now, but I still got no words from him. Current Mood: Still waiting

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/789416.html 11-24-2011 I've been putting this off for a long time, far too long. But then, I've heard some horror stories of people that posted about popular artists and it kind of put me off until today.. WHO: Calolily WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/calolily/ Disabled since the start of April. WHAT: $125 two-piece traditional set of a new character, pin-up + reference sheet. WHEN: November-26-2011 to current. PROOF: Image 1: http://i.imgur.com/yTGtt8J.jpg proof of payment. Image 2: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6933652/ the completed first piece, the same quality of work was expected of the second. Image 3: http://i.imgur.com/Kiy5EWx.png the note I sent the 8th. Image 4a/4b: http://i.imgur.com/8khYpgv.jpg the sheet posted to her scraps that night, original version. http://www.furaffinity.net/view/11569226/ the edited version of the sheet to add his horns after I noted her back. Image 5: http://i.imgur.com/Kswr37R.png the conversation that followed the image. Image 6: http://i.imgur.com/4nhGIZR.png the January note. Image 7: http://i.imgur.com/oqR5SHD.png the short conversation on the 4th of February. Image 8: http://i.imgur.com/0OqwX31.png my note later than month. Image 9: http://i.imgur.com/eD7dkcn.png my final note that she never even read. Image 10: http://i.imgur.com/SKtRQr5.png the emails today that convinced me to finally post this. EXPLAIN: November-26-2011, the initial contact took place via video stream with skype voice chat, we worked out the details and payment was sent, she completed the first half that night in the stream. (images 1-2) Time passed and I waited with waning patience for the second half, while watching her taking and posting many more commissions, and even opening a rather large collab auction on furbuy, before I finally contacted her again for it. September-8/9-2013, I sent the first note, she neglected to reply to the note at all, instead posting a hastily done and off-model digital sheet to her scraps, with nothing in the way of description. I noted her again to express my displeasure with the image and things got slightly unpleasant but were ultimately resolved with her set to do the sheet in traditional as originally agreed upon and have it finished by the end of the week.... She also found the time to edit the sheet during the conversation, though I saved the original. (Images 3-5) January-22-2014, I sent another note inquiring as to the status, read but not replied to. (Image 6) February-4-2014, I sent yet another note, she told me that the piece was completed but that she wouldn't be posting it on FA, she didn't offer me a digital copy in another method, and I neglected to ask for proof that it was done which I now realize I should have done. (Image 7) February-20-2014, after not hearing anything about it having been shipped, and not recieving anything in the mail for just over two weeks, I sent her another note. It was read, but not replied to. (Image 😎 April-4-2014, I sent yet another note asking about it, and this time mentioning that I might have to post on this journal, she didn't even read it. Two days later, her page was disabled and she had vanished off the internet. (image 9) August-24-2014, today. I decided to try one final try, and dug out her email to contact her directly. I didn't expect much, but to my surprise she responded.. In a less than polite manner. While I replied to her email despite her threat that it would be treated as harassment, I do not hold my breath for any sort of reply. (image 10) Edit, 8-26-14: It would appear that between writing this the 24th and it being approved today, she took the time to completely wipe her entire FA account in addition to disabling it, leaving one of my images a dead link. Current Mood:irritated

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/787838.html WHO + WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/starmony/ WHAT: On March 22nd 2014 I (officially) contacted Starmony via FurAffinity about purchasing two custom 'Bunicorn' designs from her. Her Bunicorn can be seen here: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/12569526/ WHEN: Initial contact was in March 2014 Agreement to design customs for me was March 9th, 2014. Design ideas sent by me on March 22nd, 2014. Payment sent via PayPal on May 4th, 2014. (*note that I sent this payment just before midnight on May 3rd) Preview for only one of the designs received on May 26th, 2014. Updated preview for the same design received on June 1st, 2014. Contact bump + A_B warning sent on August 2nd, 2014. PROOF: All Notes (sent + received) as well as PayPal's proof of payment shown in this image: http://i.imgur.com/uQdAqrg.png EXPLAIN: I first contacted Starmony to ask if her 'Bunicorn' character was from a closed species or not, because I was interested in making/purchasing one. She replied to me stating that while they were a closed species, she would be happy to make a custom for me. I explained that I was interested in buying a pair of customs, and gave details about inspiration and colour palettes. We exchanged information, payment was sent, and only one of the designs was ever shown to me having been worked on. I have never received proof that the other design was even started. All interaction, discussing payment and design elements of the two designs have been pleasant and fine until June of this year. Once before this point communication had been slow, as seen in the PROOF screenshot, but I too know how it is to just step away from a site for a little while. I was okay with this because communication seemed to be okay after that, and I had been given proof of work. However it has been two months now since I sent a reply to her on June 2nd, and she has (at the time of writing this) not opened that Note. I have sent a 'warning' Note to her on August 2nd, but this Note too has not been opened. I understand taking your time on something, and I also understand that sometimes struggles happen with designs. What I don't appreciate though is a complete lack of communication, especially paired with total inactivity on the site itself. While I would love to have both completed designs still, at this point they have lost their luster to me and I would accept a refund. Since partial work on one of the designs was given to me, I would accept a partial refund, and keep the unfinished design if the artist so chooses. Since it has been months since this transaction began, I am not sure if I can request a refund via PayPal or not, so I am hoping to work this out with the artist herself. I will update this post with any new information when I receive it. EDIT OCTOBER 5TH 2015: I have received a full refund from Starmony with help through a friend of hers, Lunarisse. This issue may be marked as resolved.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/786800.html WHO: professorDragonite/professeur layton WHERE: Etsy WHAT: Commissioned a costume piece of a character they did not own rights to. Lied about it and said they did. WHEN: Initial contact: June 12th but I said my queue was full and I'd add them to waiting list Invoiced for payment: July 9th Finished product: August 8th PROOF: http://i.imgur.com/be77xK8.png http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14213334/#cid:86214732 EXPLAIN: I'm not sure how much good this will do, as their etsy name is very vague and I haven't been able to trace it to them anywhere else. They wanted to commission a hooded capelet from me, I recognized the character and asked if they owned it. They said yes. I did a few quick minutes of googling and there were no references to who actually bought Echo, and no one knew an FA name on the con pics people had taken of her, so I foolishly took their word and didn't think much of it. After I made it and posted it, saying I didn't know Echo's FA name, the real owner posted and said she didn't commission me. My response to both the real owner Kat and the original commissioner were a bit more emotional than I prefer to be when dealing with customers, but this was a pretty stressful situation for me, and it is what it is. I've definitely learned to fact check characters beyond taking someone's word for it. I wish I knew their fandom name but I don't. I'm just posting this in hopes that if they contact another etsy maker to do this, they might see it and decline.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/786204.html WHO: TheForgottenFriends WHERE: http://theforgottenfriends.deviantart.com http://instagram.com/pinkerton_design http://theforgottenfriends.weebly.com/ WHAT: art doll custom I found this artist last year and understandably fell in love with their artwork. I inquired about a commission and he responded with that hes open for commissions and advised me on the total for the request I had in mind. He quoted me for $300. That is a big chunk of change in one go so we came to an agreement for a payment plan. I commissioned him Oct 2013 and finished paying middle of December 2013 and didn't expect work to get started till well after the holidays. He reassured me that because it was a simple request that it should get done pretty fast. This artist has had me wait for almost 8 months now and has shown me NO evidence that my commission is getting done or worked on. I would drop a note once every month or so as to not come off as being pushy since great artwork does take time. However, being strung along like this is what is prompting me to warn other people about commissioning this artist. I've submitted a montage of our conversations. Its really straight forward but his stalling and seemingly unwillingness to even provide me with any photos of work being accomplished in order to gain my trust is what has me unsettled on top of being told things like it'll be done in a couple weeks or it'll be shipped next week (implying its completed?) I kick myself for not screen capping his Facebook page when I decided to dig at his other sites in the hopes of seeing any progress photos of my artwork as he seldom updates his Deviantart. Upon my discovery, found a user on his FB page leave a very upset comment wondering why the artist hasn't responded to their emails and request for a refund and warn other people from commissioning him. This is why I'm more concerned on my behalf as I do not feel I am the only person having issues. Sta.sh link http://sta.sh/015i2aqplklo As of 05AUG14, two days after the artist read my last note, they have not started to issue my refund nor responded to my note in any way. I have since gotten in touch with my bank as promised as I'm well beyond my 45 day window with PayPal. I had hoped to never need to post an Artist Beware article but I am not willing to allow other people to fall into this position with this artist when it comes to their hard earned money. Current Mood:worried

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/785154.html WHO: Sugarfactory/Sugarypuppy/StarfruitStudios WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/starfruitstudios http://www.furaffinity.net/user/sugarfactory https://twitter.com/sugarypuppy WHAT: Premade fursuit partial of DJ the Corgi Shep. WHEN: I first inquired about the partial July 6th of 2013 and made the payment on the same day. It has been about a year and a month now and have not received any type of payment. PROOF: Screencap of payment: http://i.imgur.com/Tw9lU9E.png Screencap of first note of interest: http://i.imgur.com/9TCae4o.png Measurements given and payment confirmed: http://i.imgur.com/Jt0r85z.png EXPLAIN: July 6th of 2013 I inquired Sugar about one of the premade fursuit partials she was offering. This was actually the "first"of the few fursuits she was going. I paid in full the $175 she was asking for. Initial contact and communication went well, telling me as to when she would start working on DJ just 4 days later: http://i.imgur.com/FgVeaMs.png That was the last time I got a personal note from her on her fursuiting account, but progress shots of DJ were submitted until August 17th . (submissions are still on her page) http://i.imgur.com/Qe0QO4z.png http://i.imgur.com/i6INqzH.png http://i.imgur.com/uLDY3oI.png http://i.imgur.com/sdeJkfw.png http://i.imgur.com/lcZ2mP7.png http://i.imgur.com/sr2WU5F.png This is also the day where she posts a journal promising new updates soon, none were made on my suit and the last submissions on her account were made a day later of a few other projects she was working on. September 15th 2013 she is hosting a garage sale with tons of fursuit materials, some including the furs for my suit and a few other suits she had been selling at the time. http://www.furaffinity.net/view/11539093/ October 14th of 2013 she makes a journal explaining she was working on another fursuit that was due that month. No pictures were actually posted and that was the last update on her fursuiting account. http://i.imgur.com/H3CDzVv.png Sugar has a history of deleting shouts and journals frequently, but around December - February she posted a journal updating her commission status and that she was offering refunds to all who wanted them. During this time I commented, asking her when I should expect to see my fursuit. She told me that she was no longer doing any of them, and instead offering full refunds for the work as it was taking too much of her time. I was perfectly fine with that and at first I was patient, as I was aware of the depth of the debt she had put herself in. http://i.imgur.com/zPnt8WB.png At one point I had even gotten a letter in the mail and a free chibi from Sugar due to the kindness and patience I had shown regarding my refund. March 2014 she is offering traditional badge commissions for $25 dollars, at this point I'm still playing nice and being patient and as a fan of her art I didn't want to pass this opportunity up. As expected there is an issue in getting the commission and I have to bug and prod her to have it sent out in the mail, I also ask yet again as to where my fursuit refund was and she says her bank account was compromised. http://i.imgur.com/uCRTKlL.png http://i.imgur.com/JPIT9uf.png July 1st she asks for a commissioner roll call, I once again send her a note about the details for my refund. http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5897408/ http://i.imgur.com/dfdnW2M.png July 22nd I inquire again about the refund (you can see I'm getting impatient) and I get the same vague responses. http://i.imgur.com/0rdYckw.png And this is where we are now. I know it has only been about a week and a half since she has last updated me on this, but I find it odd especially since she had just recently sold her expensive ($2700) fursuit that she still cannot come up with the $175 that I have been waiting for. http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/5962138/ Not to mention I am the one who has to constantly bug her about a refund instead of keeping her paying customers updated. I feel like I have given Sugar ample time to come up with the refund and given the circumstances, personal or not, this is just inexcusable. While she has been nothing but kind to me in regarding this issue I have heard less than nice things from other people. All in all the experience started out tolerable and now I just want this resolved as soon as possible, and it seems the only way anyone has ever gotten a refund from her was to get this out in the open. tl;dr Am still owed a $175 refund from a year ago. Have received nothing but constant excuses as to why I haven't seen any of the money. Was understanding until I began to realize/see that the "nice guy" front she was using with me was just a charade, as seen as to how she treated another one of her customers. I will let her know about this a_b but I feel that it is necessary to keep this posted as it seems many others are still waiting for their refunds. Payment has been refunded so this can be marked as resolved!

Update as of 9/14/2014: I have seen no "real" attempts from Aelli's end on her getting me the name of the person she supposedly bought my base from. Because of this, I cannot come to believe that what she told me was, in fact, the truth. Whatever the real truth is, is a complete mystery to me. Along with this, I can't really come to believe, at least now, after MONTHS of waiting for her to come up with some sort of hint as to who she "bought" my base from, I am pretty much at the point that I am starting to honestly believe that she used my base, thinking that she could get away with not crediting me. To those of you who are currently reading this, checking updates to the A_B forum/group, I will leave this last update for you all to read. PLEASE beware Aeilli/Aelliana and avoid contacting her. If she goes out and takes free linework and tries to profit off of it without crediting the original source, then lies and doesn't even bother trying to sort out the matter truthfully, she has shown she cannot be trusted. UPDATE: She unblocked my fiance to say her apologies. I am currently talking to her now to solve the matter. It seems, from what she is telling me, that someone else had uploaded the linework and was selling the files for monetary gain. Currently we are talking on a calm civil tone and trying to figure things out. At the time being, the issues have been explained and are almost solved entirely. This is fairly long, but details everything that happened. The issue itself lasted over the course of one day, but I continue to worry that other artists will have their work stolen and resold if this isn't brought to light, and we cannot simply "report a user" on Furaffinity without the issue of their Trouble Ticket System being backlogged. Please read to avoid this thief. (Used spoiler since LJ Cut wasn't working in the preview) Also, to the moderators, I apologise for all the issues with this submission, not really sure what is happening to cause it to go wonky. WHO: Aelli / Aelliana WHERE: https://www.furaffinity.net/user/aelli/ and http://aelliana.deviantart.com/ WHAT: Violation of Rules for Free Lineart Use and ART THEFT WHEN: Timeline: This happened on the 12th of July and is a continual worry. PROOF: My dropbox has all screenshots from this incident as the user in question has removed all art, BUT threatened to repost it. The original post of mine (All are downloadable via dropbox) FREE KITSUNE LINEART (FA) (Contains NSFW content) KITSUNE FEMALE (DA) (Contains NSFW content) KITSUNE MALE (DA) (Contains NSFW content) This one could have also been the Cboi lineart since they are "the same" as one another The stolen/traced work: FemaleFox.png Fennec.png MaleFox.png RedPanda.png UPDATED: Managed to save four out of the five she had posted since she deleted them (these are using the tail from my lineart). I am not concerned about these getting pulled from the site since they were free, but they have her watermark on them, so I figured I would add them to the list. Grey Female (Slightly edited by the adopter) Green Female Also seen on her "Fiance's" profile Pinkish-Purple Female Tan Female Overlays of their "art" and my Linework proving that they repurposed my work without permission or credit FemaleFox.png Fennec.png MaleFox.png RedPanda.png EXPLAIN: Alright, so here is how the ENTIRE THING played out. I had logged in to simply check messages before starting on school work when one of my watchers had contacted me via note (to which I am extremely grateful for) that the free to use lineart that I had posted on DeviatART (It is posted to both FA and DA) was being used for adoptables even though I had asked that it NOT be used for monetary gain without permission, or otherwise. I thanked said watcher for telling me this (and left them out of the situation for numerous reasons) and tried to civilly contact Aelli about the situation. I left a comment on her RedPanda post (which has been deleted since), simply saying "Could you please not use my linework for adoptables" and I DID link them to the original post. They then hid the comment (which is why I do not have a screenshot of it but it is seen on some of the screencaps of hidden comments). I then posted a shout on their page, they again, removed the shout and proceeded to block me. I rooted around a bit on their profile and was able to find their DeviantART link, and I did contact them via private note on my account DarkSinnister (the free linework account). The note reads from bottom to top due to how DA handles PM's. They soon after I contacted them on FA, posted this journal trying to play the "victim of fake accusations" because "the art looked similar". My fiance Huntingslea (whom I told specifically not to comment) went ahead and posted a comment on the journal (as seen in prior link) and this is the conversation that played out. Huntingslea_FA-Conversation-with-Aelli.png to which she basically still continued to deny the blatant and hard to counter evidence that was brought up. I had gone as gracefully as I could so I wouldn't end up getting agitated, I went about it calmly and tried to resolve the issue without too much stress, but they continued to defend themselves and proceeded to say that I was harassing them simply because I was trying to SOLVE the situation in a calm manner. Granted, I did do a few stupid things, but once they removed the work, I removed all traces of me asking for help on resolving this (since FA is still BACKLOGGED with TT's). They then said, or basically promised/threatened that they WOULD repost their "art work" on FA and DA and that they had "no control over how I feel about it" and that it wasn't their "concern". I did take notice that they had done this BEFORE and basically gotten away with it because they hid all comments and blocked the users (those are unrelated to this post though, so I will not post those links). I have provided the "adoptables" above as an overlay on my linework, which I did shortly before/after contacting them, and as you will notice, all they did was alter the tails, legs, Breasts (for the female) ears and move the arm up just ever so slightly to try and get past that they were doing this without permission. The user -somehow- legally/honestly obtained new lineart and -seems- to be avoiding claiming anything that they did not do as "theirs". Even with this though, I still fear that they are going to try to repost the "adoptables" that they did with my free linework (which is still, against my Rules of Use if they did NOT ask permission). I do not want anyone within the art community, artist or watcher alike, to possibly get scammed by this user. I really did not want to resort to this measure, but I STILL fear that she will repost those images and try to scam users into thinking that they are entirely her work and sell them. Current Mood: Aggravated EDIT: So apparently the adopts that she used the tail from my original submission were given out for free. I am thankful for that. Still upset she used my work without permission, but glad other users weren't scammed into buying them. EDIT2: Apparently she unblocked me to tell me to leave her alone. I have a feeling that someone saw this post and asked her why, or warned her about it. If she IS reading this post. If she just simply will CREDIT ME FOR MY WORK, as well as NEVER use it again since she is now basically on a "black list of sorts" (meaning I blocked her after she contacted me), I will GLADLY call this resolved. All I ever wanted was credit where it was DUE. EDIT3: So she removed the images without trying to SOLVE the issue in the slightest. As far as I am concerned, this issue has gone unresolved and this post will remain as is. EDIT4: Her note can be seen HERE with my response to her, I think she sent this after deleting the images with my tail linework in them.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/784562.html WHO: Dear. WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/dear./ WHAT: Refund for a YCH auction piece WHEN: March 15, 2014 - ongoing EDIT: This has been resolved and I have received the refund. EXPLAIN: I won a NSFW YCH Auction as seen here: http://i.imgur.com/gmUw76v.png (NSFW link) I was slot #1. Here's a screen cap of our note conversation where she requests payment and I send refs and such: http://i.imgur.com/GD3xnp6.png (Should I note she wanted payment as a gift which is against Paypal TOS? Also, I marked out the NSFW body part words if you are wondering about the extra two purple marks) On April 11, almost a month later, I requested an update and here is our conversation via notes: http://i.imgur.com/dRIrn6r.png On April 19, after finding out I wasn't the only one having trouble getting their commission from her too, I decided to request a refund instead: http://i.imgur.com/ynXIhht.png On April 26 she sent me a link to the Sai file of the YCH sketch, I guess? I don't have Sai so I've never opened it and I didn't ask because all I want is the refund. Here's that note though: http://i.imgur.com/GjO6wIN.png On June 9 I requested another update on the refund and on June 11th I received this: http://i.imgur.com/iyvfltl.png It has been more than enough time and at this point I do not honestly believe that I will ever get a refund. I would not recommend her to anyone.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/784276.html WHO: Okie/Vashram (http://www.furaffinity.net/user/vashram) WHERE: Zannah's Tigerdile Stream WHAT: Okie/Vashram commissioned a colored sketch of a mostly nude human female from me during a Sunday night stream when I was open for commission slots. The piece was hand drawn and colored in Copic marker, and finished during the stream. WHEN: Unfortunately, I do not have a log of the initial conversation because Tigerdile does not log chat sessions. However, Okie/Vashram sent me a note on FA at the time detailing what he was interested in. That was 7/13/2014 according to the PayPal invoice timestamp. It is now 7/28/2014. PROOF: 7/13/2014 - Initial note sent to me during the stream (date discrepancy due to timezone differences): 7/19/2014 - Reminder note sent: 7/22/2014 - Second reminder sent: 7/25/2014 - Warning shout posted to commissioner’s FA page: 7/28/2014 - Notice of blacklisting and post to Artists Beware sent: 7/28/2014 - Shout notifying blacklisting and post to Artists Beware posted to commissioner’s page: PayPal invoice history: EXPLAIN: Two days a week, I open my Tigerdile stream for while-you-watch commission slots, of work to be completed in stream. As I was raising money to cover a medical bill at the time, Okie/Vashram expressed an interest in getting a commission to help out. As per my terms of service, streamed commissions are expected to be paid upon completion at the very latest. Because it was getting late while I was working on his piece, Okie/Vashram asked that I invoice him via PayPal, promising he would take care of it the next day. I agreed, and sent an invoice to the address he provided for the agreed upon amount ($35.00). The artwork in question was finished that night, and scanned and posted the next morning. (NSFW: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/13985453/) The invoice has not been paid, despite multiple reminders sent through PayPal. Notes to Okie/Vashram’s FA have also gone unread and ignored, as did a shout on his page. I do not like confrontation and I don’t care to call people out, but I completed the art in good faith, and have not been paid for it. I warned the commissioner in the middle of last week that I would be reporting him here, and blacklisting him from ever commissioning me again if he had not paid me by Sunday July 27th. That deadline has come and gone. Okie/Vashram is the first person to have ripped me off in years. Do not accept commissions from this person unless they pay you up front. UPDATE: Okie/Vashram also goes by the name Hertial. To date he has scammed TWO OTHER ARTISTS on Tigerdile with the same method he used on me, and may be active on other streaming sites doing the same thing! I've also had people contact me privately on FA to whom he owes payment. DO NOT TAKE COMMISSIONS FROM HIM!

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/783939.html WHO: Shizimiru on DA / Comico on FA WHERE: http://shizimiru.deviantart.com/ WHAT: I actually have a LOT of stuff on Shizi, but I'm still waiting on a couple screenshots from friends before I post a full...bio? On her, so the main focus of this AB is on MY character. The Character in question: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/9912995/ I bought this guy from Shizimiru back in February of 2013, he was a part of her species, the Shimiren. He originally started out as an egg in an adopt auction ( what his egg looked like can be seen in the right-hand corner of the linked reference above) and I won him. I was sent and Invoice from Shizimiru to pay for him after I won him, in which I payed the invoice. Around May of the same year, I found out that Shizimiru is a big-time scam artist and wanted nothing else to do with her. Out of spite, she has tried to re-sell this character I bought from her several times over, refusing to admit that I payed for him even after showing evidence of the payment. As far as I know, its been resold at least twice and she is currently trying to again. WHEN: February 9th 2013- Now PROOF: Screenshots of the payment/invoice: https://www.dropbox.com/s/1qspcf4oxerklgv/Bhanu Payment 1 point 2.png?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/6spqbz9cnml9lhu/Bhanu Payment 2 point 2.png?dl=0 (if for whatever reason you think these screenshots are forged, I will be more than glad to do a screen-share or a stream to prove otherwise, just send me a note on my DA: Silverwindstar) Screenshots of her Reselling or Trying to Resell him: 12/7/2013: https://www.dropbox.com/s/frybnxba5fvhome/bhanu_reupload_shizi_by_crazylovecat-d6x48v9.png?dl=0 12/7/2013: https://www.dropbox.com/s/b7umhrj09li3muz/bhanu_shizi_screencap_by_crazylovecat-d6x3s42.png?dl=0 (this is a different upload. she uploaded it several times in the same day for some reason?) At some point after that she resold him to Emberfoxy1 on DA Link: http://fav.me/d72myo4 Screenshot: https://www.dropbox.com/s/wcw7qabprljk0f4/bhanu reuploaded by emberfoxy1.PNG?dl=0 Screenshot of All of the Shimiren from the egg batch: https://www.dropbox.com/s/sa8231nteg0lzbm/shimiren_screencap_by_crazylovecat-d6x3t53.png?dl=0 (she doesn't have permission to upload these but has anyways. As far as I know she hasn't tried to resell the others but I wouldn't put it past her.) Link of her currently trying to sell him (current date: 7/21/2014): Link: http://fav.me/d7ro8hu (EDIT: she changed the submission file to something else) Screenshots: https://www.dropbox.com/s/r1b1gmpvm81o4e1/bhanu reupload 2014 1.PNG?dl=0 (I had to zoom out so you could see the whole thing) https://www.dropbox.com/s/f7635stcprwvx19/bhanu reupload 2014 2.PNG?dl=0 (I zoomed back in so you can read what it says.) P.S.: Crazylovecat is my old DA name EDIT: she uploaded it again and disabled the comments (Date: 7/30/2014): Link: http://shizimiru.deviantart.com/art/Electric-Shimiren-FOR-SALE-471967515 Screenshots: https://www.dropbox.com/s/o38jpus4rgaehs2/bhanureupload73014_by_silverwindstar-d7t186g.png?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/yz3ee2daa5ho12h/bhanureupload73014_description_by_silverwindstar-d7t18el.png?dl=0 (zoomed in for the text here) Funny thing is, she refuses to admit I ever payed for him, yet she was willing to buy a commission from someone of our characters together?: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/10392334/ You can obviously see her commenting on it and showing no sign that I had done something wrong. :I EXPLAIN: Sooo...I can't get DA to take anything down since I'm not the original artist of Bhanu's reference sheet. I talked to Kingneroche (aka Ibee) but it seems DA isn't really taking it seriously :< I sadly had the Admin Realitysquared work on my ticket and he responded very rudely and called the ticket 'resolved' when it most certainly isn't. Oh well, I've been working on redesigning Bhanu anyways, so that is that. I've given up on trying to resolve this with reason so I'm just going to move on and forget. However, I wanted to make an AB anyways to at least warn people not to buy this if you see it. Umm...if I think anything needs to be added I'll get to it later. Its late and just writing this has gotten my heart-rate up so I need to call it quits for now. EDIT IMPORTANT: I noticed some of you were commenting on her account. DON'T. Calling her out and leaving insults is not going to help the situation. If you want to warn people, then link them to this AB but don't go and start raising a mess on her account, its immature and your not making yourselves look any better by doing that. So PLEASE DO NOT COMMENT ON HER ACCOUNT.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/782932.html WHO: CharChar2 on ChickenSmoothie lady--bug on Deviantart WHERE: http://lady--bug.deviantart.com/ WHAT: Digital Reference of my fursona. WHEN: Commissioned on October 6th, 2013. Trouble started about a week afterwards. PROOF: Conversation is read from the bottom to the top! [IMG]http://i61.tinypic.com/mvq25u.png[/IMG] Also read from bottom to the top! [IMG]http://i57.tinypic.com/qo808x.png[/IMG] Payment proof: [IMG]http://i57.tinypic.com/1ruflw.png[/IMG] EXPLAIN: I commissioned them in October of 2013 to make a digital reference of my fursona. We agreed on the payment pictured above, and yes, pets are a valuable currency on that website. So, afterwards, I sent Charchar2 a PM with a description of the character. No screenshots of this because at the time, I hadn't seen any red flags. The description was along the lines of, "A cyborg German Shepard with a green belly, black top, and a robotic right forearm." She told me okay, and accepted the trade for the pets, and she'd get started right away. A few days later she messaged me and showed me the ref. Everything looked good, until I saw that the arm was a normal dog arm. None of the arms or legs were robotic at all. So I replied, told her everything looked good except the right arm was supposed to be robotic. Me, being naive and trusting, didn't take any screencaps still. She apologized, and told me that she'd try and fix it soon but she had other people waiting for commissions and was slightly busy. I was okay with that, and just told her to get it done as soon as she could. I waited for, probably until February of this year. I was quietly stalking her pages, watching her take more and more commissions while hoping that she hadn't forgotten to fix the arm. Still, I got nothing. A month later, in March, I was getting tired of waiting, so I messaged her and asked if she was ever going to fix the arm. She told me she had no idea what I was talking about and that I was probably confusing her with someone else. I showed her the trade, and told her what I had commissioned. She apologized and told me she would look through her files and see if she could find the ref and fix it. I told her that was fine, but let me know when she found it. So I waited again to July. I messaged her and asked her if she was going to redraw it, because I was assuming she hadn't found the file. Thats when that whole conversation occured. I admit I could have maintained a more calm tone, but I feel very frustrated that a simple fix that could have been easily done in 30 minutes would take over 9 months to tell me she had forgotten about it. UPDATE So, after telling me that she traded away the payment and doesnt have the pets anymore... http://i58.tinypic.com/2pzxjec.jpg . Yep. I did get my refund, but I don't think I will be commissioning them again. They're a great artist, as long as your character is mistake proof.

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/782001.html WHO: Raptorkou/So-Ko/Kaivolate/Commander-Stickypaw WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/raptorkou (disabled) http://www.furaffinity.net/user/so-ko (disabled) http://www.inkbunny.net/raptorkou (active but not posting) http://raptorkou.deviantart.com (active but not posting) http://kaivolate.deviantart.com (active but not posting) http://commander-stickypaw.tumblr.com (inactive) http://www.pixiv.net/member.php?id=3598671 (inactive) WHAT: 2pc pixel art commission WHEN: July 20 2013 - Ongoing PROOF: Below. EXPLAIN: Artist posted on their journal around this time that they were opening up emergency commissions to cover bank overdraft fees. I ordered 2 pixel art commissions from him as seen below: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/93197490/raptorkou.png Shortly after this the artist wiped their account and left FA. At this point I considered the matter a lost cause until running across them again on Tumblr http://commander-stickypaw.tumblr.com/ and inquired on the status of my commission. I received no reply, and soon after this they returned to FA under the account http://www.furaffinity.net/user/so-ko. Around this time I realized I wasn't the only one he owed art to as his shoutbox was loaded with requests for contact or commission updates. This account was soon abandoned and he returned to raptorkou, where he reopened commissions. Any requests made for updates on pending works on his page or journals were deleted until this journal was posted: https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/93197490/raptorkou2.png After this capture the journal was deleted, and they have made no replies to any attempts to contact them. UPDATE: New active FA account is dante-feline

https://artists-beware.livejournal.com/781718.html This is a follow up to this post as a few people expressed interest in a full beware. Some information is missing due to it happening last year and I'd like to apologize for that in advance. If there's any information needed I'll try my hardest to dig it up, otherwise I'll be trying my best to recount what happened as accurately as possible. EDIT: Both the Chyuu account and character have been sold to two different people who are not part of this beware, this is only about the user Sibyl. WHO: Chyuu/Sibyl. WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/chyuu (apparently abandoned), http://chyuukitty.tumblr.com, http://www.furaffinity.net/user/sibyl. WHAT: A commission done in the style of the Animal Crossing series, the completed commission can be found here. WHEN: Commission was accepted September 23rd 2013, and payment was sent on the same day. Commission was completed on October 3rd. PROOF: -The original journal -Chyuu expressing interest in a slot -The completed form -I sent an invoice, and Chyuu said they would pay in a few hours -More info in the explain section, if a paypal screencap is required I can try to find it EXPLAIN: As you can see in the proof section, I opened AC-style commissions on September 23rd last year, Chyuu expressed interest in one and ordered a slot, they filled out the form I provided and I sent them an invoice for payment. This is when the trouble first started. -I received this note a few hours after Chyuu's previous reply. On its own I found the note condescending at most but looking back I can see it was my first warning sign. I explain that Paypal could track my account through my username and I was simply protecting myself. (I should add that I don't do nsfw work anymore but still don't include my usernames in notes just to be safe). I started to get suspicious at this point due to them claiming they were on a low budget yet had ordered other art, but this was none of my business so I didn't mention it. -I expected them to send payment after this but the invoice was still unpaid, so sent a follow up note a while later reminding them. I received this reply, the sudden change in tone threw me off a little but they did pay their invoice. -The note with their completed commission. I want to point out that I'd mentioned not to use the hires file when reposting in the note, as I do whenever I send files to my customers. I'd also like to point out my ToS where it's also mentioned - "You may repost your commission if you link back to one of my galleries. You may only repost the lowres version. You may edit the hires to use as icons, banners, part of a layout, etc. but please credit me." I never received a reply to this note. -Chyuu then reposted their commission to their gallery. This is how it currently looks, but originally there was no mention of my name. They'd also uploaded the hires version which did not have a watermark. I asked them to credit me but they only added my username to the title, despite my ToS asking for a link back. I originally didn't notice they'd used the hires file, but asked them to change it which they did. You can see the entire comment thread here. -Chyuu reposted their commission again. As before this is how it currently looks. I didn't think to screencap them originally as I was never planning on posting this to A_B. They'd used the lowres file but had once again not credited me. I noted them to ask for credit, this note was ignored. -I noted Chyuu again about credit. I admit I was getting a bit tired of their behaviour so my tone may be a little off from now on which I apologize for! Chyuu replied almost immediately, and continued to do so despite claiming to be busy. Again, I got a little snippy but I found their reply ironic considering they hadn't credited me. -Like before Chyuu didn't link back to my page, the last time I let it go but at this point I really just wanted credit for my artwork. (NSFW) This is what the link leads to. Again, despite claiming to be busy they had time to screencap their gallery yet couldn't simply credit me. I'd actually gone through their gallery at this point to see if their claims were true and found a handful of artwork they hadn't credited, even ignoring someone who had asked for the source in the comments. Again, I can dig up proof of this but I feel it's not entirely relevant to my post. -I asked them to also credit me properly in the first submission. They finally linked back to my profile even if the links are in the bottom right corner of the description. -Chyuu simply replies with this. At this point I'd had enough of their behaviour and told them they were blacklisted. I then blocked Chyuu and thought this would be the end of it. -I don't have proof of this which I apologize for again, but Chyuu then went and reposted their commission to their Tumblr with no credit. I can't remember which file it was but I do remember it being around January this year. Their URL was 'thecuterednote' but the account has since been deleted. Tumblr has a page which you can submit DMCA notices to, I filled out the form and Tumblr took the submission down. -Chyuu has since posted this commission at least one more time to my knowledge. Once again there's no credit and they've posted the hires file. I've sent another DMCA to Tumblr and am waiting to hear back as I write this. The Tumblr this was posted to has since been abandoned and their new Tumblr was posted in the 'where' section. EDIT: Tumblr has removed the post In Conclusion: Chyuu has ignored my ToS and requests on multiple occasions, it's been several months since I took their commission and I'm disappointed that I'm still dealing with this. I'm also worried they've reposted this commission in other places that I haven't found yet. They may continue to disrespect other artists and I'd like to warn them not to do business with this customer.