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Oct. 8th, 2011 at 3:21 AM shestah WHO: Donryu of FA / Catboyd of DA / Donovan WHERE: The agreement actually took place in person at the art institute of atlanta. WHAT: It was for a heavy duty trade on a pretty large scale. A poster sized painting of a scene from his novel. It was Digital. We agreed in the beginning of the winter quarter of 2006, roughly mid January. We had both agreed upon a large exchange. He was going to do two of my characters full color in traditional media, while I was doing a scene from his novel roughly 30" x 40" 400 dpi. An image that I would have charged $200 for if it were a commission. I completed my end in July of 2006.took a little over 40hrs. This was his response: http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/8607/approvalcomments.png Over the next few years, I would ask him about his end every now and then, but he was always having a really hard time with life, or something really big was going on. I felt bad asking, so I let it go for a while. In 2009 I believe, my friends who were present when we initially made the deal to trade started urging me to contact him about it. So at the FWA convention, I asked him again. Life seemed to have gotten a bit worse for him. My friend Kelly thought he was just giving me the brush off again, since he was there and had all his art supplies with him. So we decided that we would give him a poke about it the next day. When we came by his table, he was busy coloring commissions for people. I was going to go back, since I get really nervous very easily, and he wasn't acknowledging us anyway, but Kelly greeted him and started talking with him about it. I felt bad that life wasn't treating him well, since I've been there myself. So when I looked at the art he was doing, I asked if maybe he would just do me one of the badges he was working on instead of the actual trade. I figured this would make life easier for him. He said sure. So I left it at that. I left a few reminders on his DA page during the next year, but no response. The next year, or the year after that (I seriously can't remember if it was 2010 or 2011) I went to his table and asked him about it again. This time, he said he was busy traveling conventions, and said he would not have access to anything but pencil and pen. So I would have to wait. My friend, now agitated with me for waiting so long, urged me to say something more. I brought up the fact that it had been many years, and he sort of went very quiet. It felt really awkward, so I wished him well and went back to my own table again... While at my table, a few artists told me he had no intention of doing any art in exchange for the painting I did. I told them that Donovan promised to do at least something this year. They all had a good laugh at my expense, then told me I should charge him as if it were a commission. I didn't take this seriously at first. Eight months later, after just watching him visit my page every once in a long while, I sent him this note: http://img262.imageshack.us/img262/4103/notetocatboyd.png his Response: http://img11.imageshack.us/img11/1672/catboydresponse1.png It felt like every other time I talked to him, and this time, I sort of felt like he really was trying to blow me off again. So I responded with a bit more force, something I have never done. http://img3.imageshack.us/img3/4850/shayresponse2.png And my friends were right, because that note got me blocked from responding to him. I can no longer send him notes on DA at this point. But he still responded to me. http://img545.imageshack.us/img545/1080/catboydrespond3.png That was a blow. I probably shouldn't have kept at him in my second note, but I'm feeling really frustrated. After sharing the notes with the friends who were there during all the times I tried to talk to him, I ended up sending him a note on another website called FA in order to respond to him. Because there is really nothing more frustrating than someone calling you a liar then blocking your ability to respond. http://img442.imageshack.us/img442/4621/finalnote.png I sort of feel bad for my last note to him, since I wrote that while I was upset. I know that's just the worst thing you can do online, and I wish I hadn't done it. I really need to better control my frustration. I assume this will be our last correspondence, since I am blocked from commenting on his pages. As I stated in my note, I have just added him to my list of unpaid commissioners. If my notes were really out there and rude, please let me know, it was never my intention, since as far as I knew, we were friends. I guess I really just have to look at this as a loss. I'm not trying to say he is a bad person, or ruin his life in any way by posting this. I just want to post my experience. It's been very difficult, and I hope it doesn't happen to anyone else. I just received another note from Donovan after he had come across this page. http://img802.imageshack.us/img802/2074/donovanreplynew.png This is the badge/Icon he linked me: http://img710.imageshack.us/img710/3198/unled2hr.png I appreciate the effort, but he blocked me without asking for a ref of one of my characters, and has gotten it wrong. The name is also unfortunately wrong :C and, it seems to be digital... He is calling it a badge, but it is just one of the icons he is offering on FA. http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6570479 All considering, I am actually just thankful for a much nicer reply and the unblock My reply: http://img805.imageshack.us/img805/5136/myreplyagain.png I hope my reply was not overly rude :C This is ongoing at the moment. Also, I would like to once again make sure that no one bothers him or notes him regarding this issue. I really frown upon harassment of any kind.