# Commissions from hell (tell us your tales)



## Foxenawolf (Apr 30, 2011)

We as artists (and hey, commissioners too lets be fair) have had thier fair share of when commissions go wrong. 

Being on the art-side I've never really had to ask anyone to draw something for me. But i've had my fair share of commissions that were positively mind-numbing, be it the subject matter, how i was treated, or how much i had to fight to keep said commissioner interested which i probably should have let it go. 

So this thread is for those of us, artists and commissioners alike to tell thier tales of woe. The only rule is that you cannot mention names and try to be vauge if you can about the subject matter unless its integral to the pain and suffering you were caused. 

Starting off i can think of several instances off the top of my head. But one will always stick out. 

I was a young fresh artist once upon a time, barely prepubescent in terms of my time in the furry fandom, and I decided one bright early morn that I was going to do furry conventions for some exposure for my beloved online comic. I immidately hit the handy interwebs and searched for the closest convention to where i lived. A few weeks went by where I was signe dup and ready to go to my brave new world of conventioneering when i got an emial, from a fan. 

Lo! what was this!? someone was asking me to do them a commission at the convetion. I was thrilled! I didn't think such a thing would happen but it was already starting, I was becoming famous! My fans were waiting for me and it was only my first time. My heart brimmed as I accepted thier request. In my nievity I didn't ask what they wanted. 

The day of the convention arrived and I waited patiently for my fan to show themselves and no doubt give me my very first fan-paid commission. To my shock and horror he wanted one of my characters.... with... another one of my beloved characters in a situation that raped my comic's cannon and broke my mind to the point i needed mindbleach. And since I had already commited to it over emial i felt i had no choice but to do it. I've learned my lesson, though i see said commissioner every year now and every year they want a similar theme to thier commission from me i've found a way to avoid using  my preacious cannon characters for it so that I may not need so much brain bleach. 

Tl;dr

when someone asks you to do a commission at an upcoming convention over emial ask them what they want before committing.


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## Taralack (Apr 30, 2011)

*email 

I've gotten a few weird ones in my day. But the worst has got to be that one guy kept demanding me to make changes to his ref sheet without providing proper references, and didn't recompense for my extra work. I got really pissed off that day. 

There's also that other guy who keeps making threads asking for people to draw characters from certain series' in transformation or some shit, it's a little weird and freaky. I did a commission for him once, that's why I'm mentioning it. I'm not sure but I think he still posts sometimes but under a different username.


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## FireFeathers (May 1, 2011)

Had a guy spazz on me because he thought his 15 dollar picture (this was some time ago) included full copyright to him and was utterly freaked when i told him it didn't. 

Uh, one guy jerked me around for probably 3 months before telling me he was taking the work I did and sending it to his friend to color without paying me. I still have the frickin' reference sheet. 

Someone told me at a convention that they had just re-printed their necklace art as a badge already and how easy it was to go around me

Guy at a convention got really pissed because I wouldn't draw his pantless skunk character

I have two commissioners that working with them was utter hell.  Precise doesn't describe the dedication to details they had in mind. 

aaand a bunch i can't spill because i'm fairly sure they lurk around these forums and i'm not going to hop on that bitch train. Just know that the ones above are the mild ones.


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## Aaros (May 1, 2011)

I've had a commissioner tell me they weren't happy with the way I drew the characters but couldn't really explain what they wanted me to different. I was working under a hard deadline, and he took days to answer my messages. I couldn't get good replies from him. It was frustrating.


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## Ley (May 1, 2011)

My first commission was so difficult. I had to practice for days. I was mortified D: 

But now I know better. Somewhat.


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## Foxenawolf (May 1, 2011)

Lets throw something else out there too, have you ever felt mistreated as an artist? im not even talking about the debacle ages ago with the guy about "how to hire artists but from individual people who simply don't get how to treat an artist? 

If any would you have advice for the nightmare commissioners you've had or to other artists so they may be able to "deal" with problem people. 

Again I offer my two cents, drawing upon my experience. My advice to commissioners looking to ask artists to do work for them.

1: don't be a bitch, we as artists aren't here to serve you, the world does not revolve around you. If you hire an artist be respectful of their time and their limits.

2: if you have a fetish and you want that fetish drawn don't jump right into the commission description or ambush an artist to put them in a position where they can't say no. Be respectful and ask an artist upfront what they're WILLING to draw and what they won't draw, ask for a list before you make a suggestion. Or at least nicely ask "hey would you be comfortable with....?" I've had several fetishist commissions where ive told people flat out what i WONT do and they still try to sneak it in there during the process which irks me to no end. 

3. When asking for MY characters in the context of one of your commissions, do NOT ask me to change his/her proportions/apperance (smaller breasts, bigger manbits, more markings, different haircut etc) to suit your personal tastes, you have seen thier reference pictures, you know what your getting, don't ask me to change the design "just for you". 

Feel free to add to this list and commissioners feel free to add what you'd like to see from artists, maybe you feel you've been treated unfairly as well?


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## KatWarrior (May 1, 2011)

I think comparatively I haven't had it too bad. Though there was this one guy... I let him talk me into drawing some female Sonic characters boxing. That wasn't so bad. But he turned into one of those guys who's... really obsessive. And assumed "Hey, she did a commission for me! We're best buddies now!" This somehow turned into several drawings of characters boxing or wrestling, mostly female, and he was very precise about them having small breasts and being kids. He never asked for anything explicit, but the whole thing still made me want to shower repeatedly. I finally put my foot down and told him I hated drawing the subject matter. He doesn't talk to me anymore. I am okay with this.

...Oh, and he wanted me to draw my fursona younger and boxing. I flat refused that one. She's not for your fetish collection, thanks.


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## FireFeathers (May 2, 2011)

OH! alright, I have a good one. I had this guy who used to commission me for little...odds and ends commissions, sketch of a metal man, picture of his character floating in space, etc. Then he comes to me with this...awesome gem. Says it's the most excellent commission i'll ever do. I should be excited. Are you excited? SHIT I AM EXCITED.

He wants himself shooting up a JoAnn Fabrics with a flaming dead baby on a pike. He's surprised I say no.


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## Foxenawolf (May 2, 2011)

I work at Jo-ann Fabrics.... this disturbs me unless it is a convienent censored word. But.... WHAT? i mean WHAT?


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## Azerane (May 2, 2011)

I just had one of those people that didn't pay. When I started doing commissions, I started sketching, and then once I had the sketch done, I would ask for payment. I soon changed my mind on that rule  I was looking forward to finishing that commission too.

So yeah, once I'd shown them the sketch they just wouldn't get back to me. PM'd me saying oh I'll pay you soon and then nothing. Meh, live and learn.


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## Foxenawolf (May 2, 2011)

Honestly i'd rather work on something and not get paid for it than never finish it myself because I have no motivation to do so. With HUGE projects like the book cover im working on (the commissioner is AWESOME to work with) theres my usual hourly rate and he's made payments throughout the process. I've had some great people who gave me full artistic freedom, some people with huge restrictions but still respected as an artists. What I think irks me most about commissioners is that when that spew demands, treat you like an art-robot, and also try to "strike a deal" right off the bat. 

If i feel ive been treated well im more than accomodating with striking deals later down the road or throw in extras at the end. if i've been treated like an atomaton whose only purpose is to bend to the commissioners EXACT demands despite them knowing the more time / extras i put in will cost more money that they don't intend to pay, its HUGELY irritating. I had one who wanted to pay a baseline price for fairly complex option, and i politely told them (had they actually READ MY PRICE GUIDE) that what they wanted would cost more, they shuffled thier feet and complained that what they wanted wasn't the original price i had quoted them, but that was before they started adding things like it was my fault i quoted a price based on erranous information.


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## FireFeathers (May 2, 2011)

Foxenawolf said:


> I work at Jo-ann Fabrics.... this disturbs me unless it is a convienent censored word. But.... WHAT? i mean WHAT?



I think this is also the point where I just kinda stopped talking to him; he asked for this like... 2 weeks after my school had a shooting that killed 6 people.  He only sent payment through the mail, and he took his time to draw what he called "Chaos circles" all over the front of it. *shrugs*  OH, and in the payment letter, he also wrote a mini story about how he fantasized about me in the shower curled into the fetal position.

CHECK AND MATE, THREAD, CHECK AND MATE.


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## Aden (May 2, 2011)

This thread = why, if I ever take a commission, I'll be drawing up a contract. With legal names.


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## mapdark (May 2, 2011)

Once got a guy who asked for a commission of one of my characters in not-for-children situations. 

I said yes because honestly I didn't MIND doing pronz , especially of that character since he's pretty hot.


But then after the commission was done he started repeatedly asking for this character in OOC situations and
it started to make me feel wrong . It's like I was permitting my baby to be raped by someone and stuff. Weird feeling.

So I made it clear I wanted to stop this. 

But yeah .. People who think they can use your characters like that .. so wrong...


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## Foxenawolf (May 3, 2011)

For me sometimes it's hard to say no, im thinking of Taking Firefeather's advice and just be an asshole or at least come across that way so people won't be so quick to take advantage of me or try to force me to push down my prices.


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## FireFeathers (May 3, 2011)

Foxenawolf said:


> For me sometimes it's hard to say no, im thinking of Taking Firefeather's advice and just be an asshole or at least come across that way so people won't be so quick to take advantage of me or try to force me to push down my prices.


 
I've been in practice doing that for the last... year or so, and it honestly does help. As long as you're not a total dickweed, it works. But it does not repel the worst of the worst, shit, nothing's gonna stop that train if it hits you.


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## Trpdwarf (May 3, 2011)

As someone who has only commissioned art a few times, the only real hell I ever had was an artist who claimed that she could do my character (a upright walking clothed eastern dragon), and that she could do the clothes...and after given the money proceed to draw a feral dragon with no clothes and claimed I never said "It was anthropomorphic". I ended up getting my money back because she refused to do what she claimed she could.

I've had more problems with bad customers. Early on Zeke and I did costumes at a way cheap price because we were just starting out and we learned the hard way to make people give us measurements when they pay because otherwise they will possibly refuse to give you measurements and demand you still get everything perfect. I've had customers who seem to vanish and never there for any further questions. It annoys me as a maker to deal with people who throw that much money and then refuse to stay in contact. It's like...what can you do?


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## RavenReverend (May 3, 2011)

-_- I was commissioned for two pictures by one person, the first they wanted of their fursona which at the time was a wolf with full tattooed sleeves along their arms. When I say full sleeves, I don't mean just a few tattoos, I mean the arms were covered from shoulder to wrist and their bellies, hips and thighs were tattooed as well. The second they wanted of themselves and their mate (a rather straightforward fur who was delightful to work with other projects). I told them it would take me a while because they wanted ALL of the inkwork done on the arms of the character. It took me two weeks to explore the entirety of the tattoos, then apply them to the character. I wore one of my pencils from a sketch set I bought down to the nub. Then as I show her the pencil art I'm so proud of for approval to begin inking and start sketching the other commission? They changed species and tattoos. They wanted it done over. 

So I started the second character, got the basic lineart done for it and part of the tattoo work in pencil, when I sent it again for approval? They changed characters AGAIN to a much smaller species, with spots, stripes, variations on color and more complicated sleeves. -_- I'd already been paid the full amount for the work but I finally had to put my  foot down. I would complete the work for the third but I would not do any more on the ones I had done previously and would not accept any more major changes to the toon. My wrist hates this commissioner with a flaming passion. 

Extreme. Dislike.


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## Foxenawolf (May 3, 2011)

I agree thats rediculous.not only that its pretty awful to change your fursona repeatedyl when someone is drawing it. Why i stick to digital commissions though  no wear and tear on pencils, just a tablet pen which comes with plastic nub replacements.


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## Aaros (May 3, 2011)

RavenReverend said:


> -_- I was commissioned for two pictures by one person, the first they wanted of their fursona which at the time was a wolf with full tattooed sleeves along their arms. When I say full sleeves, I don't mean just a few tattoos, I mean the arms were covered from shoulder to wrist and their bellies, hips and thighs were tattooed as well. The second they wanted of themselves and their mate (a rather straightforward fur who was delightful to work with other projects). I told them it would take me a while because they wanted ALL of the inkwork done on the arms of the character. It took me two weeks to explore the entirety of the tattoos, then apply them to the character. I wore one of my pencils from a sketch set I bought down to the nub. Then as I show her the pencil art I'm so proud of for approval to begin inking and start sketching the other commission? They changed species and tattoos. They wanted it done over.
> 
> So I started the second character, got the basic lineart done for it and part of the tattoo work in pencil, when I sent it again for approval? They changed characters AGAIN to a much smaller species, with spots, stripes, variations on color and more complicated sleeves. -_- I'd already been paid the full amount for the work but I finally had to put my  foot down. I would complete the work for the third but I would not do any more on the ones I had done previously and would not accept any more major changes to the toon. My wrist hates this commissioner with a flaming passion.
> 
> Extreme. Dislike.


I definitely would have refused.


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## Saeto15 (May 4, 2011)

Foxenawolf said:


> 2: if you have a fetish and you want that fetish drawn don't jump right into the commission description or ambush an artist to put them in a position where they can't say no. Be respectful and ask an artist upfront what they're WILLING to draw and what they won't draw, ask for a list before you make a suggestion. Or at least nicely ask "hey would you be comfortable with....?" I've had several fetishist commissions where ive told people flat out what i WONT do and they still try to sneak it in there during the process which irks me to no end.


 
Dear god, this so much.  I don't do porn.  The weirdest thing I'll do is some transformation stuff, and I'm fine with drawing breasts, but when I say I don't do genitals that means I don't frickin' do genitals.  Asking me nicely and backing me into a corner over it isn't going to get me to change my mind, ugh.



			
				Toraneko said:
			
		

> There's also that other guy who keeps making threads asking for people  to draw characters from certain series' in transformation or some shit,  it's a little weird and freaky. I did a commission for him once, that's  why I'm mentioning it. I'm not sure but I think he still posts sometimes  but under a different username.



You're totally correct, that was all the same guy using different throwaway names.  He tried to get me to draw a fanart piece once, and I refused because I don't draw copyrighted characters for commissions, and then he decided to be clever and contact me under a different name asking for something different (some generic animu crap, I think).  I agreed, but ended up bumping him from the queue because he kept telling me he'd sent payment and never did.  I waited about three days and decided I was done, since there were other people waiting in line with money ready.


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## VonRedwing (May 4, 2011)

I had this one guy a few months back that wanted human art of his character for an erotic story. I was like "oh sure, I draw humans, he's seen my work, yeah this'll be fine!" It was NOT fine!! ; . ; The guy is OBSESSED with his character in the creepiest of ways. I didn't mind having to tweak the sketches here and there, but it was like no matter how much I fixed it, it was never good enough. He'd keep telling me I don't understand, I'm not do it right. It was good he payed me for a few sketches, but when he told me the last person he commissioned he had the person REDO the entire picture a total of 13 times- I was like "NO". The guy was never pleased with my work.  The guy tells me I should be use to it and started implying I was just a novice and didn't know anything about the art industry and that he worked in it for years. When I suggested he commission the same person as last time since THEY knew how to draw that character, I got a bunch of confusing jumble and then he proceeded to send me creepy fat human RL pictures that were very suggestive.... Why are people so creepy?? T.T


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## Foxenawolf (May 7, 2011)

I had two just today at freecomic day at my local comic book shop, the commissions themselves werent bad but the commissoner.... he and his friend just hovered around my table like some kind of desperate comic book geeks that have not nor probaby ever will, get laid. It made me regret terribly wearing that low-cut top and Lavolier for that boost in attention. though i was assured all i would have needed to gain thier attention was to be female by the store owner so it made me feel a little better that my choice of clothing wasn't the cheif cause of having two rabid fans drooling at the bit. You know the people who never stop talking and every time they talk more they make you feel a little more uncomfortable? That, right there. sometimes it ISNT what your asked to draw, its the person asking it too. ick.


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## Thaily (May 14, 2011)

Guy who commissioned me at a con for a porn pic, which was fine, but then started telling me about his many, many rape fantasies and *tried to follow me back to my room!*
He then stalked me on-line a while, talking about his rape fantasies even more in the comments of the place I uploaded it, complete with contact info just in case any of the viewers might wanna contact him.
He still sent me messages years later, telling me about RPs he was getting into and inviting me to join, even though I never showed any interest.


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## Ethriol (May 16, 2011)

I recently did a few icon commissions and I got one that probably wont get topped for a little while (For me, it doesn't quite measure up to you guys' stories!) Anyway I'll start off explaining a few things. 
-I have it very plainly stated on my page that I am a minor and as such am unable/do not want to see Mature/Adult art on FA. 
-My commission rules state that once art is complete and approved I will not make any changes. 

I get this commission for an icon from this guy who seems nice enough. I agree and he sends me a link to a mature image on FA. I tell him that I can't see that so he'll have to send me another link. 3 days later I have no reply so I remind him. He sends me another link to a mature image. I politely explain again that I cannot see them and he send me a link to a photobucket image (Which is still mature art) of a character with frown hair, and brown/tan fur. I draw up the icon and send it to him for approval.
3 hours later - It's perfect! Just what I wanted thank you!
7 hours later - I just thought of and noticed one thing. The hair should be white. Otherwise it's great! Exactly what I was looking for.

...the reference had brown hair, he had never mentioned white hair before, and he then goes on to tell me that the ref he sent me was someone ELSES character that just looked like his.
I did end up changing the hair colour in the end, though :/


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