I'm currently doing a commission with someone for my realistic raccoon reference update. Throughout today though, I felt an urge to make everything absolutely perfect.
I regularly like perfection from work that I do, and sometimes I try to be helpful by giving advice to improve other works. However, that's what screwed me over today.
Being the over-perfectionist I am, I advised her on tips to make it "perfect" and not "better". (There's a difference, the higher-up connotation may be taken as orders rather than advice)
She fired back a upset email thinking I was going to cancel the commission. I had to write an apology email and now I'm tensely waiting for the reply and whether it was understood or not.
Although this is not necessarily the biggest screw-up I've done during my time in the fandom, it's big enough so that I need some help.
Have you paid her yet?
This commission has been ongoing for a while, so yes.
Yep, you screwed up.
The most you can do is kiss ass and hope for the best. :-\
Never piss of a commissioner. :l
You messed up, it happens.
You may was to suck up for a while. maybe tip? I don't know.
PP is empty. Tip might infuriate her more if she takes it the wrong way.
I'm telling you, some days just make people do wrong things, but I can't help but notice "that" person downtown today freaked out on the same day I got over-anxious and ended up in this mess.
Edit: She just got back to me after I sent a sincere 2nd apology email, and she is very understanding of the situation. In fact, she described that she also suffered anxiety when I was over-anxious about perfection, and may have over-reacted a little. Now that was a quick resolution...
That's why you don't commission artists who have their heads up their asses. D:
Then again I guess it all depends on how much you paid her and how many hours she's already put in.. I guess I'd be a little cross too if someone wanted perfection out of a $10.00 commission... But if you paid $100.00 the situation would be much different. Gotta provide details to us! (:
Anyways.. It's not a big deal.. Just drama for the sake of drama. Try to relax and be happy... Don't take things so personally! Maybe commission someone you know next time or someone in the fandom who is known for good manners and customer service.
OOPS! Didn't read the resolution. xD Good job! Glad it worked out.
Yeah, paid nearly $50 so she's pretty much committed to it. I paid $50 for a previous ref sheet from her and it shows how good it looked as a result.
I've allowed her to take a break from it for now and she also admitted she needed a fresh view on the commission and that taking a break helps her to do that.
You 'allowed' her? You may want to repress that attitude in case you open your mouth and screw up again.
I don't mean to be crass, but I'm getting the impression you're putting too much pressure on your artist.
How long has this commission been in the works?
I understand you paid her $50, but you got to understand she's only doing this for you because of the money. It's difficult to get motivated to create wonderful artwork when you're doing it for a stranger, because you are obligated to.
Just be patient and don't expect perfection. If the piece turns out to be less than what you hoped for, shrug your shoulders and accept it as a life lesson.
I'm certain the picture will turn out fine.
: Renwaldo May 31, 2011, 02:51:10 -06:00You 'allowed' her? You may want to repress that attitude in case you open your mouth and screw up again.
I've got to agree with this statement.
this one time an Artist (i capitalize; to signify their transcendent status like "Doctor" or "God") looked at me from across the room and our eyes met
i knew right then i was gazing into my destiny so i humbly stepped forth and bowed my head respectfully to the Artist
and said "good sir! may I dare impose upon you your hand, your blessed standard; the fount from which flows rivers of animal genitalia of all shapes and sizes so wonderously depicted; though i am but a mere unworthy mortal man."
and he said what? and i said can i shake your hand dude, and also where's my commision from 6 months ago.
and the Artist towered over me suddenly; a giant before me, and i was but an ant before his great stature.
"No," spoketh he, "don't touch me. And I used your commission money to buy an iPad 2, in about 2 months when I run out of money I'll slap something together in about 12 minutes so I can make room for more commissions."
"Now leave me!" he waved his arm dismissively; and in that second his drawing hand went within two inches of my face!
i scurried off, feeling blessed to have been so close to such godhood
also i stole one of his used napkins from the trash and carry it in a bag around my neck
best day of my life peace out
Uni makes a good point too.
You shouldn't pay them until you are absolutely certain you know and trust them well enough that they will deliver you a quality piece. :-\
So, all of you are saying this is far from resolved?
And no need to mock me please, I just don't want to get too worried ATM, cause THAT'S how I can screw up again.
I've seen 2 WIPs and she delivered before, so waiting and seeing isn't too risky unless all this negative talk gets to me and causes me to react again. (which I'm trying very hard to suppress right now)
This is my current way of doing conflict resolution, I think it worked well this time, but all these warnings you're giving me are the opposite of being supportive.
Edit:
I don't mean to be crass, but I'm getting the impression you're putting too much pressure on your artist.
Well, I have been dealing with nearly a month of immense pressure during the TV/Journalism joint practicum. I guess I've still got that "things need to be done, pronto" mindset that I need to shrug off... UNLESS I get an internship/volunteering position this summer. So far, no luck from anywhere. Another reason for a little anxiety.
I'm sorry, I don't mean to sound mocking or unsupportive. I thought I was providing useful advice.
However it sounds like you are too stressed out with other things to think about this right now. Perhaps it would be better if you didn't worry about this right now, and fixate your energy on the more important things that need doing.
Remember too that $50 isn't exactly a lot of money.. She works for only 6 hours on your piece and she's already making under minimum..
And I think I speak for all us artists when I say that we usually spend way too much time than we should on commissions. She's probably clocked way over 6 hours on your picture, especially including the time it took to communicate back and forth with you.
Who's the artist?
Not local is all I'm divulging.
The attitude that I take is to let the artist use his/her artistic vision, and whatever they produce is perfect. That vision is what I'm paying for. Now if they ask for feedback (like "How is this?" or "Did I miss or need to change anything?"), I will give it to them, but I usually just say "That's great!" or "It's purrrfect!".
I had a customer recently that was veeeery particular about what he wanted. I was a little frustrated at times, but in the end he was very happy with everything... even if he did make me want to add a "this number of revisions only, after that I charge!" clause. In the end, he got 5 pictures from me and I got $175 (I gave him a bit of a discount on the last two pictures 'cause he kept giving me business and promises to send friends my way) so it ended well.
Well, it's been well over a week a no progress reports are coming back. Hopefully she's on vacation or some other reason she can't check her e-mail/FA PMs.
Edit: She just got back to me and apparently she's busy with schooling again. Understandable. She did give a progress report though, so patience paid off this time.
a cautious word of advice:
when you commission an artist, you are commissioning them for -their- style. if you're not satisfied with the art they regularly produce, don't commission them.
if they've messed up on colours or pattern, or have two left paws or something, that's different.
: Apoxon June 17, 2011, 11:18:29 -06:00
you are commissioning them for -their- style. if you're not satisfied with the art they regularly produce, don't commission them.
Definitely agree, basically sums it up, couldn't have said it better myself. :thumbs:
I do like her style, she captured my Asian so well in my Fox Fursona. I just panicked overthinking it which resulted in the misguided e-mail.
Anyways, I'm sure the rest would be restricted to minor adjustments.
a cautious word of advice:
when you commission an artist, you are commissioning them for -their- style. if you're not satisfied with the art they regularly produce, don't commission them.
if they've messed up on colours or pattern, or have two left paws or something, that's different.
There's definitely matters of degrees in this though. While on one hand you certainly can't expect an artist to produce exactly what you have in your head regardless of their own tendencies as an artist you as a commissioner have a right to input on the art you're paying for. The key in this is talking up-front about what you'd like and being clear about a good drafting process where as the artist makes progress you're able to provide input. Usually the artist should be able to articulate what they're comfortable with as far as input is concerned and you'll have a more comfortable context to deliver that input.
Commissions to me are a semi-collaborative process and as such communication is important, remember that when arranging commissions and if you fail in communicating things be prepared to accept something other then what you had in mind.