Need Advise

ayame-shigure · Post by **ayame-shigure** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 9:59 pm

Hi,

I really need advise. Last year I asked someone on the forum (who I had known for years) if they would do two art commission for me and a trade of one cel for a commission. The person agreed. I asked (this was in May of last year) if they could finish before my birthday in October. They agreed and I waited and asked for updates and such as time went on and each time I brought it up they said they were working on them and should be finished by then.

Well my birthday passed and they were still not done. I asked about the paintings and still I got excuse after excuse about them or it would be extremely hard for me to get ahold of them for long periods. I had decided to cancel them and try to get back the cel. But then later I really thought about it (because I really wanted these paintings and had done business with this artist before) decided to give that person another deadline of Christmas and sadly that has passed and still no paintings.

Then at the beginning of January they said they had a couple of days off and they would use it to work on the paintings but I have not heard from them since and have been trying to get a hold of them but have heard nothing. I am thinking at this point should I just hope that the person finishes the paintings in the next couple of months or should I just cancel the commissions and ask for my cel back? I really love the artist's work because that person is very talented and I am always satisfied with what I have received. But I think my Patience is pretty much gone and replaced with frustration. I am really at a loss of what to do. I consider this person a friend and would hate to lose a friendship because of this. Any advise that anyone can give would be wonderful. Thank you so much for listening.

ReiTheJelly · Post by **ReiTheJelly** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 10:51 pm

I once had a fan cel that I paid for in full up front take 14 months. It was well worth it, but the person I was dealing with kept the lines of communication open and updated me often.

If this person is doing a disappearing act, you might want to get your cel back while you still can...

graymouser · Post by **graymouser** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 10:51 pm

At this point I would ask for the cel back. You can always resend it to the fan cel artist when they get around to completing the commission.

I don't know who the artist is or if you have done business with them before. People can be very friendly when talking with them. Then when money or production art come into the picture the situation changes. If you have never actually done business with this person and can not even reach them, I would be worried. You may not be able to get your cel back.

In general, its best to wait to send full payment/trades until the other person has whatever it is they are trading in hand and ready to go. If the trade concerns items that are not worth a lot; a direct trade would be cheaper. If there is a problem, you can always contact the postal service for mail fraud (qualifies if any part of the transaction is conducted through the mail). It may not help much, but at least someone will pursue it further. If the items are very valuable and you do not know the other person well, it is better to go through a third party that you both know and trust. The extra shipping may be a pain, but it would be worth it for the peace of mind of both parties.

MDKiller1 · Post by **MDKiller1** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 11:10 pm

I know how you feel. alittle over 2 years ago I believe it was I asked someone on the forum to do a painting for me (not a fan cel) I sent them the image and they told me the price it would cost to make it. Well I paid them for it and waited...and waited..I emailed them about 2 months later and their email kept pushing the email back to me.

well I sent pm's and everything they told me they were still working on it..and well its been 2 years...no painting..and no money back..and I havent heard from them in over a year..even though they do post on the forum.

So if I were you..Id try and get your cel back as soon as you can.

EternityOfPain · Post by **EternityOfPain** » Thu Jan 22, 2009 11:44 pm

Honestly sounds like there stringing you along. If they really have been working for it, ask for a scan of what they have done so far on the fancel to show that actual progress is being made..

Kasi · Post by **Kasi** » Fri Jan 23, 2009 12:25 am

I do art commissions for people (a lot more than I do now), but I can see myself as the person you've commissioned in a way.

I would never rip anyone off, but sometimes it has taken me enormous amounts of time to actually get a commission done (more than a year). It was just excuse after excuse for me, I felt really guilty, but didn't have much time to do it really. (All finished now, honestly! XD)

That may be the case here, though I can't really say for sure. I would only be really really worried if you didn't get any contact from them though, an artist did this to me once, so thatâ€™s no commission ever indeed.

The fact that this person is someone you consider a friend might also be a factor. They might be putting it off because you'd probably be more understanding than a stranger.

I guess it depends on just how long you want to wait or if you start feeling the person is becoming untrustworthy

ayame-shigure · Post by **ayame-shigure** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 6:56 pm

Hello,

Sorry everyone for taking so long to respond. Thank you all so very much for your responses and advice, I really appreciate it. Sadly the person has yet to respond to any of the e-mails I have sent so the likely hood of getting the cel back is slim since the only way I can contact them is through e-mail.

I have done business with this artist many times over the years but in the last two years it has been getting harder and harder to contact them and it takes longer and longer to get the artwork(paintings) from them (one took over a year to get). The thing that really gets me upset is not the time but the lack of communications and the lack of seeing anything or being updated. I hate that I have to press this person for any type of information pertaining to it. I understand that commissions take time and people are very busy. MDKiller1 you have me wondering if the person you are talking about is the same one I am talking about.

I have asked before for the artist to send me a scan but they kept saying things like â€œmy camera is not workingâ€

Kasi · Post by **Kasi** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:07 pm

Defiantly not good if they aren't replying then

I hope it works out for you one way or the other.

RoboFlonne · Post by **RoboFlonne** » Tue Jan 27, 2009 8:40 pm

Do Fan Cel Artists demand 100% payment upfront?

That seems kinda risky.

Even on Relizu's I've bought I've only paid 10% down payment and then paid the rest when it was done...