How can I fire this customer?

[RealUnimportant]

Ignore them. You owe them nothing & bear no responsibility for their self-induced failure.

[bainsidhe]

Oh geez, he's still trying to get the painting half price? Right, because that won't offend an artist at all. Or really, anyone expecting payment for services rendered.

Since he's only wiling to pay for half a painting, you should ask if he wants the top half or bottom half. :P

[Becks]

Since he's only wiling to pay for half a painting, you should ask if he wants the top half or bottom half. :P

No, go diagonal.

[April]

No, go diagonal.

I think a puzzle piece would be nice

[wolfie]

Let's get this straight - nearly a week after you told the customer that due to his constant changes in the description of what he wants, you can no longer take on the project, he doesn't have a "Plan B" for a time-limited event, and both he and his girlfriend expect you to have continued on the project?

[protege]

They are just trying to get the painting done for less. Don't be surprise if they call back with another offer, but still don't want to pay full price.

That's exactly what they were doing. They were looking for reasons to "justify" not paying full price. Why else would the offering of half even be an option? Nothing but a scammer trying to weasel out of having to pay. I don't know about you, but I'd have told them what they can do with themselves

But seriously, this crap goes on constantly with anything that's handmade.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

I don't entirely agree. Why? Because I suspect this SC actually believes his complaints are valid. OP could hand over the artwork for free, and SC would still be convinced he got a raw deal because it wasn't what he wanted. Worse, SC would show others the painting while describing how bad the artwork was and how letdown he felt.

This customer was toxic. Good riddance.

The painting was meant to be given as a gift. If you truly think it's bad and would be ashamed to give it as a gift, why would you offer anything for it, even to use it to ridicule the artist?

I too think think he was trying to get a deal on the painting, and was counting on his connections to the OP's friends to get him to agree.

[TheSHAD0W]

If you truly think it's bad and would be ashamed to give it as a gift, why would you offer anything for it?

This.

Also, why do I get the feeling the drama isn't over yet? <waits to see if there's another update>

[notalwaysright]

"Based on your unwillingness to compensate me for my time and effort, I am terminating our contract. Good day."

I'd probably give back the deposit, because it's not worth the ensuing fight, but that's just me.

[MoonCat]

Total scammers. They supposedly haven't been happy with the work for weeks and only now do they decide they need another gift? Bullshit. They never intended to pay.

[Cia]

"Based on your unwillingness to compensate me for my time and effort, I am terminating our contract. Good day."

I'd probably give back the deposit, because it's not worth the ensuing fight, but that's just me.

Deposits pay for your materials. When it comes to commissioned art all deposits are nonrefundable.

[Nashida]

I'd like to say I'm surprised they came back like that, but I'm not. I'm curious to see what happens tonight (I'm guess the wedding is today?)

[wordgirl]

It seems crystal clear that his plan all along was to pay half price. I imagine this works for him sometimes, particularly when there's a considerable investment on the part of the craftsperson he's trying to rip off.

The emotional "beat-down" (your work's not very good, what's with her nose, why do they look 100 years old) is often part of that scam - the fact that it started so early and that there were so many different complaints is a dead giveaway.

Thank goodness customersruinmylife is too smart for that!

[Kiwi]

Any more updates? Now that the wedding is over I hope they leave you alone.

[Argabarga]

I'm surprised no one suggested "Out of a cannon, into the sun"