Return of the Lion.

[iradney]

If he wants changes, I reccomend do the following:

You will only do changes that he gives to you, IN WRITING.
If he tries to change a change within 4 days, it will not be done, as that is not enough notice.
As you are now making changes that were not previously requested, there will be extra charges (as this is work that is above what he previously requested IN WRITING).
If he tries to add MORE changes after the first batch of changes, there will be a HIGHER extra charge - and he can once again only request the changes in WRITING.

Unfortunately with idiots like that, you need a paper trail. Black and white proof that he requested that change, then a week later, reversed it.

ETA that costume is AMAZING!

[mikoyan29]

I don't see what the guy is bitching about. That's a pretty cool looking costume (except for the blue splotches under the eyes).

[Polenicus]

I think this is a common problem with commissions that involve artistic talent.

I've never had experience with costume making, but at an Anime convention I attend there is a rather large Artist's Alley, many of whom do commissions on the spot for a fee.

Now, generally you accept that when you get someone ELSE to draw a picture of something in YOUR head, it won't be exactly what you imagined. The BEST results are where you give the artist enough information to get the idea, but not bog them down in details, and hopefully let their own natural spark of inspiration take over. The results aren't usually exactly what you expect, but they're normally much better than trying to dictate every pent stroke.

Some people don't get that though... they hover over the artist, literally micromanaging them as they draw, or just looming over them, glaring with passive-agressive disapproval each time the artist gets some detail wrong.

It's this reason a lot of really good artists WON'T do commissions at the con.

And then the artist is usually so tired by these experiences that all the commissions they do afterwards are sub par. They're not into it anymore, it's become work.

I figure this is the case with costumes, or commissioned works of fiction, or WHATEVER.

[Fire_on_High]

Wow, that's a great costume! Pity it's such an ass gonna be wearing it.

[DeltaSierra]

I think the costume looks absolutely fantastic!! What is he complaining about that isn't up to his expectations?

[spark]

It apparently looks "rushed" and "unfinished" because I didn't put whiskers on (that one was my bad, I readily admit) and didn't put whisker dots painted on, and didn't give it pawpads on the hands and feet, which he says he asked for, but which his art doesn't have, and which I don't have any recollection of. I've tried digging through our various e-mails, but there's a LOT of stuff there, I haven't seen it yet. Also there was a thing about him wanting the hands to come to the shoulder (which is just plain weird, and appears to be some kind of miscommunication, because apparently now he doesn't want that, but he did...) And it doesn't fit. Oh, and there's the ear interior color, which was originaly pink, but he wanted white, that one I did fix before I sent it out. Also I forgot to wire the fan into the head, that is the other one that's my fault. It's maybe one in twenty people who wants a fan, so they're not in my usual building routine, so I completely spaced it. That's also what happened to the whiskers, they're not something most people ask for (frankly I think they look like crap, but eh, whatever.)

He's being a little nicer now, I think the refund offer made him realize how badly he was nit-picking, so hopefully this will all work out (and none of you will need to thump him for me if you see him at AC. )

The blue eye markings were definitely his idea. :P I do so many costumes with design features I really don't love. I'm tempted to start offering a discount for people who don't have a design already and will let me come up with one, just because then maybe I wouldn't make quite so many things I dislike.

[bunnyboy]

That's a wonderful suit, though I have to agree, the blue splotched under the eyes are just...bleh...but that's on him. I have to wonder if he was thinking it would be like an SL Av, and not a freaking mascot costume though. *facepalm* I swear this fandom and modern society are gonna drive me to drink... more.

[dalesys]

...Now, generally you accept that when you get someone ELSE to draw a picture of something in YOUR head, it won't be exactly what you imagined...

Reason art not acceptible: Customer's head too dense/addled to candle properly.

[AdamaGeist]

I can't say I've seen too many suits... (Despite one of my roommates requests, I've still yet to go to the local Con that comes every novemberish... It's literaly within walking distance of my apartment.)

Anyway, despite my distraction... While I haven't seen too many suits, that realy is what I'd call a quite decent one. Yeah, I suspect too many people in the fandom are getting a bit lazy from playing SL, as what might look good on an avitar there never will on what we have in the real world...

If he seems repenitant, maybe you shouldn't punish him, but if he does start getting emo again, it would be time for a common warning to your audience.

As for having an artist work on something, generaly I prefer it when I give someone the vague outlines for something, and let them fill in the rest. I've come out with some realy good artwork for a few of my characters because of that.

[mikoyan29]

For some reason though, it reminds me of the Penn State Lion (but of a much better quality)

[spark]

He he he.

Man, I think it's hilarious how bad college sports mascots are. There are a few of them that are nice, but most of them!!! And then you get guys wearing them who can't act, and you have to wonder how on earth they got the job, given that there's usually a strenuous application process.

[Andara Bledin]

Man, what a nitpicker. That fursuit looks pretty damn good, I think.

Chiming in late, but definitely have a paper trail.

One think I do with email exchanges, is I only ever quote the email directly previous, and I keep all emails in a chain together in a single folder (and I keep printouts, too). I might even have a sub-folder with either the important info (like details) separated from the crap that isn't relevent.

I can be scary organized, sometimes.

^-.-^

[Teskeria]

really gorgeous work there Spark. The guy's a jerk. Except for his stupid blue streaks (read about them in your original post. I am back reading the forum - up to page 43 today) it is wonderful. makes me wish I could afford then for the monsters (aka grandkids -lol)

[prb]

I want that fursuit

[spark]

Well, do you have $1.2k lying about? XD