What would you do?

[Sunny]

So, I've had this guy that ordered a commission a couple years ago. He paid a little up front, but not much. The guy sent me refs that were three years long and made little to no sense. I even pointed out arrows in the refs, where he said, "Yea, that's where the characters should go!" And then, later on, he was like, "I want a view from this arch here!" basically.

I'm like, really?

When he wanted to watch me on-screen because heaven forbid I'd make a "mistake," he made me erase all the time.

So, a week or so ago, he was all, "So, what about my picture?"

So I was like, "What about my payment? You still owe $200. Payz up."

Then he was all, "I haz a nu monies. And wut you mean about all this revision stuff? I don't remember anything; I don't understand."

...really?

So, I'm trying to think of a tactful way to go, "Srsly, dude?" Cuz I offered to just fill in the background with some basic stuff and send it off. (It's traditional.)

And he was all, "Well, I'm burnt out on this image." I'm thinking, "YOU'RE burnt out!? Phhhhfttt." And he was all, "Well, I'm not all that interested in the characters anymore..."

I'm like, well, you did make the partial payment, and I'm not the sort of person that just dives out because the customer has been difficult. I grant the guy for waiting, but only reason there was waiting because of his inability to communicate properly and being so tight-knotted. Otherwise, I would have finished it a long time ago....

I proposed a solution, and he's all, "Can we salvage the image?" There's nothing wrong with the image. The problem is just that he needs to pay.

So, I'm trying to think of, again, a tactful way to respond, because this is business. I'm trying to be fair, but I'm feeling this is going nowhere. I offered to just fill in a little of the background and send it off but....I just dunno if it's even worth responding.

I just want to come to some kind of closure on the subject.

[Snooderflubbyguppy]

say "forget this!" *pull out squrt gun of with i am knowen for and say....* "give me the frickin' money son of a!!!!!!!"

[Sunny]

Lol, I dunno if the whole thing of, "I don't know what I did" thing is legit or not, but I doubt he's gonna pay.

[ClockHand]

Gave the money back and no product (final, sketch, or anything) or option two, ask him for full payment and little changes over the final product.

Also, you should have stated previously the agreements between you and the customer, specially about this kinda of problems.

[Demonfyre]

I suppose you could ask him to pay now, say half of the payment for example and then the rest once the piece is done and sent off etc? It could show whether or not he is sincere, and if he were to pull out then at least its not a complete loss

[Sunny]

I should mention that I do not do refunds. :) The picture is at the halfway point; the payment should have been made a long time ago.

I all ready asked him about finishing with the rest of the payment, and he said that he didn't have the money.

[ClockHand]

Then you can't gave him the finished piece, but ones he have the money you can gave it to him.

If you stated that you don't do refunds, then its problem of the guy.

[Hayashida]

Do you have a contract with him or some kind of written record of the original agreement?

[Sunny]

Somewhere in Gmail...somewhere...but it's not something I'm going to repost. That would be a breach of privacy there. :P If you have any questions about the agreement, though, you can ask.

And yea, I'm not going to do anything more than necessary. He owes me the money.

Anyway, again, I'm just trying to find a way to say it politely without being alll...WELL BITCH MODE.

[Hayashida]

You don't need to show us the contract, but just remind your customer of it and that you require your payment and that's the end of it

[Delphinus]

Yeah just say 'no cash no picture' or he'll walk all over you

[Regantor]

Gotta agree with being harsh on this. :/

Just throwing whatever at it to finish it, and then just saying "whatever" to his complaints it probably the best way, if you just want to finish the deal where it stands and nullify any kinda liability.

Half a payment = Half an image.

[Delphinus]

Comedy option: send him half the image in a checkerboard pattern.

[Black_Shaggie]

I agree completely with Hayashida & Del on this. If this customer signed/ made some kind of agreement to pay in full upon completion & doesn't honor that agreement then he gets no picture. It's business. And you have to protect your own neck out there (especially us creative types) otherwise folks will screw you over at every opportunity. Also, I would NOT have let him watch me work. Let me do what I need for you...you want revisions cool. But don't micro manage what I'm doing for you.

I'm thinking this dude won't pay up...sounds like he's lost interest. So don't give him the finished piece. In the future, I'd suggest that you lay down some significant ground rules to any commissions you take on & be sure that your customer is in agreement with those ground rules. Also, being overly thorough in asking what the needs of your customer are before starting a commission should cut down on any confusion down the line. Like if they start pulling the "Do this like this" or the "Can you do this over?" carp you can refer them to what you agreed upon during the initial consultation.

See. People love our art but very few actually appreciate the value of it. If you don't ask for the pay that you deserve (use industry standard)...confidently. Folks won't pay.

[AlmanacnamedTime]

Yeah just say 'no cash no picture' or he'll walk all over you


Gotta agree with being harsh on this. :/

Just throwing whatever at it to finish it, and then just saying "whatever" to his complaints it probably the best way, if you just want to finish the deal where it stands and nullify any kinda liability.

Half a payment = Half an image.


Comedy option: send him half the image in a checkerboard pattern.

Do one of these. That's what I would do.

[Black_Shaggie]

Of course, you could get all gangster & blow up his spot demanding your loot. Pistol whipping always seems to be a good incentive to get people to honor their debts.

[Rio]

So what did you end up doing, if at all? Sounds like a bit of bad spot you were in.

[Aether]

Give him what you've done and walk away from it. If he can't pay for the final product, it's not your problem.

In the future, send a contract to anyone who requests a commission.