For Those Of You That Take Commissions

There is something that has bothered me for a long time now and that is... why is it that so many people who take commissions get irritated at their commissioners when they correct them on something?


For instance:

Example 1
Commissioner: "You gave him a tail. He doesn't have a tail."
Artist: "Wtf STFU N BE GREATFUL BIATCH!"

...

Example 2
Commissioner: "The hair is the wrong color."
Artist: "I DON'T CAAAAARRRE. STFU"

. . .



Okay.

So I'm exaggerating big time, buuuuuut I think I'm allowed to just this once, since I take commissions as well as commission others.

This kind of disrespect and disregard for the completion of quality work and for the input of the commissioner is completely unacceptable. From my humble opinion, I just don't see the need to any of it, whether it be from the commissioner or the artist. There's no need for either to bitch and complain about corrections or mistakes on commissions, especially when they are commissions of OCs (original characters), or when the commissioner has a particular idea and asks the artist if they can do it or not.

I'm not saying any commissioner has the right to do one of these:

Commissioner: OMG YOU SUUUUCK! THAT'S NOT THE WAY YOU DO IT AT ALL! CAN'T YOU JUST DRAW IT THE WAY I SAY????? OMFGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGAWD!

OR

Commissioner: Nevermind I want you to change EVERYTHING because none of it looks right and I forgot to tell you about all these specific details and blah blah blah blah!


...I'm definitely not saying a commissioner has the right to do any of that. XDD In fact, that's more than enough reason to cancel a commission and put the commissioner on a blacklist so they can't EVER order again. (But that's a topic for another journal. XD)

My main point is that, artists often get a bit cocky when their commissioners ask them about specific things or have some idea in mind that might be a bit tricky or complicated.

Such as designing an OC.

I know there are more than enough people on this site who aren't artists that draw! But they still have great ideas in their heads that they would like to see realized. So they come with money in hand to these amazing artists who they've idolized for ages and ask for a commissioned piece of their character or of a place or whatever! And more often than not, they give all the details they possibly can, trying to make it easier for the artist to visualize their dream... and y'know what happens?

Artist: "Here you go [LINK OF SOME SORTS]"
Commissioner: " .......that's not really what I asked for."
Artist: "You don't like it?"
Commissioner: "Well, it's really nice and all, but there is a lot/some really important details I told you about when you asked for what I wanted that aren't even in the thing."
Artist: "Uh, well... I'm sorry but I've finished inking/coloring/markering/whatever so I can't change it. You'll just have to take it as it is."
Commissioner: "..."

I speak from personal experience as well as the horror stories I've heard from others.

I just don't get it.

Why would some artists do that when they know the person commissioning them is looking for something specific or trying to get an accurate rendition of a character/place/thing? Can't they show them the WIP so they could tell them beforehand if anything is missing or needs to be fixed? Isn't there some portion of their brain that tells them to refer back to the original request to see if they remembered to put everything into the commission? IS IT SO HARD TO SIMPLY ASK THE COMMISSIONER IF THEY DON'T UNDERSTAND OR THINK SOMETHING MIGHT BE MISSING?????

I always check back on the original request. ALWAYS. I like actually doing the request I was given, and not simply reading it over and doing a half-assed job of what I think the commissioner wanted. My policy is that if someone wanted you to take creative license on the commission they ASKED and PAID FOR, then they would say so, or (at the very least) you should ask them.

The other thing I believe many artists somehow forget is:

THE COMMISSIONER IS PAYING YOU.

Out of pocket.

Not with bingo points or trinkets, BUT WITH HARD EARNED CASH.

It is not a request where you have the opportunity of changing something if you'd like. SOMEONE IS PAYING YOU TO DO A JOB. Not what you want, but what they want. If you had an office job or worked at a place where customer service is first, would you simply glaze over the details? No. You'd make sure you did your job correctly so you don't end up pissing off the customer or your boss and getting fired or reprimanded.

How is it that artists who take commissions can't act the same way? It really isn't that hard to pay attention to detail. Isn't that what being a really good artist is all about? Having a good eye and amazing attention to detail?

Somehow the whole business of taking and giving commissions has gone downhill. At first it wasn't quite like this, but nowadays it seems nearly anyone and everyone takes commissions, and many/most think of only the quantity and how fast they can get them done, and not the quality of the work. It's almost as though taking commissions makes you part of the "In crowd" and "super popular" or something.

It's... pretty sad that things have come down to this.

I really want the quality of art back!

GIVE IT BACK!!!