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[FEEDBACK PLEASE] A Guide to Commissioning Etiquette by Rooth
Commissioning Etiquette - Preface and Request For Feedback
I've been thinking for a long time about putting together a guide on commissioning etiquette and presenting it to the community at panels at furry conventions, as well as electronically.
I've attended a few "Commissioning 101" panels, but they are usually hosted by artists, sometimes with the help of the artist's Significant Other representing the commissioner point of view. They've all been very useful, but I often felt that some of the commissioners in the audience were not really buying into some of the concepts brought up because they were coming from an artist, in sort of the same way a skeptical restaurant customer does not order what the waiter recommends. So I thought if I presented such a panel from the perspective of a seasoned commissioner, it might fall on fewer deaf ears.
Who is this "Rooth" guy? -- I don't have a degree in art. I don't have a degree in business. I don't have a degree in law. But I do have a few credentials that would make a fan-level guide on commissioning worthwhile:
- More than 1,000 commissions spanning 2 decades
- Over 100 commissions conducted "in-person"
- Comprehensive statistics from 800+ commissions over the past 5 years
- Department Head of Anthrocon's Artists Alley for 4 years, plus 3 years as Second
- I've read the circulars and the text of US copyright law at http://copyright.gov/
- I've attended copyright panels hosted by actual copyright lawyers
- I've read the PayPal AUP for several countries
- I am good friends with several artists who do not hesitate to correct me when I'm wrong ;)
Ho hum, not another law debate -- Legal discussions start out useful, but can often get bogged down in nuance and grey areas that diminish or weaken the "take away" message. So I while I will cover some of those in the guide (with links to actual text where possible), I will attempt to avoid such debates in the panel format.
My intention is to primarily focus on etiquette, a facet of commissioning that is often not underscored in convention panels. I will mention relevant resources where applicable, like http://copyright.gov/ and http://artpact.com/, and I may dip into legal stuff ('employer' versus 'work for hire' vs. 'commissioner', for example), but not at the expense of the take-away message: "Technically legal is not the same as good etiquette."
What do you mean by Commissioning Etiquette? -- You probably know what etiquette is. It's the thing that tells you how to be polite. It's the thing that tells you to say "thank you" when someone holds the door open for you instead of sticking your nose up and saying "I can open the door MYSELF!". It's the thing that tells you to say "please" when you are asking for something instead of "now, bitch!". It's the thing that tells you to honk lightly when someone at the green light hasn't realized it yet, but not lay into the horn non-stop.
It's the thing that tells you what acceptable and polite behavior is, especially when the law does not.
The kind of etiquette most of us tend to practice is called "common courtesy." We grew up getting such lessons from our peers and elders, or even from modern media, and while we don't always practice it, we can recognize it.
Commissioning etiquette, therefore, is commonly acceptable and polite commissioner behavior. Commissioner etiquette can be used to govern our actions where Copyright Law, AUPs, or even artist TOSs fall short. And in some cases, etiquette may even trump law! For instance, if the law says you're legally using some art under Fair Use circumstances, it's still good etiquette to ask permission.
Commissioning etiquette does not benefit from the same commonality that "common courtesy" does. Most of us are not culturally equipped with the skills to discern between what's right, what's polite, and what's wrong (or even illegal) when it comes to commissioning and using artwork.
My guide on Commissioning Etiquette will help fill that gap.
So what's it going to look like? -- I imagine the finished product to be a PDF, a Google Doc, and a website, the content of which will be free to use and share, under some sort of Creative Commons license. I may even include some illustrations or even comics where they can help demonstrate a point. If I'm especially diligent, I will host panels at conventions where I will discuss commissioner etiquette, ideally with a guest panelist or three from both sides of the aisle.
Here are some topics I would like to include in the guide, though I will use a greatly condensed version for the panel. They're numbered for discussion convenience, but they are not in any particular order. I'm sure I'm forgetting some stuff, so if you have some suggestions for what to put in here, feel free to make them in comments below!
0) Benefits of Practicing Good Etiquette
1) Communication, communication, communication
2) How to budget for a commission
3) How to request a commission
4) How to request special payment arrangements
5) Prices, fees, and refunds
6) Honoring a TOS and negotiating exceptions
7) How to ask for corrections, and when not to
8) The virtues of patience
9) Receiving your commission
10) How to express gratitude, and how to offer critique
11) Tipping!
12) Where your ownership ends, and the artist's begins
-- aka: When you should stop and ask permission (hint: almost always)
13) Display and use of your commission
Feedback please
This will take a while to make. I'm targeting Autumnal Equinox (September 21st 2015) as a date for the first draft. But I welcome feedback on this, including topics to add, or even topics to avoid. Please provide your comments below (Weasyl preferred), or if you'd rather note me privately, please use commissioning.etiquette@rooth.org
Thank you!
Adds:
- How to handle freebies, gift art, and raffles
- How to handle solicitations for commissions (artist comes to you)
- YCHs and Y
- Spam filters: you could be a victim!
- Potentially useful Spelunker Sal post
- Experimental art
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Comments
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Yep, I'd certainly agree with your first pointer - I've commissioned some wonderful artists and the process has been a pleasure from start to finish. I've also worked with some artists who are absolute pains in the can to get art from, so it's important to note that the process certainly flows in both directions.
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I'll probably cover the 2-way notion in section #0 -- what goes around comes around. Or rather, "if you're nice to the artist, they'll probably be nice to you." ;)
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Thank you for the feedback, Anubis! :)
Indeed, it goes both ways. This is going to be primarily from the POV of a commissioner, though, as I have never taken a commission for anything, so I've never been "the artist." I know enough about what goes on behind the scenes to provide advice to artists on options for dealing with problematic customers, but I have zero authority to write such a guide or present such a panel.
I'll be certain to touch on your other points in section #7. :)
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I've had some artists, who after asking if there were any changes that needed to be made, I told them and they flat out refused to do it because they "didn't sign on for that when it was first started". Why ask if there's any changes that needed to be made if you weren't going to make them. And I mean tiny things..umm..let me use an example. My pantheress is a herm. One artist, even though the sheet I use for art that includes a physical description and a bullet point that reads, in call caps, "she is a herm. she is quite large downstairs." refused to draw her as such. When I asked them politely about it, they flat out refused so I had to deal with it. and i mean this is while it was in the sketch area, not the final product.
It's why I don't offer any criticism anymore.
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Sorry..that was a tangent on my part.
I do think one of the things, from a commissioner point of view that would need to be addressed is "how long should I wait before contacting an artist after commissioning."
I, personally, contact 1 week after commissioning with a simple "hi! how are you? I was wondering if there was any progress. Is there anything you need from me?" especially if they don't have a listed queue. Then I wait about three weeks if I have to.
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Good points! They'll come up in #1 for sure, and also #6, and #8. :)
The rhythm of communication is a big part of #1. Some artists will actually cover communications expectations in a TOS agreement, which most commissioners do not bother to read (myself included!) until there is an issue, and even then, sometimes they won't even know there is one.
My primary aim with this project is to educate people on commissioner etiquette, but my secondary aim is to provide the commissioner with all the tools necessary to get the best commission they can while also developing a good rapport with the artist, which will grease the skids on future commissions even when they are with other artists. If we think of artists not only as individuals but as part of a larger community of artists we want to have a good future with, we'll take a different posture.
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Patience is key :) Altho, there is a thing about Too Much Patience. My roommate has been waiting 3 years for one commission on a simple digital painting. That's a li'l too long. However, if it's Beastcub doing her FurSuit commissions, then 3 years is fine esp with all the work involved, the fees, the materials she has to get, and she always seems to take on too big of a queue heh
I've had one commission done a couple years ago from SabreToothedErmine and I wasn't expecting it for a minimum 3 - 5 months as she's super popular. I got it within the week as I apparently had struck her Inspiration Bone and she was eager to work on it. Definitely lots of hugs and thank yous, excellent communication both ways, and I usually end up plugging her amazing artwork whenever I have the opportunity to do so :) She's currently working on a new commission for me and so far I have seen the sketch, and when she asked if there were any changes that need to be done on the sketch, I honestly couldn't think of anything as I was too busy drooling over the sketch. haha She has a big workload at the moment, so even tho it's not being done as quickly as my first, that's okay because I know she had a lot of other commissions pop in ahead of mine and I'm patient. I know I'll see it by end of the year :)
Patience, thank you, Yay!!!, informing the Artist what all you adored about your new art piece, communication thruout the project, it all goes a long way and helps the artist feel good and more confident, more energized to complete the rest of the current queue.
You go Gimmee Gimmee Too Pricey Do This Do That I want it NOW blahblah bitchwhine annoy Done yet? Done Yet? Egads why isn't it DONE yet?! I commissioned you 2 hours ago! Lazy turd, blahblahblah .... Do all that? Or any of that? The artist is likely not to take you on again, can easily get depressed and you may wind up with a very lackluster job.
Always remember that Artists are Earthlings and do requires sleep, food, drinks, fresh air, some downtime to rest their hand, family time, errands, etc. They don't just sit on their butts all day laying eggs that will hatch into new artwork for customers.
Be nice, polite, go Yay!, thank the artist with a smiley face :) , always ask the artist if you can post it on your website (DA, FA, Weasyl, etc.) and when given permission to do so, always make sure to mention who did the artwork and link back to their own website, artpage. It's also good to mention as well how much you enjoyed dealing with the artist and areas of the piece that you truly adore.
Also, do your research ahead of time before you tackle an artist for a commission. Is their artstyle appealing to you? Do their prices match your budget? What have the other commissioners have to say about the artist? Don't just go OOH This Person is Open! without checking the TOS, prices, what they will or will not do, forbidden areas, insist the artist do the work in the style of another popular artist, etc. Find an artist, watch 'em, follow 'em, check out their styles and artworks, check their prices and whether they are open or not. Even if they are not open, you can still go ahead and make some initial planning like choosing a char of your own (or creating one of your own), with scribbles, notes, thoughts and ideas for poses, background, mention of special markings, setting, etc. Compile it all together and keep it in a safe place until the artist is open. Always watch their journal updates in case prices change, or some of the TOS changes. When they are open, and you have the $ already saved up, then nab a spot :) This way too, when you nab a spot, the artist doesn't have to wait too long for you to provide them with char references and ideas.
Both times when I commissioned SabreToothedErmine, I had months of planning under my belt and saving up. So when the time came, I popped all the info and my chickenscratches and ideas into an email, and sent it along. She was quick to approve my application (I had all the necessary info, and also told her which areas she can do her Ermine Magic on heh), provided the amount and currency, I pay a bit more than the asking price :)
Research is KEY. Give some kind of guidance to the artist. Don't just say ... Create a Wolf Anthro for me! ... kinda need to know if it's skinny, fat, medium, long hair, short hair, saberfangs, 5 claws on hands 3 on feet, or 4 / 4 or 5 / 5, blue eyes, green eyes, grey fur, blue / black fur, male female herm, any clothing? hmm ... those are all the very basic of basic info.
Eeep .. I'm babbling .. sorry about that haha
Patience, Polite, awesome feedback, Research ahead of time before you commission an artist, communication, etc. are all key ingredients for a successful transaction and experience. For both the artist and the commissioner.Looking forward to reading the Etiquette project you're working on :) Best of luck with it Rooth ^_^
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Your rambling amused me. ;) It's like pure stream of consciousness. Good stuff in there, though! I particularly noted the part about "insist the artist do the work in the style of another popular artist". I had completely forgotten that was a thing. I guess I convinced myself it wasn't anymore, but I guess it still happens, and so must make a note to talk about it in the guide.
Thank you for taking the time to write all that. =)
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You are most welcome Rooth :) Yeah, I had remembered something recent (within the past couple months) when Sciggles had mentioned a tricky-to-deal-with commissioner who ended up not liking her style, and wanted her to "trace" over a piece that the guy gotten from another artist. Essentially, he wanted a duplicate pic but done by someone else, who just happened to be open for commissions at the time. I just wanted to take the guy and strangle him as it's not fair to Sciggles and he was being quite rude. Glad to hear you were amused by my ramblings! haha So many younglings out there who would type TLDR when a post is more than 3 words in length. I'm thankful you're one of the more sensible "kids" ^_^ (don't worry, I know your general age, which is very comforting to me as I know my words are guaranteed to be understood!)
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I'm just going to say that communication is what some artists seem to lack and it's gotten me into hot water a few of them. I'm not mentioning names (and I respect these artists a great deal even though we don't exactly see eye-to-eye), but I think it's very important to stay in contact with your commissioners. The method of contact is up to you, but let your commissioners know that is how you prefer to be contacted.
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That's good advice! This project is going to have commissioners as the target audience, so I will certainly talk about what the commissioner can do when the artist is being unresponsive, such as by using different methods of communication: notes instead of emails, or a different email address where possible. I should probably also add a section about how to approach a problematic artist at a convention. Oh, I should have an entire section on the etiquette of face-to-face commissioning. That'll go into section #3 most likely, but will include things like "don't stalk!" and "don't crowd" and "don't touch". Wow, that's going to be a huge section. @_@;
I think in the process of writing this, I'm going to have to come up with a handy list of rules/fundamentals that the potential commissioner can go back to when they're in doubt about something. Hmm, yeah, something I can put on a business card. Wallet-sized.
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And thanks, Pheagle, for your time and feedback. :)
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Might want a section on how to handle things when the artist doesn't follow etiquette themselves. Like either taking super long (like months or years). Or they break promises time and again. Or worse, such as a recent case I had they cancelled the commission but kept my money as a free loan to pay back "whenever they felt like it". After nearly a year, I went to artist beware and while that caused a ton of drama from them, they finally paid me back. Would be nice to have a section on how to deal with situations like that too.
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Good anecdotes! There are a number of sections that would cover the commissioner's responsibility when the artist is taking too long to deliver product. Starting with #3 - how to request a commission. This is where expectations are set, including time requirements and related initial promises. Or #6 - Honoring a TOS. Most artists have one, and some artists sometimes break their own TOS, such as by delaying the commission forever. Also #8 - Virtues of patience. I have one such commission that is taking far far longer than it should; it is costume related, which tend to take longer anyway, but the artist has been doing other projects and taking and completing new commissions since taking mine, so it's time to pursue premature termination of the project. If I can recover the materials and at least a portion of my downpayment, I'll count myself lucky.
As for your A_B experience: I was just considering earlier this morning whether I should have a paragraph or so about artists_beware. It's a handy research tool that would fit well into the start of section #3, but would be referenced throughout the document. Thing is, I have been buying commissions for two decades and never submitted an entry to A_B. I'm afraid if I mention it too much, or in the wrong context, people will think going and submitting to A_B counts as good etiquette. It's practical, don't get me wrong, but it really should be used as an absolute last resort.
That said, there were a couple of times I was having a problem with an artist and later found them on A_B -- the warning signs were there, I just didn't see them until I was already waist-deep in it. Thus why I suggest A_B should be introduced early, as a research tool, and not later, as a remediation tool. The artist in my case already had like 6 entries on there, so I didn't want to bother adding another one. I just cut my losses and moved on. But I should have looked there before starting the commission.
I'd be curious to know more details about your experience submitting to A_B, particualrly details about the backlash. But not here. Email me if you would (link is at the end of the journal).
Thank you for your feedback, I really appreciate your time. :)
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No. 2, budgeting, I should have brought this up since I'm guilty of using credit to pay for larger commissions Now, granted this is fairly interest-free because I pay off everything in a timely manner, but I am curious, what is your view on this?
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Budget control is very important -- which is true of everything, really -- but in the context of commissioning art, you're often dealing with someone who has a tricky income stream and is dependent on smooth transactions to keep things going. It's especially true for commissions where you pay 1/2 up front, and 1/2 at some other stage of completion, or commissions where the concept is in flux during the early stages and could wind up incurring an extra fee during the commission, such as when you add an extra character, or encounter a wing tax, or other complexity uppers. If your budgeting is tight and you need greater convenience, that convenience may 'cost' the artist in terms of fees, complication, or time.
Buying on credit, though, is entirely the commissioner's decision. It's often a very personal/private thing, and so long as it doesn't cause problems for the artist in the form of delays, extra fees, or complexity beyond their norm/TOS, you needn't disclose the fact. Swiping a credit card instead of a debit card at a con might not make any difference for the artist, or if it does, it's a small fee difference that they're willing to eat, or else will tell you otherwise. It would be good etiquette to ask first, like, "Is a credit card ok?"
That said, if you have specific constraints on what you're spending or how you're spending it and there's a possibility it could change how you conduct business with the artist, you should state those constraints up-front to the artist and make sure they can work with that before work begins.
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anubis_werewolf
This goes both ways. I've had rude customers before as well as dealing with rude artists. I've dealt with a number of artists who can't accept anything but "That's perfect" as a critique. I think also the price level of the commission can depend on how picky you can be on the details.
Say it is a $5 sketch, you shouldn't fuss about every tiny detail on the character or setting. Some things fall under the Artist's style when it comes to design tweaks. I once sat in a stream for over 2 hours as an artist had to tweak tiny details of an uncoloured sketch that they were only getting $5 for their trouble. Save going over the pic with a fine tooth comb on commissions that you are forking out serious money for. Even then politely.
I mainly look at it as how would I want to be treated in this if the roles were reversed?