Anon suggested anyone from the tepig family so I made this beautiful
giant killer woman, her name is Aron and she’s my new oc GF. I want her
to punch me in the neck. ;;)))))
I work as a freelance illustrator. Once I decided to offer a sale that would also advertise my abilities and engage my client base; I gave customers a deal where I offered a deal on commissions with the caveat that I would only work on them for a day and broadcast my work via live stream. The pitch was successful, and all the slots I offered were reserved quickly. I started to work. I negotiated with everyone who paid for a spot for the order I would I would complete the pieces. I finished a few pieces and then it was my client from hell’s turn. He had sent specifications for me to draw his character doing a certain activity and specified that he wanted several of the included elements to be drawn in profile, i.e. from the side. I decided that to be able to draw what he requested so that all of the requested elements made sense together, the entire image would have to be in full side view.
At the very moment I started the pieces for this client, he went offline. I told people on the stream we were going to wait for a bit but the client didn’t come back online nor sent any sort of message in the 4+ hours the stream went on after he disconnected. That day I went to bed after uploading his files to my art site.
The next morning I woke up to an angry message from the client.
Client: I absolutely HATE these drawings. You messed them up!
Me: I’m sorry to hear that; It would’ve been helpful if you had been on stream last night. I followed all the specifications you gave me, though; can you tell me what you dislike about the pieces?
Client: I’ll tell you what’s wrong with them: artists draw side views when they’re lazy and noob and I HATE side-views because that’s all I have been getting!
Me: That might be the case sometimes, but I didn’t receive any information nor direction of NOT drawing a side-view. I can offer a full refund. I will erase the pictures from my site and won’t send them to you. After the refund, we can make it as if they never existed. I even made a small gif I didn’t publish; I was going to send it your way, but you hated the piece so I guess it won’t.
I had made this gif for free because I felt like doing so.
Client: (in original all caps) NO, THAT’S SO DISRESPECTFUL, YOU CAN KEEP THE MONEY, I WILL NOT RECOMMEND WORKING WITH YOU. WHY COULDN’T YOU WAIT? MY POWER WENT OUT AND YOU COULDN’T JUST WAIT FOR ME. LET ME SEE THE GIF AND SEND THE PICS OVER TO MY E-MAIL.
Me: I’m sorry your power went out. If a refund is not an option, I don’t have anything else to offer. The files have been sent your way. I’m sorry for wasting your time.
I thought it was the end of it and honestly I just wanted to forget the whole thing because it had been the first bitter experience I had had with a customer. A few months passed and this client decided to contact me:
Client: Hey, I’ve been following your work. I love your work but still feel angry about that last time. I love this specific piece you just uploaded, it’s so perfect I am willing to give you another chance so I can get something like that. I want this drawn like this by tomorrow.
Me: Hi. My schedule is actually full this month, but I can perhaps squeeze this idea in and draw what you request by the end of this month. For what you’re requesting I would want xx$. Are you still interested?
Client: Never mind.
I was confused, but I just ignored the thing and thought I never wanted “another chance” from this guy. Unfortunately, he contacted me through Skype two months later with this message and no other explanation:
Client: OK, here’s the deal. You will work for me and you will do so until you finish this piece for me depicting […]. I want it to be perfect so, for you not to mess up, I will see all you do on a private stream. I will pay [less than HALF what I charge] after you finish the piece.
I know at this point I should have just blocked and ignored him, but I really don’t like being rude.
Me: Hi! As you might have read on my ToS, I do not start any project until after the complete payment is made. At this moment my slots are full, but perhaps you can pre-order for next month. I read you want to see your piece done live: I charge this amount per stream hour. If you’d like for me to work for you non-stop and right now on a stream, I have this “express” fee. The amount you’re offering cannot cover my services, sorry.
Client: Look, I’m giving you another chance, I can find a million artists that would kill to draw my character FOR FREE.
Me: Well, I’m glad they’ll get that chance.
I then signed off. The next time I logged into Skype I saw that he had actually blocked ME - which was actually the nicest thing he ever did for me. BLESS HIM.
