Bad business

Look, I know commissions may take time. That’s perfectly alright. And I’m sorry for anyone struggling with their mental health. And I get it, you need money.

But money doesn’t grow on trees for your commissioners either and if you get paid for something (and not just a little, $100 is a lot of money for many people) I think it’s only fair to at least be upfront about the status of those commissions you took several months ago.

If you didn’t upload any art during this whole time and never gave any updates except for two measly “uh, working on it, will take some more time” posts, that’s strange. If one of those “updates” includes a call for more commissions because you need more money even though you have apparently not finished (and possibly not even started on) a single one from the old batch of commissions you took, that will at the very least raise some eyebrows.

I also can’t imagine it’s an improvement for your mental health to take on even more work even though you haven’t even finished any of the old (while you have already spent the money you got for this work, no less). Speaking for myself, that would send my brain on a first rate guilt trip.

Not saying you have to be faster about the commissions. Art takes time and energy and your mental health is important. But not communicating properly with the people who paid you is bad business.

(A while, as in several months+)

It’s perfectly alright, imo, to take your time with commissions.  Most of your commissioners will probably understand that and be prepared for it: After all, people are generally aware that most of you do commissions on top of a day job, are struggling with real life issues or simply took on a lot of commissions to begin with. And people want their commissions to turn out nice and not rushed, so most are entirely willing to wait quite a while.

What’s not so great: If you give zero signs of life after taking on those commissions. Communication is key.

You don’t have to give daily updates, not even weekly, as far as I’m concerned. But if you take commissions and then just simply turn inactive for months with one little status update at the most thrown in and then going back to silence? That’s not good. Especially if you have a payment-up-front policy, and even more so if you have fairly high prices. Because getting paid that money (and maybe even directly spending that money for all to see on your social media sites) and never comunicating with the people who gave you that money? That will make even the most good-natured commissioner leery after several months of radio silence on your part.

Are there entitled people who are pushy and rude about commissions? Absolutely. Those aren’t the people I’m talking about here. I’m talking about the pleasant, patient people, who spend money on art, money they often have to save up themselves, and who deserve at least a few small updates on what’s happening with the thing they paid you for.

I’m not telling you to work faster, nor am I saying that you are frauds who try to scam people. Most people who wonder about those commissions they paid for don’t think that, either. I’m just urging you to communicate. For everyone’s sake.