Commission not up to par...what do you do?

[Frank]

I've only gone back to the artist about my displeasure when it is still a WIP or prelim. But the finished product has usually been pretty good. I do regret plenty of convention sketches that I paid for and come back and its just Bazinga!Bazinga!Bazinga!Bazinga!. Most recently, Sean Gordon Murphy. Tempted to rip that page out of my book.

[AJRodriquez]

The one time I didn't like a commission, the artist told me that I didn't have to buy it and then asked me exactly what I wanted and then did it, just like I wanted. I could not have been more happy. The artist - Chris Bachalo.
The best example of a confident well respected artist and a smooth transaction.

[bat_collector]

Thankfully this has only happened to me a few times at a con, where they already sketched in my sketchbook

[aric]

Like all things, this situation is dependant on the facts involved. For instance, some artists allow or even encourage input from the commissioner. They ask you what you are looking for, what kind of background you like, and usually send a prelim or thumbnail. Other artists do not want any input, and in fact, decline commission requests if you try to "write" the commission. In the first situation, I doubt there will be much of an issue, as you are not just a passive passenger along for the ride. The only issue in that case would be if the final piece is a radical departure from the approved prelim, in whcih case, I would ask for a refund because I approved something quite different from the final product. In the second case, the artist specifically did not want input, and if you knew this going in, I don't see any entitlement to a refund if you don't care for the direction the artist went in. The exception to this rule is where the piece is flawed, not flawed because you don't like it, but flawed becasue the artist drew the character with too many fingers or drew the wrong character. In all instances, I think that the commissioner is, at the very least, entitled to receive what he or she commissioned, so if you commissioned Hal Jordan, and the artist gave you John Stewart, a refund check should be on its way asap.

Where both sides seem to get irritated is when someone commissions an artist to draw a pretty established character, and the artist takes some liberties with the character's look. I've seen this happen too many times. The artist doesn't know or doesn't think charater X should wear gloves, and so he leaves them out. The commissioner is stunned and angered, and the artist sayys artistic license. These are where horror stories develop. The commissioner cannot be expected to say I want character X with gloves, nor can he necesarily expect that the artist, unless the artist has experience drawing that vintage of the character, knows the ins and outs of the character the way the commissioner does. The solution? Be as specific as you can. If you commission an artist who isn't used to drawing a charcater, provide references, and a specific description. If the artist then scdrews up, ask for your money back.

I actually had an artist forget to draw the Bat symbol on Batman. Mistakes can happen, but as long as both artist and commissioner are proffesional andreasonable, most issues can be taken care of.

[nbr3bagshotrow]

Thanks for all the feedback. This was a commission where, after seeing a lot of work from this artist, I decided I would just say what character I wanted and let the artist have the freedom to create the piece using his own imagination. So I don't really have any recourse. One of the pieces just doesn't look that great and the other was drawn so close to the edge of the paper, plus parts of the cape of the character flows off the paper. I got four from this particular artist and two I'm really happy with and the other two were so-so. Meanwhile, any other pieces I've been commissioning, I've directed poses and suggested backgrounds and those have turned out great. I'l just chalk this one up to experience and leave them in my portfolio with no intent to frame and hang.

[aric]

Re the border issue, I don't think you have any recourse, though perhaps you can frame it in one of those floating frames, so you can see the whole thing.

Re the other piece that yoou say doesn't look great. Is it just not to your tatse or are there anatomic or other such issues with it? PM mme if you are uncomfortable responding in public.

[nbr3bagshotrow]

One piece just isn't my taste or how I perceive the character should look.

[Bullseye]

It should really be if your not happy you don't pay. WIPs as the piece is progressing would also be nice so that the border issue would not arise.

[RichBamf]

Originally Posted by MONSTER

Switch to published art. Problem solved.

I have to agree with that Ken.

If you commission a piece and you haven't specified dimensions, and specifics, you don't really have a leg to stand on if you don't like the finished result IMO.

[TNovak]

Originally Posted by nbr3bagshotrow

One piece just isn't my taste or how I perceive the character should look.

Did you think your MacReady should have had a cooler and yet more menacing look?