I'm relatively new to commissioning art, having only commissioned a handful of pieces from two different artists since December, and I wanted to ask about your experiences working with clients.
I have a friend who draws and occasionally takes commissions, so I thought I had a decent understanding of the basics of commissioning artwork and how to be a good client. However, after some recent experiences, I'm starting to wonder if there are things I'm overlooking or misunderstandings I'm not aware of.
what are some things clients do, say, or ask that frustrate you, upset you, or make you uncomfortable?
it could be something obvious that you wish more clients understood, or something smaller that people might not realize is an issue.
I'm asking for two main reasons. First, I want to make sure I'm being a good client and treating the artists I work with respectfully. I'd rather learn about potential mistakes now than unknowingly repeat them in future commissions.
Second, I've been having some difficulties with a previous artist, and I still have an active commission with them that's been stalled for a while. There have been some communication issues, and although I've asked whether anything is wrong or whether I've done something to upset them, they've told me that nothing is wrong.
One thing that makes the situation harder to understand is that English isn't their first language. its Ukrainian, and we've been communicating in English. I can't help wondering whether something I've said might have been mistranslated or misunderstood, or whether something they've said has been interpreted differently than they intended. Something that sounds perfectly reasonable to me might come across differently when translated, and vice versa.
At the same time, I've noticed recent reviews being left by other people on the site where I originally met this artist, suggesting that they're still completing other commissions while mine remains unfinished. I don't want to jump to conclusions, since I don't know what's happening behind the scenes or what their circumstances are, but it's made the situation more confusing for me.
I want to take them at their word when they say nothing is wrong, but given how things have been going, I can't help wondering whether there's something I'm missing. Maybe I've done something that came across differently than I intended, maybe there's been a misunderstanding, or maybe something else is going on entirely. I honestly don't know.
I'm not trying to assume I'm automatically at fault or put all the blame on the artist. I just want to reflect on the situation, figure out whether there's anything I could have handled differently, and learn from the experience rather than repeat the same mistakes with other artists.
I also understand that artists have their own lives, responsibilities, and struggles, and that commissions take time. I'm not expecting everyone to work at the same pace or be available 24/7. I simply want to make sure I'm approaching commissions in a way that's fair and respectful to both sides.
So, artists of Reddit, I'd genuinely appreciate hearing your perspectives. What do you wish more clients understood? Have you ever had a client do something that bothered you, even if they didn't mean any harm? Are there ways of wording messages or asking questions that can unintentionally come across as rude, pushy, or demanding, especially when there's a language barrier?
I'm happy to hear both the obvious and less obvious things. I'd rather learn something new, even if it means realizing I've made a mistake somewhere along the way.
