Art I was STIFFED on....

[theMadArtist]

For a ex-client in this state- we really DO have goats like this here!

[theMadArtist]

This was the car they wanted- never heard back.
Think if they didn't like it- or wanted some change, they'd at least lemme know!
AND it was a low budget!!!!

[theMadArtist]

This is EXACTLY what the truck looked like- not even the decency to reply to e-mails as to why they cancelled the order....

[theMadArtist]

No response nor reply....

[larryk]

Don't know why 3 of them were deadbeats but I can understand why they didn't go with the fire truck.

[theMadArtist]

Don't know why 3 of them were deadbeats but I can understand why they didn't go with the fire truck.

Whyzzat?

[Frog]

Granted I'm not officially mad (my mother had me tested), but I get art creation fees up front.

[Dottonedan]

In my opinion on the fire truck art, it's all a matter of customer need, price and expectation. There is always somone out there looking for this type of art and I think the price The Mad artist would charge would be well worth it. It just might not be what that customer was looking for at the time...or maybe his customer was expecting something different. When you charge nithibg up front, you leave yourself open for someone to more easily turn and go somewhere else. They have no skin in the game and it's always all about pleasing their customer first and loyalty last.

This is why Madman, your process for obtaining gigs is risky. Doing the art (in hopes of) or with the assumption that the customer is going to be satisfied puts you out there for too much risk of loss. When they have paid a portion, they are more willing to have it revised and provide feedback to help stear you in the right direction.

Bet on a sure winner for 50% down every time. Then balance at completion (at a minimum).

I've been burned about 3-4 times over my career and am not interested in doing it again. I will on occasion give my trusted, tried and true customers the exception.

[GraphicDisorder]

Here you pay up front or I wont so much as type a font on a shirt. People will waste your time in a second if they can. 

[3Deep]

Dam right they will, here I'm like Brandt we get money up front before we start anything and when I do have to call Dan or some other artist for some cool art that I can't take care of you better believe money is there all ready.   Customer's come and say just fix me up 3 or four designs and I'll pick the one I like, until I explain we charge for each design even if you don't like it LOL

[theMadArtist]

Granted I'm not officially mad (my mother had me tested), but I get art creation fees up front.

That is because you are SMART- I'm NOT......

[Frog]

Granted I'm not officially mad (my mother had me tested), but I get art creation fees up front.

That is because you are SMART- I'm NOT......

It's just that Dan, and Brandt, and Darryl and I learned from our mistakes way back when. It's kinda' that "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me"

[theMadArtist]

In my opinion on the fire truck art, it's all a matter of customer need, price and expectation. There is always somone out there looking for this type of art and I think the price The Mad artist would charge would be well worth it. It just might not be what that customer was looking for at the time...or maybe his customer was expecting something different. When you charge nithibg up front, you leave yourself open for someone to more easily turn and go somewhere else. They have no skin in the game and it's always all about pleasing their customer first and loyalty last.

This is why Madman, your process for obtaining gigs is risky. Doing the art (in hopes of) or with the assumption that the customer is going to be satisfied puts you out there for too much risk of loss. When they have paid a portion, they are more willing to have it revised and provide feedback to help stear you in the right direction.

"Bet on a sure winner for 50% down every time. Then balance at completion (at a minimum).
I've been burned about 3-4 times over my career and am not interested in doing it again. I will on occasion give my trusted, tried and true customers the exception."- Dot Tone Dan


Dan- you are an exceptionally kind person; thank you for all the kind words and encouragement- and even the occasional client I believe you sent my way!
WAY back @ 1978- when I first had the courage to pitch my services to some printer in Orlando, I didn't even have the intelligence to come up with a "Handle" for myself.
The printer looked at the cheap 'scrapbook'-like portfolio I had thrown together. and commended me on my work. He showed me pitiful examples of artwork his clients had paid for (some in full, some half-up-front) and most of the art was simply pitiful! I remember one log with palm trees that looked like wilting marijuana plants!

Being as much a salesman (and a DESPERATE one, at that), I blurted out "I require no such deposit- I will expect payment ONLY if they love the art!"
He quickly replied "You're Mad- but I will send you lots of work!"
He did, and THAT is how I started...and got my Name.

Now, with Red China, India and others offering work for nothing- I feel my offer more vital than ever- and am STILL willing to take the risk: these samples are form the last 10 YEARS!
It doesn't happen too often- thank heavens!

[Sbrem]

Sometimes, they just suck... Watermarks and low res helps at least with being ripped off. It's still nice art, but what does the public know?

Steve

[GraphicDisorder]

Qualifying the customer is a huge part of doing design work. In a email or 2 I can generally tell if we are dealing with a customer who has a specific direction or if they are just open to whatever. If they are too "open" to whatever I start asking more questions.  DO we miss the mark at times?  Yup, it happens.  But it doesn't happen often anymore.  Maybe 2-3 projects a year now we didn't cover our base right and put the customer into art they either didn't like or had a different idea.  We bill up front and its my experience people are way more specific and clear of what they'd like when they are already laying money out.