Did I do everything right here? · 6:44pm Nov 20th, 2022
A few days ago on Twitter, I posted that I was considering commissioning an artist for a cover for a Sonic fanfiction.
Nothing came of the tweet (I only have 100 followers) until this morning, when my inbox was hit with offers from SIX artists within the span of thirty minutes.
To me, that's an unprecedented volume of offers to draw something for me. I almost always go to an artist's page, look through their portfolio and price sheet, then politely ask if they were open for commission.
Needless to say, I was overwhelmed, half asleep, and not to mention reeling from the reported death of a childhood icon of mine (rest in peace, Jason David Frank).
Long story short, it was a huge struggle communicating with all of these artists at once, telling them what I wanted, asking for portfolios, and providing references. I didn't get to providing everything to everyone before I selected an artist that I felt most closely aligned with my vision.
After I paid what they requested up front, I let the other five know that I had made a choice on the artist, thanked them for their offers, and wished them best of luck in the future.
For three of them, that was good enough. The fourth complained that I hadn't even sent her references yet, and the fifth demanded to know who I selected.
Now I haven't blocked anyone yet, but wow. Have these people never been cut from an interview process before? Is this how a hiring manager feels? That reeks of unprofessionalism, rudeness, and asks the same poor qualities of me.
Attitudes like that get you on my personal blacklist damn quick, and is no way to attract my future prospective business.
So did I handle that the right way? Should I just leave them on 'read' next time? I don't feel like stringing them along after I had made my selection would have been the right thing to do either.
Feedback appreciated.
Twitter has been kind of having some issues lately from what I've heard even sometimes the notification doesn't work too well
5698925
This has nothing to do with Twitter's stability, dude.
I'm calling out the conduct of artists that didn't get a commission from me.
5698926
Ohh my mistake that one I'm not entirely sure I don't know it could be any issues with like internet connection problem wherever the location is or they just got so many requests or something like that that sometimes it can piled up
5698927
Even if that were the case: if you didn't get the job, demanding to know who did get the job gets your ass kicked out the door that much harder.
Nah you’re fine.
You handled it fine. I can sympathize with the one who objected about not getting a chance, but that's how it goes sometimes. The last was completely unprofessional, and I would remember them to avoid working with them in the future. You simply mentioned wanting a commission and they submitted bids. Once your decision is made, you don't owe the ones who weren't selected anything.
You didn't do anything wrong. Heck, it was nice that you even sent a message saying thanks to them but went with someone else. I WISH people did that for me when I wasn't selected for a project. Also, that artist has NO right to ask who you hired. And the other artist shouldn't be crying about references. Those are for you and the artist you choose, not the would-be artist who didn't get the commission.
To the fourth person, did they just leave it at that? If so, you and they can both move on.
To the fifth person, I'd be tempted to ask them why they'd want that information (other than to harass the person you chose) and told them that the mature thing would be to take the L and move on, just like a job interview. And then add that their behavior is troubling enough that you'd think twice about looking to them for a commission in the future.
Then again, that sort of response might be a mistake. You handled it fine. Feel free to block them if they continue to handle it poorly.
You could have also told us who it was, effectively discouraging further business going their way, but that too would have been a bit much, and I respect that you didn't.
Edit: I second what Hotel_Chicken said about sending a thank you message to the artists you turned down. It's been years since I interviewed for a job, but I hated it when hirers couldn't be bothered to send so much as a boilerplate rejection email.
5698943
Yeah I'm not about to name and shame. Neither pressed the matter when I didn't reply to those messages.
I don't know much about digital art, but as a prop maker I don't think things would have gone my way if I had chosen to start contacting clients demanding to know why someone else was chosen for a job. I think just ignoring them and not contacting them in the future is definitely the right play.
It's best to avoid people like that last one, they sound like the type of person who would be too problematic, untrustworthy, and/or unreliable which is something you have to watch out for in online talent.
It’s a good thing you blocked them. The fact that one of them demanded is a red flag.