DarkArtist's End of the Line Thread

[The Craw]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

i'm just glad we got people like this on the board in the first place. people who offer their services at a resonable price and provide quality results. i've recently been doing a lot of kitbashing and minor custom work and it's great just to get advive from all the artists and customizers on this board. a real treat that they take the time to share stuff with us. it'd be a real shame if some ingrateful people drive them away cuz of their impatience.

 

[MaulFan]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

i'm just glad we got people like this on the board in the first place. people who offer their services at a resonable price and provide quality results. i've recently been doing a lot of kitbashing and minor custom work and it's great just to get advive from all the artists and customizers on this board. a real treat that they take the time to share stuff with us. it'd be a real shame if some ingrateful people drive them away cuz of their impatience.

True that, Josh could have been a money hungry weezel and told me to send my Hicks BDU his way for a fee to get the weathering done, but he didn't, he clued me in on his technique and not I have a proper looking Hicks figure and because of the same advice, I recently weathered a custom Indy shirt and will soon weather a Two-Face shirt for my Hot Toys figure.

Josh likes getting his business, but he's also kind-hearted enough to help others.

 

[DarkArtist81]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

Wow guys, THANK YOU all. The comments that people have posted have really helped to curb my black mood. I really do appreciate it.

And Magman... dude.. I know I told you I would have it done. And man... I really TRIED, I tried like Hell. I didn't put you aside and try to ^^^^ you over, I didn't lie just to get your money. I even tossed yours in the group to help it go out faster and with the rest of my batch. I know I said it would be a month, but you have to understand something..

Life happens. Stuff comes up that nobody can ever predict. And on top of that, creativity isn't just a faucet you can turn on every damn day... Sometimes you sit down and nothing happens. Yeah, I could force it and send you a crap ass figure. Michael with a stark white face, no detail, and lightly weathered coveralls. But would that be fair or befitting my reputation as an artist? No.

Like it has already been said.. these are not Big Macs...they are figures. These things take time. I hate that I've gotten so damn behind, and that I have made people wait 6 months to a year for some of them... I really can't tell you how much that bothers me every single day. I feel your pain... I really do. But I am doing my best to get this stuff done and out to everyone.

I WISH I was rich and could just pay everyone off, refund all the money and just start clean. But I can't. Anytime someone buys something from me, the money goes right into parts and supplies. If anything is left over, it goes to bills. I don't have money laying around for refunds. As much as it would help my sanity.

I just want you to know that I am working, I'm doing it for all of you guys who have been waiting... and I won't disappoint you. I promise you that. The stuff will look good, and it will have a little peice of me.

I just don't have much left of myself to hand out anymore, I need time to rebuild.

 

[DarkArtist81]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

I want to let you guys know why I took on this monumental slab of work in the first place. The Wife needed bills paid, I had no money...sold my prized possessions...Hulk PF, HT Hicks...etc.. still needed money...

Tried selling stuff, couldn't seem to get rid of anything, tough times all over. Someone comes wanting something... it's kinda hard to say no.

I told myself that I would be able to just lock myself away like a hermit and get it done, that I really didn't want to spend the holidays with my family or anything... I could push through it. But it was too much. I know that now.

I won't let myself get in this kind of bind again guys, I assure you that.

 

[BlindVoyeur]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

Josh,

Like I said in my post and PM, don't beat yourself up on this. It really does happen to everybody. You are handling it perfect and I truly think this will pass sooner than you think. Hang tough and remeber we support you.

Ryan

 

[MaulFan]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

Yup, the most important thing is you are trying, even if life's getting in your way and slowing you down, you keep trying your best to get past it. Plenty of people would give up, but you don't, that's very admirable.

 

[man_vs_machine]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

i'm just glad we got people like this on the board in the first place. people who offer their services at a resonable price and provide quality results. i've recently been doing a lot of kitbashing and minor custom work and it's great just to get advive from all the artists and customizers on this board. a real treat that they take the time to share stuff with us. it'd be a real shame if some ingrateful people drive them away cuz of their impatience.

I totally agree!!! The way I see it, Josh is doing me a favor making these figures for me. If he wasn't cool enough to want to help guys like me who can't paint for ^^^^ out by making me the customs that i want then I'd never have them anyway. So whether it takes a month or a year it's better than not having them at all. From my experience anything that you get custom made always takes a lot longer to make whether it's a house, a chopper, a painting or a sweet ass DA custom figure! I'm really just grateful to have his one of a kind figures sitting on my shelf, especially the best Asajj Ventress figure on the planet!!!

 

[dwing]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

Have always loved your work but now...

"Like it has already been said.. these are not Big Macs...they are figures."

It's 1130 and I'm hungy now-thanks.

 

[QuiGonFishing]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

Hey Josh,

I think we all understand EXACTLY what you're saying here. You live long enough (and it really doesn't take that much living either) and you'll will run into these situations without fail. If you don't bite off more than you can chew every so often, you're not really living at all.

That said, if you'll permit me, I'd like to offer a suggestion. Since the reality which says I won't have the DarkArtist to impart his special brand of genius on varius works heavy in potential and light on delivery is a reality I don't care to live in, I submit the following:

After you plow through the back log, take a few months COMPLETELY off from this vocation and give yourself over fully to your family and to yourself. Put together whatever strategy you feel will serve you to get things back on their naturally positive path. Hit the Gym, woo your wife, enjoy the journey - but do it actively, with a purpose and with a plan.

You have shared with us, your family in dork-dom, some of yourself. We feel it, we know it. If we know you at all, we know that you are always going to come back to this time-sucking hobby. And while doing the full customs has got to be one of the most gratifying things you do in this hobby, I think turning nice production pieces into works of art has got to put a pretty big smile on your face as well, no?

Alright. So.

Try this. Once you get back from your hiatus, do some work. A little less sexy than the customs and repaints, but work that will allow you to do your best work and put your life back in your own hands at the same time.

1. In addition to the work you do for your shop, determine how many repaints you think you can handle in a month. Only you know what that number is. 5? 15? 30..? Whatever the number turns out to be let us know how many slots you have open for a particular month. If the number is 10, then you have to tell request #11, they'll have to go for a slot in the following month that you'll be working (working months need not be consecutive), and so on. Do this for each month, January through December. There will be months you don't want to or can't work - vacations, comicons, etc. Build it all in. Do your best.

2. Finish it up! Don't take on a single new request until you are convinced that the current order is ready to fly out the door within the promised time-frame. I know you are saying that part of the broblem was that you got greedy and took on too much because you really needed the cash-flow. Well, that may be true, but I suspect that the main reason is that you are a hell of a nice guy and you don't want to say no to anyone. You'll just have to get over that, my friend..! And whatever you do, fight with all you've got against responding to an impatient or even irrate customer with an off-handed promise of an unrealistic delivery date (even if you think its perfectly realistic at the time!). Always go back to the plan and provide a honest date with some margin hours thrown in. Despite the very purest of inentions, a string of broken promises on delivery is the worst for a customer (and for your wits too..!)

If you can find a way that works for you to accomplish this, in addition to creating a very happy client base, you might just create for yourself a nice predictable income stream on which you can depend.

Now, I'm not a fool. I know this is a tremendous simplification of a complicated situation. Certain figures take more time than others, and no matter how much you plan, life is still going to happen. That's fine, but you can build in some buffer for some of that. You can allocate one or two monthly slots for the time consuming jobs and a few more for the quick touch-up jobs. The point is that you must work on your own terms. Once you allow them to be dictated by outside forces, you're sunk. No, nothing will ever be perfect and you will have to scramble here and there on occasion, but you'll be doing it all in a circumstance of your own design. You may only be able to turn out half or less of the number of customs/repiants that you do now, but you know what? We'll get over it...

You can do this, Josh, and we don't want to lose you. But, despite all we say, you are the only one who can measure this commitment. And I suspect that even if you walk away from all this, all of your Freak Friends will understand...

Now where's my Han..?

 

[The Craw]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

if it makes you feel any better josh, i gotta go to work in about 3 hours and i'm drunk as a skunk right now. i have a feelin' this is gonna be one rough day.

 

[The Josh]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

Josh get what you got done and walk away for a bit. Clear your head and get back to just having fun with things. Honestly, after SDCC and some issues I built with CC Debt its made me cut back on posting and buying. I've got very few items left on order and what I have I've been using points or GC on to get. It just wears on you. I finally had to tell my folks just because if I didn't I was gonna break down.

My items that you've done like others here are prized possessions. I wouldn't give up my shock, 501st, TPM Obi-Wan, Joker, Indy in normal gear, and you're helping me make my own custom figure Map Room Indy.

I hope those parts I've sent and the other stuff I've just got off to ya help you in some way.

 

[magman3]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

And Magman... dude.. I know I told you I would have it done. And man... I really TRIED, I tried like Hell. I didn't put you aside and try to ^^^^ you over, I didn't lie just to get your money. I even tossed yours in the group to help it go out faster and with the rest of my batch. I know I said it would be a month, but you have to understand something..

Life happens. Stuff comes up that nobody can ever predict. And on top of that, creativity isn't just a faucet you can turn on every damn day... Sometimes you sit down and nothing happens. Yeah, I could force it and send you a crap ass figure. Michael with a stark white face, no detail, and lightly weathered coveralls. But would that be fair or befitting my reputation as an artist? No.

I understand Josh and I'm not mad at all about the situation. Like I said before, had you told me in the beginning that it would be 6 months to a year I'd made a decision at that time to either go forward with the trade or not. Keep in mind that this deal was for the Springfield Slasher and $60 for the Myers. Hell I even gave you $20 of the $ because at the time you were needing some cash. I know you didn't lie to get my money because you really have only gotten the Slasher and $20 of the deal. I do understand that life happens. Hell I've got a wife and daughter and I run into the same problems as the next person. That's all well and good, but just tell your buyers that! I would have totally understood that if you'd shot me a PM and said, "you know what Brandon, I've ran into some issues at home and this is going to take more time than I'd hoped. I'll get back with you with a time frame once I have an idea of how much longer it'll take."

I know your stuff is top notch. I've got a piece in my collection that you repainted (Jason from FvJ). I also know that it takes time to put out a custom. The reason I kept questioning you is because you kept telling me he would be complete within a few days. Like I told you in a PM, if you were in my shoes, you'd understand where I was coming from. I'm a very patient person when I know there is a wait, but throw a blindside at me and I get very frustrated. I'm willing to pick up something from you that is complete so that you can allocate my Myers to another buyer to help you out. If you don't want to do that then I'll wait for the Myers. Whatever works out best for you buddy.

 

[eighthsamurai]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

i've been waiting about 12 months for some repaints now. i know it'll probably be a few more months before they're done, but that's cool, if it saves our boy from a nervous breakdown where he's all cate blanchett pale and elvis fat, with empty burger wrappers strewn about his room.

i have to agree with some things said though josh. and i think you've made the right step in rectifying that. last january when i asked you turnaround time, it was 2 weeks. so a year's a big difference. but i think i've always been cool with the wait coz i knew you were dealing with other stuff, and this isn't your life or job, it's a hobby to enjoy when you have time. now you've told people it's going to take a while i think people will be more informed about the process.

a few times early on, i'll admit (and i haven't said this before) i was a little annoyed that my repaints seemed to get bumped to the back of the line when newer figures came out. some people seemed to get priority repaints. i realise that's bollocks now and repainting is about inspiration not just slapping a few coats on. so i think i get better work when you work on my heads when you feel like working on them rather than next coz they're on a list. i think if you mentioned that too, that things aren't always first come first served it will put a lot of people at ease.

i hate to be devil's advocate, because i support you fully. but i think if you mention these things it will help your customers too (the new guys on the board who don't know you as well). i don't think i've emailed you that often or posted here about my heads too much in the last year. if i have and i'm one of those guys that's bugged you, or if this post is out of line, then i will slice off my little finger as a show of respect and send it to you in a white handkerchief. maybe you can customize it into something cool. maybe a boogie nights custom fig or something.

 

[King Darkness]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

Life's full of right and wrong choices Josh, even the best people make wrong choices sometimes. What makes them good people is how the conduct themselves after and deal with those choices. You face your consequences and you go the distance to fix things. You're a stand up guy that has done remarkable to overcome whatever you've gotten yourself into and have the strength to continue that for the rest of your life. Just remember you always have friends and loved ones to help you through whatever. You're a very talented artist and a good friend, this board is lucky to have you as part of its community.

What Sean said!

Life happens, what can we do

Move forward and deal with it. The bottom line here Josh, is what was a fun hobby for you should never have turned ugly and caused you so much stress. Get done what you have infront of you and be done with it. DONE! If later on you want to tackle a few paints or figures here and there just to get some creative juices flowing, then by all means do it, but dont burden yourself with the needs of a bunch in internet douches(myself included).

^^^^ the dumb ^^^^ Josh, spend your time with family and friends! Trust me, mis-prioritizing your life will lead to more heartache than you can imagine.



That said, I expect my heads by Wednesday, and no later!

 

[JustinLuck]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

I haven't purchased from Josh, but from the sound of it, he undercharges for his efforts. So, for the cumulative time he devotes on a repaint, he ends up being reimbursed less than minimum wage. I can understand how burnt out he must feel. Perhaps if he raises his labor fee to a more fair price, this hobby won't be so grueling on him. Sure, he will lose some customers which will lessen his work load, but he will not feel cheated out of his time either. And of course a reduced work load might speed turn around time and provide him more time outside of the hobby.

 

[EVILFACE]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

Forgive me as I go into Insufferable S.O.B. and prolly say things people want to but won't, but it looks like you bit off more than you can chew. It's easy to overextend yourself when money and demand is getting thrown your way, but you have to set realistic goals for customers. Friends on a message board or not, they deserve that respect. I run my own business and if I can't get something out in a reasonable about of time, I don't take the job.

I paid for a Roy back in I don't know, June or so and expected to see him at least by Halloween. I'm a patient guy and don't get mad or riled up easy so I'm not upset about the delay or demand any refund because I know I will be getting a quality unequaled Roy figure, but it does get you down a bit to see a update about drilling a mask and then a month goes by and nothing but seeing new projects spring up that will take time from your current commitments.

$100 is not that much money, but it is to some, especially when it is paid up front and nothing to show for it. I can't believe I see people posting here they have waited 12 months and still don't have jobs done, that is uncalled for. There is no life getting in the way sugar coating there.

Seeing people post about the delays are also hurting your future $$$ as well. I'd love to order a Jason 8 right now, but not if I don't see him for a year. I plan on getting a Loomis and hope those are made in a decent timeframe, and I'm sure they will with 2 talented artists working on them.

I would say finish the current jobs, take a long break to recharge. Come back with new batteries and lay down a good plan if you continue. Don't overload yourself and make sure each job can be done in a reasonable about of time and be worth your time and talent.

Take care!

 

[DarkArtist81]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

Thanks for the support guys... and the words of wisdom.

This whole situation has taught me a valuable lesson. I'm not cut out for this stuff anymore. It started out simply as an effort to help as many people as possible. With my low fees and cheap repaints I tried my best to just do anything I could for anyone who asked. It got away from me. A hectic year and a rough school schedule added to that and now I am where I am today.

So consider me out of this, I'm not doing it anymore. There are plenty of artists on this site, and with the new Chris Howes machine plunging along and sucking all custom requests to it like some artistic black hole... you guys have everything you could ever want, or ask for. I'm no longer needed.

I will honor all of the contracts I have entered into, I will get the commissions and repaints done as fast as I can. After that, I'm out. I will still do my figures, but I'm done with customs here. It's just become too stressful for me. The mood of this site has become increasingly demanding, fans expect delivery faster and they want things to be perfect all the time. I can't meet that demand anymore, it's just not feasible. Even if I caught up and had a clean slate, things would get backed up again with my first announced project. It's just the way this stuff goes.

I can sense the mood, maybe it's time for me to disappear...

 

[uscmhicks]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

I can sense the mood, maybe it's time for me to disappear...

no way. Custom artist or not your still an awesome member and good friend to many members. Your still interested in figures. Painting or not your still dark artist.

I would wait 10 years for my repaints if I had to , no problem.
I request you do my repaints and ordered figures from you since I knew the work would be awesome , not because it would be good and done quick.

If you feel like you can't do this anymore , catch up on all your work you've been paid for and I don't see any problems at all.
I can't even imagine how stressful its becoming for you reading everything.

I sign in when I can talk to some friends , maybe order some stuff , talk about figures and sign out. Theres no reason you can't do that.

Plus when I can't paint something and I'm getting annoyed I can pm you and ask you what to do.

 

[Havok]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

Well I can't speak for anyone but myself, but I'm sure alot of others feel this same way......I don't want you to disappear Josh, there are people here who are willing to wait as long as it takes. Like others have suggested just take a couple jobs at a time and concentrate on those...don't take anymore until they are finished. Take a nice long break, but please don't disappear, I honestly don't want anyone else to repaint my collectibles but you. You would be very, very missed here.

 

[uscmhicks]

Re: DarkArtist's Creations of DOOM!

You would be very, very missed here.

Yep.. thats very true. Painting or not.
You have to be one of the most if not the most respected members of this forum. ( except for Dave of course. ) Your help to countless members has been awesome. No matter what happens now your still DA.

Just catch up on everything you need too and then take a long break from it.