Project Aborted

There are a lot of people I know both online and in person that hinted this day would come.

JJ typing, the Eldar commission has been stopped at the clients request.

I've only told a few people about this.  Opportunity hasn't allowed to share the news with others who are close to me.  No doubt there will be a lot of people saying only negative things about it.

I did not go quietly into the night.  There have been too many times I've given up, when faced with difficulty I took the path of lesser resistance, said "F it!" and moved on.  Not this time.  Proposed an email.  Gave it several look overs and sent it.  While there are things to be said about the response.  While I have my own opinions about the reasons it ended.  I'll share none.  Wish to be gracious in defeat.

One friend provided some comforting words when I shared the bad news with him "Companies lose customers all the time.  Actually companies lose customers daily."  Another friend said something will probably be used "Metas change all the time.  The army that was good several months ago isn't competitive now."  Both of these I agree with.  Companies do lose customers everyday, there's very little companies can do to stop that from happening.  Perhaps the Eldar commission is no longer competitive and needs to be changed to be competitive again.  Something myself and several others agree that the Eldar commission is  competitive.  It is a solid list that when painted to a high degree, has a display board and operated by a strong general will win tournaments if not receive best painted army award.

Like to share with you that this is the second rather bad thing that has happened to me recently.  As indicated in an previous post.  I was let go from my rent paying gig back in Nov.  Really the shot was fired Oct 29th, bullet didn't land til Nov 13th.  While I wanted to shingle appropriately from my 40 hr week rent paying gig to full-time commission artist.  It seems there are plans in play that I am not aware of, nor should I be.  Just when I can start committing myself full-time to the Eldar commission I am also let go from that as well.  Now I'm waiting for the third bad thing to happen.  They say bad things happen in threes.  Perhaps getting extremely ill last weekend was the third bad thing (still sure Connor got me sick).

I can already hear the reasons people will come up with for why the commission was aborted, which invariably will include the line "Told you so."  It seems so many are looking to take joy in the misery of others.  Almost as if we can't stand to see someone succeed where we fail.  When others fail we can sit in the same mud pit wallowing in losers misfortune.  While I have my opinions for why the client ended our working relationship.  Also have the clients as well.  Will share none.  I maintain to be gracious in defeat.

What have I learned from this venture?  First, I've learned is I need to make commission work more of a priority.  Second, I've learned it is my purpose to help others be clear in communication.  Third, things never go according to plan, especially if the plan is clearly laid out.

I'm immensely grateful someone outside the states believed in me enough to hire me for a commission.

Couple of people have said I've been too transparent with the models I work on.  That I shouldn't post anything until its finished or not post anything at all and ship them when done.  If the client speaks up inform them models were painted per the agreement.  I do believe I need to consult commission artists about the frequency of their updates to clients.  Yeah the blog hits will suffer.  Does a blog really need daily posts?

After my 40hr week rent paying gig laid me off I told many people 'Just because I was laid off doesn't mean the website, www.silvergargoyleproductions.com, gets taken down and I don't stop painting.'  Now the line has changed.  'Just because a client doesn't want me to paint their army anymore doesn't mean the website gets taken down and I don't stop painting.'  The website remains up and I will continue to paint.  You can't take the sky from me.

In lieu of my usual closing I'll close with this:

No giving up.