Quality of work for swaps vs. commissions

[Sarahlacewing]

I will say having traded or hosted with many of the people on this thread I don't see any of the culprits here.  Everyone I have worked with on this board has tried very hard to make nice swap ponies and some have gone seriously above and beyond the call of duty.  So thank you!! I imagine folks who do sort of get lazy with customs probably won't post because they feel then folks wont want to swap with them.

[blackestbird]

I can't speak to commissions as I haven't done any yet, but I agree with everyone else; I think anyone should just always put their best work and effort forth, in everything you do. I love the creativity that I get to do with  swaps, just from being inspired by my partners' forms, and the other results from swaps. Some really amazing customs come from the swaps! It's sad to hear some people haven't done so, and have put less toward swaps just because the work isn't paid for - which I don't think is true anyway. I can't remember who said it earlier in the thread, maybe NoD?, but someone mentioned that someone else is spending money on supplies to make a custom for you. I think anyone in a swap wants to receive a custom suited to their submitted form and that someone put their heart into. You get something out of swaps too, even if they aren't commissions; you get to try to make someone really happy with a custom suited to their likes, and someone does the same for you. Everyone is spending money, time, and effort on swap ponies too, not just commissions, and everyone should do their best.

[Skeen]

In a swap I ran on another board a few years ago, one of my participants PM'ed me to see if the partner I paired her with "knew how to make customs" so she could see how much effort she needed to put in to her own custom - she didn't want to give her partner a well thought out and well executed pony if she was going to get one she didn't believe would be equal to her own skill level.  It took me HOURS to come up with a reply that wouldn't have gotten me banned. 

Swaps are every bit as important as commissions, and in my eyes are actually the same.  The only difference is you don't know who commissioned you!  I give my best in swaps and expect to receive the best my partner has to offer, regardless of their skill level. 

[PandaBerryInSpace]

WTF? That's awful. 

[Skeen]

Panda-  I wiiiiiiish I'd kept those PM's.  They made me kinda sick.  Actually, that may have been the last swap I ever hosted.  It's like, "If that's the thought process of some of my participants, why bother?"

[Eluluu]

Omg I really hope they got booted out of the swap for that attitude! Did you show the pm to a mod for advice?

[JoshsPonyPrincess]

Whether it be commission or swap - I always give my best work possible. I want my swap partner to feel like they commissioned me (but for free) and to be happy with the work. I think no matter what you are making a custom for even if you are just practicing you should always try to do your best work - that way you get better and better.

[rybett]

WTF? That's awful. 

What Ms Panda said. 

[Galactica]

In a swap I ran on another board a few years ago, one of my participants PM'ed me to see if the partner I paired her with "knew how to make customs" so she could see how much effort she needed to put in to her own custom - she didn't want to give her partner a well thought out and well executed pony if she was going to get one she didn't believe would be equal to her own skill level.  It took me HOURS to come up with a reply that wouldn't have gotten me banned. 

Swaps are every bit as important as commissions, and in my eyes are actually the same.  The only difference is you don't know who commissioned you!  I give my best in swaps and expect to receive the best my partner has to offer, regardless of their skill level.

Gad- that's terrible.  Of course I have never done a commission, and I have only done one swap- but I really really wanted to do a great job- more than if I had theoretically been commissioned.  My first tries weren't that great, but my partner was awesome and I've learned a few new techniques since that time that I can't wait to put into practice.   I would think that a swap would call out the very best work in someone...

[jwalraven]

I always put my best effort in any pony I make. I expect my partner to do the same. I've been paired with others that may have not been "OMG AWESOMELY KNOWN IN PONYDOM" but I can see that they did they're best and that is what counts for me.

[MonstarNomNom]

I put all my effort into all of the customs I have made, whether they were for a swap or a gift. I have yet to make a commission yet but I know I will also put my effort into it 100%. Given, I enjoy swaps so much because of the creative reign, like others have said I just love sending a pony out to their new homes. ^^ it gives me a sense of accomplishment and I am putting my work into. The hands of people that are not myself. Why would I make anything less than what I am capable of? Given, I have a TON to learn when making customs and I learn something new with each one I make

I have only had great partners in swaps and I am always optimistic when joining into one. The only problem I have ever had is people ceasing responses for private swaps which in turn causes the swap to never actually get going. Which is not a matter of artistic quality

Skeen: I just can't believe that story!

[kaoskat]

In a swap I ran on another board a few years ago, one of my participants PM'ed me to see if the partner I paired her with "knew how to make customs" so she could see how much effort she needed to put in to her own custom - she didn't want to give her partner a well thought out and well executed pony if she was going to get one she didn't believe would be equal to her own skill level.  It took me HOURS to come up with a reply that wouldn't have gotten me banned.   

Wow. Just.....Wow. I have no words for that.

[pandabear_chan]

To be honest (and I hope no one will get mad with me now) .... I'm not a huge fan of Custom Swaps cause I also have the feeling that sometimes the quality is not the best.

I always try to create my Customs as best & perfect as possible and the mistake is that I expect that also in return.
Yah I know it's somtimes the skills that might not fit into my ideology. 

So the reason why I don't participate in lotsa Custom swaps is that I received "not so good quality" kind of customs in the past from time to time.
Sure you could have luck and get a partner that think like you and do the best work as possible.... and I received such Customs as well

That might sound harsh but that's how it is... for me.

I have to agree Berry 100% on that. I don't take part in a lot of custom swaps anymore because I expect a certain skill level of the pony I get. If it won't meet my expectations, there's a little box in my dark wardrobe where some customs already found a nice new place...

I know this really sounds unfair and hard to the customiser, who made it and of course you don't have to think anything bad about the partner you gets art from, but this box resembles customs where the quality could be better. As for better quality I speak of missing hair strands, bad sculpting material that easily broke, really unclean painting jobs or such. Of course not for the idea or the combination of techniques.

I'm happy that many swaps are skill based now, even if it means that newbies may don't get a pony from a more advanced customiser at this time. For me, this is the chance to get their work improved on the one side and the reward for an advanced customiser on the other side to get something in trade that they "deserved".

I observed that many newbies (and I don't mean newbie in a bad way, everybody starts somewhere and always can improve) are as confident and state that they are not ready yet to take big commissions or take part in a very detailed swap or something like that and that is okay.

Finally, we have to reflect that swaps should be fun and we have a hobby here, not being employees that have to guarantee a specific quality of work. Maybe we all can improve too by not comparing every custom what we get from a swap with our own skill level (and I have to improve too on that issue). So we shouldn't take this issue too serious ladies. 90% of the customs I got from you (an other member) from a swap has a great place in my glass cabinet 

____________

By the way and totally out of topic - what do you think of a "white elephant" swap as Requiem did once ago but with the topic "make your best custom" or something like that? (skill level based?)
 

[gemini_pony]

I always do my best in swaps! I would be so sad if my partner did no like their pony. In fact it stresses me out a bit xp.

[cleverLC]

I'm a newb to customizing, but to me each custom is a different pony, with its own personality.  So if you're not really putting your heart into the customs you make, whether for swaps, commissions, or just for yourself, then you really ought to question why you're doing it.  After all, some customs can be so time-consuming that you can't exactly make a living off this stuff.

Post Merge: May 15, 2013, 05:02:34 AM

In a swap I ran on another board a few years ago, one of my participants PM'ed me to see if the partner I paired her with "knew how to make customs" so she could see how much effort she needed to put in to her own custom - she didn't want to give her partner a well thought out and well executed pony if she was going to get one she didn't believe would be equal to her own skill level.  It took me HOURS to come up with a reply that wouldn't have gotten me banned. 

Swaps are every bit as important as commissions, and in my eyes are actually the same.  The only difference is you don't know who commissioned you!  I give my best in swaps and expect to receive the best my partner has to offer, regardless of their skill level.

That's awful!  Not only is it really rude to act like you have to "dumb down" your customs, but--how else are we newbies supposed to learn if we don't make custom ponies?  A swap is just a nice opportunity to customize.