Just a thing I'd like to address, because it honestly bugs me a lot.
Growing up on deviantart (or, starting to anyways
), I've noticed that a lot of people seem to judge other people entirely by their skill in art. I've noticed myself doing it countless times. And, if you want to do that in your own head, not affecting them, fine with me. But when people decide that because an artist is less skilled than they are, they don't have to treat them nicely - or even sometimes as someone with no feelings at all, it makes me angry. Judge someones art skill by their art skill, not their emotional depth and worth as a human. In fact really, it would be great if you could be decent and polite to them even if they're lacking in art skill and personality.
Because, on more than one occasion, I have asked for requests from, done art trades with, and been told I'd won prizes from, various deviantArtists, often more skilled than I, who simply do not do their part, and feel no need to excuse themselves. Sometimes I've been to nervous even to follow up and ask them about it - which admittedly made it partially my fault in those situations, as they might have forgotten and needed a helpful reminder. But really is forgetting an excuse anyways? Sometimes I have sent a note, (in a tone I consider decent and polite) to them about it, and they simply ignored me.
This does not apply to everyone I've traded etc art with, of course. I won an honorable mention in a contest by
who has been incredibly sweet and apologetic about the fact that she won't be able to get the prize to me until december - but she's talking to me, which means I can check in again in december, and see how she's doing then, and I know that she hasn't entirely forgotten about it.
My advice to people owing art, who for some reason can't do it, or will not be able to do it for a while: please, just talk to the people you owe art to. Tell them something came up, and if you can't do it, tell them you can't, don't leave them waiting for months not knowing if you will or not! But don't just not do it out of laziness, especially if they have already done something for you - in the case of an art trade. If you can do it, but won't be able to for a while, give the person you owe it to a reasonable estimation of when they can expect you to do it! But don't decide that because someone is a "bad artist" you don't have to follow up on something you agreed to. Its unfair and hurtful.
To people who are owed art: talk to the people who owe you art! Be polite of course, but do talk to them. Ask especially when you can expect the art (maybe even ask that when you're sorting out the details of the trade/request). Don't troll them about it, or leave nasty comments on their wall - its much better to ask them by notes - its private, so they won't feel like you're putting public pressure on them, and also they'll probably see it sooner. Don't just wait until months have gone by and its probably unreasonable to expect they still remember about the trade - but also don't wait a week and then start nagging them. To find a reasonable amount of time - its probably best to just ask them in the first place when you should expect it, but if you don't - depending on how often they update other things, and especially if they're asking for more requests/commissions, I think sending them a friendly reminder 3 weeks to a month after the trade/request has been settled. And if its a trade, you want to wait at least 2 or 3 weeks after you've put up your side, because if it took you however much time, its reasonable to expect it took the other person a bit longer.
Tl;dr - Guys, its not ok to decide that people who aren't great artists aren't worth common decency - if you agree to do something, do it, or explain why you can't/won't.