Good morning/afternoon/evening to those who find this.
There is a summary at the bottom however I advise reading everything.
I'm not one to air laundry, however I feel as though my hand has been forced at this point. As many have seen, I've cosplayed the fancyteir design done by @/SimplexJadeClothing. I still adore the design and it was done wonderfully, however I'm retiring the costume from it. Back when we where discussing said costume, long before I had even started on cosplaying it. I saw it as a WIP that was discarded while on call with them. I brought up that if they finished the design, which was a cute chibi piece, I would cosplay it. They went on to make the drawing seen on their account, which is still a wonderful piece. We had briefly discussed credit, and didn't come to any specifics. It sounded much like a, I'll support you and you support me. I created my tumblr account to reblog the design; and for them to be able to reblog the cosplay when it was done.
However some issues have come up from earlier in the month, and I was messaged May 2nd over a discord dm about adding credit to my posts. Which i admit, i had originally forgotten to do. I had then amended my error by editing the description for the instagram posts. I've looked through the conversations we had in dms, dating back to November 20th, 2021. There isn't much regarding credit or plans as we both preferred to talk over voice calls. I had realized in May, before the costume was being entered in the contest I had ok-ed doing with them. I had brought up that there may be a check in on if the artist is ok with their design being used.
The images above are the original post and time stamp replying to my anonymous ask about the use of their designs. This post has since been edited to ask for credit in every media post. I really want to stress that i agree, artists deserve credit for their designs. However, cosplaying a design deserves its credit as well.
I had made a post on 4/13, on instagram, that on the second slide had the design and credit. We discussed that and i had inquired about what was leading them to feel "like my work was being taken credit for...". As I didn't see how it would come across as such. The cosplay community, while it isn't right, is notorious for seeing designs and just cosplaying them immediately. Only comments being things like 'art isn't mine' or 'design found on Pintrest'. I did agree to credit more, I simply wanted to understand where the stance was coming from. I didn't, and still don't, understand the need for credit of design to be in every medias post. Especially on Tiktok; as the app's algorithm is more so off how entertaining your video is or if your using trending sounds/filters/trends. I clarified during these dms, that if someone commented directly about the design i would refer the commenter to the artist immediately in my response to the comment. I originally wasn't going to place design credit in every post in general, as most people who see/interact with my content are my followers. During this time they had posted the design to their Instagram and tagged me, so I added it to my story as well as a highlight reel that had been made for the con I wore it to. It had been decided that a pinned comment on Tiktok(which was done for a while until I recently added it into the description below the hashtags. For the last few of the drafts I'm using), and above the hashtags for instagram(which I admit I'm no longer following. I'm aware this is rude based off our discussions, please stick with me and keep reading.) I had edited my Instagram posts that showed the main costume, skipping over the ones that are based off my face more than costume.
I had informed that I would credit things, however it wouldn't be prominent. This was originally ok with them.
As seen in the statements above. Our conversation from there goes back and forth with the in between of 'what ifs' of credit being asked vs being there on all by default. I brought up that it was "a tibbit excessive" and was taken as saying it was redundant. They had brought up some people won't ask for who designed things, using that as a point as to why it should be in every post. However, i can't control what people will or won't ask. The conversation was clearly being taken two different ways on our sides.
On the note of the commissioned artists, its because at the convention I was at, back in April. I had commissioned artists to draw me in different cosplays I do, primarily being the fancyteir Dave. I have posted most of them, tagging the artist in the original post. Due to commission, and how the rights around art commissions work in Canada. The artist owns the copyright to the image, meaning i can't sell it or profit off it. However I own the piece itself and have right to use it in posts and such. Once again, if I was asked who drew it I would redirect them to the artist immediately.
The main piece here is the tone change, as I was trying to keep a respectful conversation with negotiations. I was informed the same credit expectation would be applied to my commissioned piece from them.
I paid for the agreed price and confirmed I have no intentions to use the design for cosplay now. I blocked out their email for privacy. Things had stopped there for a while, and once the final piece was given communications had stopped.
After a while, i had seen they had commented on one of my tiktoks. I had forgotten to add the credit to the comments to pin, and they had added it themself. My issue wasn't with this. It was that was the only interaction I had seen on any of my accounts from them. I'm aware I'm not entitled to interaction, however commenting for the credit and not liking the video had struck me the wrong way. Especially given how the last conversations had gone. So I had blocked their account, and than added the credit into the comments and pinned it myself. I come around to check discord later that day to find this.
Now, I had only blocked them on tiktok. They could have reached out to me on any other platform. I'm aware I could have discussed my issue with them as well, however I was and still am tired of arguing over this. I had chosen to ignore this for the most part. Choosing only to go about and unfriend/unfollow them on my other medias. I had a weird feeling not too long later and checked their tumblr, coming across what I would deem a slander post. It is still on their account, however I have attached a screenshot for ease of navigation.
The phrasing and word choice, to me, feels as though I'm being painted as never giving credit and not wanting to. The phrasing "unfortunately he had commissioned me..." felt very rude. As, shown above, I paid for the design and said I wasn't going to use it. I had attempted to clarify some things in the comments. Before it had become an argument again. So I wished them the best and was quite alright with letting this die off. However they than responded to an anon ask about this topic again which prompted me to break my silence and explain what all was going on.
This had annoyed me, since there was credit long before the 'call out post'. This had further pushed the narrative that I denied to give credit at all. I, as a person and a content creator, have the right to block who I please as well. The fact that it was noticed that I blocked the other account only confirms to me that they have been checking in on my account. Which I personally find a little unsettling. The hashtag choices are what truly annoyed me however.
These are a direct attack of character on who I am as a person. I haven't, as far as I'm aware, ever made comment on plans to bad mouth anyone. I have not, nor do I intend to bad mouth them. However this reads off as slander against me as a person, which I won't sit by an watch without expressing my side of the situation.
I have placed this costume to the side, and will no longer be posting content with it. I will not be using the commissioned piece for cosplay. I still wish them best as an artist, as their designs and style are amazing pieces. However I am saddened by how this has been dealt with and turned out. I dislike loosing friends, and heavily dislike needing to make a post about this. However I feel the need to defend myself against the audience this has been aired too with no context or explinations. I will be using this post as a script for a video format on tiktok, which will than be added to instagram, facebook(cosplay page not personal) and here on tumblr. I as a person, and a creator, don't believe I deserved to be passed over to someone's fanbase for judgement. Please DO NOT go after them. I would like to use this as my final comment on everything and move on to costume plans. I'm now aware for the next time I ask a friend or comission someone for a piece I intend to cosplay, to draft and sign an agreement about the expectations before hand. Thank you for your time. I will reblog this with the links to the other posts once their up.
*I will no longer be associating with them and have full intention of blocking them across all platforms a few days after posting this. Just to be transparent.*
