RainydayRepaints

Q: Are you the right artist for  me ?

A:  It always helps to look at my current work. My website is filled with images to view, also check my links to Flickr & Pinterest where I have more pics and also things that inspire me.  I love trying new looks and styles... natural, period, goth, fantasy, horror, it's all good. I will always try my best to make your vision come to life but I'm sure instictively there are certain touches that I will do that could be inferred to as "my style". If my aesthetic is appealing to your senses, that is a good indication we might be a good fit.

 

I like to work with a loose set of guidelines, I don't do well with overly strict directions.  If your plan is to micromanage every creative decision I make then you will probably be disappointed with the end result .... my technique and aesthetic is uniquely my own and isn't that why your interested in my artwork to begin with?  Even while following your criteria, I instinctually feel that the doll itself  directs and guides me into their finished result. Just remember  faceups are never going to be 100% symmetrical, that is a fact with anything in life, so please do not put that unrealistic expectation on me.

Please do not ask me to copy or replicate my work or another doll artists. I am willing to do something with the same colouring or feel but am not going to make an exact duplicate or make my work look like another artists style otherwise it is no longer a custom artwork. 

My Faceups are airbrush primed in Golden matte medium and sealed in Golden Polyurethane Ultra Matte Topcoat. Each faceup is a custom handcrafted artwork and should be treated with care to prevent chipping or damage. Please remember that these faceups are not as durable as factory products.

 

Q: How do I get a slot?

A: PLEASE MAKE SURE YOU HAVE YOUR DOLL , CONCEPT AND PAYMENT READY.

A 50% non refundable downpayment will be due once slot is confirmed and I receive your filled commission form and send you the invoice. I will give 48 hrs to get your commission form filled and payment made otherwise your slot will be forfeited. I would like to have your doll within  6-8 business days after downpayment. If you would like a slot while my commission book is open, please go to my contact page and send me an email. Breifly include info on what doll size/brand and services you're needing. I will then reply to you to confirm your slot. Remaining 50% + shipping + duty's/add-ons will be due once doll is complete . Final payment is expected after final approval and is to be paid in full within 72hrs otherwise item(s) are forfeited to me and will be mine to sell to recoupe costs.

 

Q: I've got a slot, now what?

A: Once I've confirmed your slot I'll add your name to a list on the Commission Slots page where you can watch your progress . I'll re-shuffle the order of the names as the packages arrive and then that will be the order in which I'll work through them.  Once given a slot, I give a 48hr grace period to get your filled commission form in to me and pay the invoice(downpayment). If I don't get one,  your spot is forfeited and you will have to wait until the next commission opening. If given sufficient reason, I will refuse to take further commissions from overly difficult clients. Please remember this is one of my jobs and how I earn a living,  don't disrespect me by abusing the rules I set out.

 

Q: Why is it so important that I mail out my item right away?

A: I give myself approximately 3-4 weeks to finish each items on my list. It doesn't mean it will take that long, but this unfortunately is not my only job. Sometimes I can work on 2-3 items at once, but if all the dolls/heads are not here with me it makes doing things in a timely matter difficult. I am sure many think "if I send it in later it will be done last". Imagine if every person did this, it would make my job frustrating and in turn will affect commissions coming in for the next book opening. Once I have given a slot and gotten your downpayment it is imperative the items are mailed right away, as it can take between 6-8 business days to arrive.

 

Q: How many slots are available?

A: At the moment I am taking commissions on a monthly basis. The amount of slots truly depends on how many dolls/heads are sent per client.... so if three clients send 2 items each that potentially fills 6 slots. I am limiting my vinyls to about 2-4 dolls during a commission period depending on the scope of work, once filled I will not accept more. Resin heads are not as limited and will keep my book open until I feel I have a sufficient workload.

 

Q: How does the 50% non refundable downpayment work?

A: The 50% downpayment holds your commission slot. It is also a good faith offer from the client that you're serious and that my rules will be adhered to and followed, and is NON-REFUNDABLE. For example, if a client were to become difficult or verbally abusive I could refuse to perform the services agreed upon and keep the downpayment and return your items at your cost. Please understand, I am not going to suddenly decide to not do your repaint/faceup... but if I am constantly hearing excuses regarding why the doll/head has not been sent yet  or  you're constantly changing your mind about the commission's look or I get constant emails regarding the progress of your doll/head or possibly all of the above... then yes, my patience will dissapate  quickly and I will be left with no choice. I am understanding, but I am also on a timeline and if one person decides to do as they please that throws my schedule off and honestly makes this creative thing I love doing into a chore. So lets play nicely because I really do want to create a beautiful doll for your collection

 

Q: What if I can't afford a 50% downpayment right away?

A: I am willing to do a split downpayment for any work totalling $200+. I will expect the first 25% invoiced portion and a shipped doll at this time, the next 25% within two weeks from initial payment. This will also be non-refundable and work on your doll/head will not commence until the full 50% is payed. If 2nd payment is not received on the timeline set out, I will keep the doll/head as compensation to do with as I wish. This is a kindness I am extending like an olive branch, so please do not respond by cutting it off.

 

Q: Can I send you more than one head/doll per slot?

A: Yes, you can send me up to 3-4  resin heads or 2 vinyl dolls per slot per commission period.

 

Q: Where do I send my items?

A: The Paypal invoice will include my mailing address, so look for it in the upper left hand corner. Do not include the company name, just my name will suffice (let's not give customs a reason to charge duty). Easy peasy!

 

Q: When do I tell you how I want my doll to look?

A: Once your slot is confirmed, please fill out the corresponding commission form ASAP. There is one for Deluxe Spa Vinyl Repaints & Resin Faceups on the Commission pages next to the pricelists. Please include a signed copy of this form in your package with your doll/head, either printed out or hand-written. Please email me a copy of the form as well . If you have links to images on the web, please add them to the email as well (printouts can often blur details).

 

Q: I'm not really sure how I want my doll to look, can you help me decide what to do?

A: I would love to help if you're unsure about what decision to make. If your needing help researching, this does take time and I am not prepared to do that amount of work for free, it is really something that has to be done by you. It is important to know what your concept is before requesting a slot, if you're not completely certain about  a look I find inspirational photos a perfect way to convey what appeals to your  senses. An inspirational photo can be anything, a pic of a T-shirt colour, a beautiful bird, a photo of a makeup ad, another repaint/faceup... whatever... tell me what u like about it and I can use that as an informational  storyboard for how your doll should look. Have a look at my HINTS page, I have broken down the areas to help hone your ideas. Knowing how your doll will be dressed (dark, colourful, pastels, whites),  or a mood it should convey (happy, sad, goth, sweet, angry etc). Basically these are some ways to figure out a look for your doll and help convey it to me on the form.

 

Q: What is your turnaround time?

A: Once your doll(s) arrives, depending on where it is in line, I would say 3-4 weeks before it's on it's way home. I will contact the client to let them know the commission has begun and I will be in contact with progress photos(if applicable). If there is a hold up which is unexpected, I will post on Facebook or msg individually. Sometimes things pop up and can derail my timeline, PLEASE BE UNDERSTANDING , I would not want to rush a job and have it turn out to be less than expected.

 

Q: Can I email regarding my commission as I feel I really want to make sure you understand what I want?

A: Sure, I understand, it's a daunting task  and  being sure helps  both of us. I would recommend limiting emails, keep them  short and to the point ... I am not a very adept typer and a multitude of emails can take up all my time to respond, so please understand if my responses are quick and short.  If I am unsure about a detail,  I will ask before continuing the work.

 

Q: What if I want something done that is not on your pricelist?

A: Never hurts to ask, maybe it's something I am considering adding but haven't had any interest for it yet.

 

Q: What if I decide to add more work or make changes to my commission form after I have sent it? Is this a problem?

A: No, that's fine as long as it is not something that will affect the order in which I do things. If the doll has been sealed and completed, I will not tag on extra work. If the work has not commenced yet then anything can be added /changed except for something requiring ordering like eyes, lashes, wigs, hair for rerooting  as this will put me very behind and will affect my timetable. If there are any changes made to the original commission form I will expect a NEW email with the revised commission form. Please state in subject line Updated Commission Form, so that when I look  at my emails it can clearly and easily be seen. If a mistake results because  various emails were sent with minor changes and I overlooked it as it got lost in the shuffle this will be considered you're fault and I will not correct the mistake. 

 

Q: What if I decide I don't like something after it is done?

A: With the Deluxe Spa Repaint and Resin Faceups I will give progression photos. During these updates is when a problem should be mentioned asap, not after it has been sealed and/or finished. Once I seal a layer it cannot be erased without removing the entire body of work and starting over.  I really don't want this to happen, so responding to my emails quickly and giving me the ok to carry on or stating your issue is highly important. I will inform by email to my commencing your doll and expect my client to constantly check for emails regarding the progression or any questions I may have. Should I have to completely redo/restart something that was given the OK, there will be a charge of $55 to start over and I will expect immediate payment of the invoice for this amount before I restart the work. 

 

Q: Are there any hidden costs I should know about?

A: I wouldn't say they are hidden but there can be variables that may happen to add extra costs. I live in Canada and if an item is declared at $60-$70USD or more chances are duty costs may be incurred... never had it happen on items valued under $100CAD but never say never.  A doll valued at $200USD had a duty charge of  approx $36, just to give an idea. Paypal fees are now incorporated into my pricelists as they frown on charging these as a separate amount, so do not be alarmed at the change in prices. I try to keep my prices competitive and just cannot afford to drop below my base asking price. As the scope of the work is different for every job so will be the paypal amount, any extras or duty's will be added to the final payment. Here is a handy duty calculator for those interested in finding out what the duty charges may be  http://www.dutycalculator.com/ With exchange rates fluxuating right now, a duty charge would be far less for my US clients than when our money was at par. 

 

Q: I have pet allergies, are there animals in your home?

A: Yes, I have 2 dogs. They would not come in direct contact with the dolls but I am sure there are dander particles in the air and so that could be an issue for some. 

 

Q: Will I get photos of the completed work to share?

A: Of course! Depending on the job chosen and the details I would say anywhere between 2-4. My COA is a digitally signed picture with date and details of the services applied for your information, and in case...  "ahem".... that you would sell this masterpiece I created specifically for you. Breaks my heart... kidding!

 

Q: Will I be the only one to see my doll or will there be sharing of images?

A: I will post pics to my website, Facebook, Flickr, Instagram and possibly Pinterest. I am proud of my work and I want to show different sculpts and repaints/faceups. If it is something that you wish I keep to a minimum, I will only post one "beauty shot" on my website and on Flickr.

 

Q: What is your method for return shipping?

A: I will always use "expedited" via Canada Post. This takes 4-6 business days and allows me to track and insure the item for up to $1000CAD, USD exchange rate can vary. I will always mark the package as "abandon", meaning if it is not accepted or picked up on your end it will be lost forever. I do this because if it is sent back to me I will incur shipping and possibly duties and will therefore have to charge my client for these fees + shipping to mail it out again. Personally I do not see anyone wanting to incur all this extra expense, so make sure I have your current address and am notified immediately via EMAIL as to any changes in shipping. I will not be held liable for a missing/lost item.

                 

  *Always read as updates or changes to the FAQ are likely to happen over time