Sta.sh
[link]
We have premade plush from time to time, and lots of slots for commissions!
You don't have to order a commission through Etsy though, I also take them through email.
growlylobita@gmail.com
Commissions are OPEN! I am open to professional freelance work, fanart commissions, original character commissions, whatever you like! Here's everything you've ever wanted to know about commissioning me!
THE PROCESS:
After you've agreed to the price quote and my terms of service (ToS is at the bottom of this entry) and paid your deposit, I'll start off by sketching you a couple drawings of the plush. You will then let me know if you like the pose, expression, style, etc and I will then follow that reference art as closely as possible to create for you your ideal plush.
I use only high-quality fabrics, including but not limited to fake fur, minky, fleece, and vinyl. Each plush is stuffed with brand new, clean polyfil for a cuddly feel, and stitched with strong stitches. I've been sewing professionally for years now, so you can rest assured your plush will not fall apart.
PRICES:
These prices depend on complexity. The maximum prices are for things like lots of color changes, spots, claws, horns, clothes, whatever. Animal shape things with few color changes will be the cheapest. For exact quotes, email! growlylobita@gmail.com
1 foot plush: $85-320
2 foot plush: $150-480
3 foot plush: $225-720
3 foot is the maximum size I'd like to work, if ya don't mind!
PAYMENT METHODS:
Paypal is preferred above all else.
Money orders can be accepted from US customers.
I do not and will never accept DeviantArt points for commissions.
NO GO's:
-I will not reproduce plush by other people or companies- it wouldn't make much sense to ask me to do this anyway, as my prices are higher than mass manufactured made in China stuff.
-I will not create any plush that is hateful, obscene, or otherwise rude, crude, or obnoxious.
-I am not interested in sharing or selling patterns. I create everything from scratch, so you can see how I'd want to keep my methods unique to me.
OTHER:
My plush are sturdy enough to be toys if you want to actively snuggle and play with them, but they are not rated for safety, so use discretion when buying for a child.
TO ORDER:
Email me at growlylobita@gmail.com for a quote! Please be specific in the size and kind of plush you want, as like I said, prices really vary depending on what'cha want.
I only do business through email, please do not note me about commissions. Thanks so much you guys! I hope to work with you soon.
GROWLYLOBITA'S TERMS OF SERVICE:
-We only do business with adults, 18 and up. Younger individuals can have a guardian contact me directly, I have no problem doing business through a parent.
-After we agree on the design and price for your commission and you agree to this ToS, no changes can be made to your order! So please make sure you know exactly what you want and are 100% happy with your design before the commission starts.
If your design is complex or potentially confusing, consider having some sketches ready to show me.-Payment plans: We are okay with a "half now, half later" payment plan for commissions priced over $100. You can pay 50% of the total commission price at the beginning, and pay the remainder within two months of completion. Failure to pay the remainder in that two month span (we will send occasional payment reminders) will result in us reselling your commission to someone else, destroying it, or repurposing it in some way for our own use, plus loss of your 50% deposit. Similarly, customer cancellation will result in loss of the 50% deposit. Anything that was paid over that 50% will be refunded in the event of a cancellation.
-We ship USPS. Shipping is free in the USA for plush under 2 feet in size, and a tracking number is included with this. Insurance is automatically added to packages worth over $150, otherwise it will have to be specially requested. For plush 2 feet or larger, exact shipping will be charged, plus cost of packaging materials. I'm afraid I can't give quotes before the plush is finished, but count on it being an extra $100 for large plushies.
-All correspondence about your commission will be done through our business email, growlylobita@gmail.com. We don't talk to customers through the telephone, IM, or Notes unless email contact has failed.
-Each custom commissioned piece comes with a 60 day limited warranty against defects (things that are our fault, like popped seams, lost claws, etc). You pay shipping back to us, but I'll cover shipping back out to you, no matter where in the world you live. If the item arrives very dirty, I will mail it back immediately without removing it from the packaging. We won't honor the warranty for problems caused by user error, for example, melted fur as the result of putting the plush in the drier.
-Things that will void the warranty: Alterations to the plush not made by the creator or creators, improper usage, storage, or cleaning of plush, transfer of ownership of plush to a third party.
-By commissioning Plushinator, you are allowing us to take photos of the finished plushie for my portfolio and promotional purposes. The character's name may be shared publicly, but your personal information (real name, address, etc) will remain absolutely private. I work in a smoke free, pet free environment.
-Plush care information available on request.
Last revised: 8/16/12
Now here is a mini FAQ based on the questions I'm asked the most!
Q: Who all is working on these plushies?
A: Me and my husband often collaborate to make plush.
I do all the patterning, machine-sewing, and detailing, but he often handsews small stuff for me. For instance, he sewed pretty much the entirety of the shiny Ponyta plushie, I just made the eyes, colored the mane, and finished it up.
Q: Why do things cost what they do?
A: Short answer: I do this fulltime as a job now, I have to eat!
Long answer: Here's the pricing breakdown for a lifesize Vaporeon plushie as an example.
The commission cost is $450 and we can pretty much immediately put aside 4% of that for sales tax, plus $13 in Paypal fees that are instantly deducted, so the net earnings are $419. Now to buy materials. The yards of minky fabric required cost $75 after shipping (and that's buying JUST enough, if I mess up on anything, I have to order more), the tubing for the fins cost $10, the nose cost $1.20, and the seven bags of stuffing required cost about $70.
So what I am actually getting to keep is only $263. Even though I already have the pattern from last time (thus saving me hours of work), it still took me 28 hours to put that thing together. That meanssss I'm making only $9.39 an hour for skilled labor. That is actually freakishly close to my wages at my old job, but I'm not really complaining (at least I'm having way more fun working on plush and suits fulltime), but to charge any less would make it not really worth my while.
I totally understand and empathize if you can't afford work from me, but do note everything I sell is a luxury item, not an essential to life. If it's important to you, you will find a way to save up for it.
Or you'll learn to make these yourself, as I did!Q: How can I get started making plushies?
A: It seems to me the easiest way is to start off with very simple "flat" plushies, to get a feel for the process and materials, then slowly start incorporating more complex pattern pieces as you gain confidence and know-how. Experiment a lot, use cheap fabric if you're not sure it'll come out right the first time. There are also commercial patterns and freebie patterns people have posted online that may help you. I don't really know if they're helpful to a beginning maker, I've never used them.
Q: Do you use any sort of commercial patterns in your work?
A: No, everything we make is drafted from our own patterns from scratch, with no appropriation from tutorials, websites, or commercial patterns.
Q: Can I supply the fabric for my commission for a discount?
A: In general, no. The reasoning behind this is that sometimes a customer would pick out a lesser quality fabric than I feel comfortable working with, or just something that's not as good looking as what I would have picked, and there could potentially be confusion over what happens with the leftover fabric.
Q: Do you want to trade custom plush?
A: I love trading work with other artists but I only do it once every few years. If ever I get in the mood to do another trade, I'll either post up a journal putting out feelers or directly contact those whom I am interested in trading with.
Q: Can I trade you items to give me a discount on my plush?
A: Maybe, though I will caution you there is precious little that I want. Pretty much an instant yes would be any rare Growlithe/Arcanine stuff I don't have yet, any PokeCen giants, or giant Heartland Lucario.
Q: Will you remake for me a plushie that's in your gallery?
A: Some of them I will, some I won't. As of July 2012, these are the designs I can remake for you: My Little Ponyta, Shaymin, Quilava, Vaporeon, Mew, and Skuntank. Shiny and custom colors available on these, and I can also make them just about any size you wish. I'd say the smallest size a plush can be is about 8 inches in the longest direction, and the largest I'm willing to make things is about 3 feet long.
Q: Can I give you critique?
A: Sure, that would be great! I'd prefer it done through email or notes if you don't mind.
A good critique looks objectively at the artist's goals for the piece and makes a judgment as to whether or not those goals were met. It is a full analysis of the image, making note as to what aspects make it successful, which aspects could be improved upon, etc. Personal tastes don't usually come into play in a good critique.
I try to listen objectively to even rude "critique", but I will be honest- the best way to get me to listen to your view is to explain it in a calm, objective manner as outlined above.
Q: Could you critique me?
A: Sure, just drop me a line with what you'd like for me to look at. It could take a couple days for me to get back to you, especially if I feel like I have a lot to say about it. I do try to be thorough, nothing like asking for crits then just getting comments saying "Cool".
Q: How do I wash my plush?
A: Surface cleaning is recommended before you try anything else, Folex carpet cleaner works wonders. For what it's worth, I have very sensitive skin and I've never had any problems snuggling a plushie that's been cleaned with Folex.
For more severe stains/damage, some plush can be tied up in a pillowcase and thrown into the washing machine, but check with me before you do, as some of the plush I've made wouldn't do too well with complete submersion.
Q: How long have you been at it?
A: I made a few throwaway beginner plush when I was about 14, and then I didn't make anything for a long time. Then, in 2007 or 2008 (can't remember) I decided to get back into plushmaking, so I consider Shiny Mew to be my first "real" plush: [link]
So it's been about 4-5 years. ^^ I've been selling various things online since 2004, so I am pretty experienced in working with people.
Other places I post:
FurAffinity (drawn art, social stuff): [link]
FurAffinity (costumes and plush only, my professional face): [link]
DeviantArt (costumes only): [link]
Twitter (inane babble, WIPs, retweets, art talk, fandom talk): [link]
Tumblr (costumes only, WIPs I don't post to LobitaWorks FA): [link]
Tumblr (personal babblings, reblogs, artwork): [link]
