I was hired to do a logo for a home improvement company with the words “overall improvement” included in the name. The client wanted a pair of overalls or coveralls as part of the logo. I illustrated a cute pair of blue jean overalls and sent him several designs using that as part of the design and some using other icons for round one of the design process.

Client: I hate these.

Me: What don’t you like in particular? I can change anything you don’t like.

He emailed me a horrible looking cut and paste job that used comic sans.

Client: You know what? I don’t need you anymore. I’m going to do it myself. 

Obviously, this meant I wasn’t getting paid. The design he sent me was awful, but that wasn’t the worst of it. The problem was he was using my illustration of the overalls.

Me: It’s fine if you go your own way with this, but I have to tell that I designed the illustration you’re using and you’re either going to have to pay me for that or not use it.

He sent me a series of angry, awful emails arguing why he should be able to use my illustration for free. Finally agreed to pay a fee for the overalls after I threatened to sue him for copyright violation. 

The best part? I never gave him a vector of the file. His professional logo is based on a very small jpg.

> Want to know if freelancing is for you?

Source: Clients from Hell