Artist Contract Templates
Throughout my experience so far as a professional artist and business student, I have noticed a serious gap in the knowledge base on legal protection for self-employed artists. Having over five years of commission work to draw from, I know how important it is to have legal protection when selling work. So to remedy this, I have created a number of contract templates designed to protect artists from being taken advantage of. All of the following templates protect the copyright of the artist. They are all free to download and can be edited as needed.
Please protect your work.
Physical Artwork Purchasing Contract
This template is for selling physical pieces of art. This could include original pieces or prints and reproductions. If the artwork is not being shipped to the buyer, make sure to edit that section of the contract to reflect the delivery method.
High Resolution Image Purchasing Contract
This template is for selling high resolution images of artwork, such as digital artwork, images of physical artwork, or photography. This template is NOT intended for photographers who are booking a session with client. That template is listed below.
Art Licensing Contract
This template is for selling the license to use artwork. It would be used when a buyer wishes to purchase the license to artwork to use in their own work or reproduce and sell. An example of this is the purchase of art for an album cover that will only be used and printed for a limited time. I have added a few lines to assist in writing the "Description of Permitted Use" section.
Custom Commission Contract
This template is for custom commission work. It requires a follow up proposal to be submitted after the materials have been received by the client. The proposal does not need to be an entirely new contract, but I recommend being clear and having the client sign it or give written confirmation that they accept the proposal. The deposit of 50% of the total price is non-refundable. This gives you more guarantee that they will see the project through. So does having them sign a contract in the first place.
Photography Session Contract
This template is for photographers doing client sessions that result in a set number of edited images being delivered to the client. As a photographer, I do not recommend giving your unedited or raw images to any client, ever. And this template stipulates that the client cannot request them. Just as a client is not purchasing the preliminary stages of a painting or sculpture, they do not have access to your in-process images. This template also has a non-refundable deposit of 50% of the total fee that is collected at the time of signing the contract. This provides more insurance that they will show up for the session and pay you the rest.
Model Release Contract
This template can be used in addition to or separately from the photography session template. It releases the use of the model's image to the photographer. If you are an artist and are not paying or being paid by your model, I still suggest using this template as it pertains to the right to use their image in your work.
NOTE: Signing contract digitally can be tricky. You can send the contract to your client electronically, have them print it out, then sign it, scan it, and send it back to you. But that's tedious and may put a strain on your relationship with the client. I recommend using a document signing service such as Docusign or Hellosign. I have used both and was happy with their free versions. It does limit how many contracts you can have signed at a time if you don't pay for it. But it makes the contract legally binding, and provides easy ways to insert information that changes per client. It's super easy to sign on the client's end too. Something to consider.
Disclaimer
By using this contract template, you understand and agree that the creator of these templates is not a lawyer and that the templates are not legal advice. The templates are intended for informational and educational purposes only, and should not be used as a substitute for the advice of a qualified lawyer.
You also understand and agree that the creator of these templates is not responsible for the misuse or failure of the templates or their content. You are solely responsible for ensuring that the templates are appropriate for your specific legal needs and that they are used correctly.
You further understand and agree that the creator of these templates is not responsible for any errors or omissions in the templates or their content, and that you will not hold the creator liable for any damages resulting from the use or reliance on the templates or their content.
By using these templates, you acknowledge that you have read and understand this legal disclaimer and that you accept all of its terms and conditions.