Contracts Kit
Contracts for illustrators

The contracts every illustrator should have

Illustrators license art for specific uses — your money is in the rights granted, and your risk is a client using the work far beyond what they paid for. The Contracts Kit gives you plain-English templates built for exactly this — read every word before you decide, then own all 15 for a one-time $49.

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The risk you carry

An illustration bought for a book cover can quietly end up on merchandise. The contract that protects you defines the exact license, separates a commission fee from a full buyout, and keeps the original art yours.

The templates a illustrator actually needs

Each is written in plain English and ready to use. Click any one to read the full document before you buy.

Client Services Agreement

Sets the commission fee, sketches and revision rounds, deadlines, and the precise usage license granted.

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IP Assignment Agreement

For full buyouts — transfers ownership on payment, so a buyout is priced and documented rather than assumed.

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Testimonial & Portfolio Release

Permission to show commissioned work in your portfolio, even when a client wants exclusivity.

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Late Payment Demand Letter

For the client who has the final art files and goes quiet on the balance.

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Mistakes that cost illustrators money

Granting a vague license, so art bought for one use spreads everywhere for free.
Confusing a commission fee with a full rights buyout — and pricing it like the former.
Delivering high-resolution files before final payment.

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Frequently asked

How do I control where my illustration gets used?

Define the license precisely. The Client Services Agreement states the exact permitted use, region, and duration, so anything beyond that — like merchandise — requires a new, paid license rather than being assumed.

What's the difference between a commission and a buyout?

A commission grants a limited license while you keep ownership; a buyout transfers full rights and should cost more. The IP Assignment Agreement handles a buyout cleanly, so it's a priced, documented decision.

See contracts for other professions →

Every contract a illustrator needs, for $49 once

All 15 plain-English templates, yours to keep and reuse on every client. Read each one in full before you pay.

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Contracts Kit templates are a starting point, not legal advice. For high-stakes matters, have a lawyer review your specific situation.