Contract templates to keep
you cool, calm & covered.
You’re not a lawyer.
You’re an artist.
So, just spitballing here, you probably don’t really enjoy writing and reading contracts. In fact, you might not just dislike it. You might actually feel completely overwhelmed and freaked out by it, because, you know, you didn’t go to law school.
If this sounds like you...welcome to the club!
It’s a club for artists whose freelance contracts are currently a hodge-podge of a bunch of legal jargon they found on google, 90% of which they don’t understand. It’s for anyone who has felt the frustration of reading through a client’s contract that seems to be written in some other language—and those who finally just gave up and signed the thing just to make it go away.
You are far from the only one who has struggled with the pains and fears of contracts.
We’ve been in that place too, wondering how the heck other artists have sorted out all this legal stuff out when it seems so overwhelming and daunting. We know how scary it is to fear that you’ll miss something important and leave yourself and your businesses at risk.
Let’s make contracts less terrifying…
That’s why we decided to ask for help.
We asked someone who wouldn’t just be guessing like the rest of us—someone who really knows this stuff backwards and forwards—an attorney.
With her help, we created a set of contract templates and video lessons that answered all of our questions and turned our nerves into confidence.
And we want to share it with you!
INTRODUCING…
The Contract Kit for Artists
A collection of contract templates for artists, written and explained by an attorney
The Contract Kit is more than a stack of templates—it's a guide to help you really understand how to protect yourself and the business you've worked so hard to build.
“I am so so grateful for this course—I am beginning to dip my toes into licensing, so these contracts are a godsend! I absolutely love that there are four different kinds of licensing contracts inside the course for different kinds of licensing projects, and Alyce's guidance and insight is invaluable to have and be able to refer back to. Thanks to this amazing resource that you've created, I feel so ready for my first licensing deal to come in! ”
@letterlanedesignstudio
Brittany Russell
What’s special about
The Contract Kit?
We know what
artists need
Our contract templates were created as a collaboration between experienced freelance artists and an attorney specializing in law for creatives—experts who know first-hand what protections artists need.
Contracts for the most common scenarios
With four contract types to chose from, you'll have everything you need to respond to those inquiries in your inbox.
Not just templates...
It’s a guide
We want to make sure you actually understand what’s in your contracts, so we’ve included in-depth video lessons to walk you through everything.
Here’s what’s included…
4 Contract Templates
Client agreements can be structured in many different ways based on how you decide to manage the license to your art. That’s why we’ve created templates to cover you in all the most common scenarios.
Video Lessons with an Attorney
Attorney Alyce Zawacki will walk you through the contracts, explaining key concepts and terms and making sure you understand which template to use and when.
The Contract Kit will help you...
✓ Feel confident and protected when working with clients
✓ Gain a clear understanding of what terms mean when clients send contracts your way
✓ Learn the pros and cons of different agreement types, and know when and how to use them
✓ Look professional and knowledgeable when clients ask you to work with them
✓ Know when, where, and how to adjust your contracts for different project scenarios
Meet the women behind the contracts...
Attorney Alyce Zawacki
Alyce is an attorney living in Austin, Texas with a degree in both Media and Law from La Trobe University in her home town of Melbourne, Australia, as well as a Master of Laws (LL.M) from Texas Tech University School of Law.
She is a supporter and protector of creatives, determined to help them monetize their work and manage the risks associated with bringing their projects to life.
Alyce believes that legal education should be within reach for all creatives which is why she established Contracts for Creatives a non-law firm business focused on contract templates and educational resources for those in creative fields.
Katie & Ilana of Goodtype
We’re Katie Johnson and Ilana Griffo, the two self-employed artists behind Goodtype, a resource helping artists create and maintain sustainable businesses.
We both learned early on that we needed the help of a lawyer to navigate all the contracts and legal “stuff” that comes along with being self-employed artists, which is how we found Alyce.
When we saw that many of our friends and peers in the freelance art world were also feeling the pains and fears we were in this area, we felt bad hogging Alyce all to ourselves! We decided to ask her if she would team up with us to help make contracts much less terrifying for everyone, and, luckily, she said yes!
Can’t wait to get started? Let’s go!
Sign Up for The Contract Kit!
One payment of $347
Let’s dive a little deeper…
Is The Contract Kit for Artists
right for me?
These contract templates are built for artists (such as illustrators, designers, letterers, fine artists, etc..) who work with clients.
They Work For Projects Like...
✓ Surface Design & Art Licensing
✓ Logo Design & Branding
✓ Layout & Production Design
✓ Advertising & Editorial
✓ Packaging Design
✓ Animation & Motion Design
✓ Custom Art Commissions
...And More!
They're Not Best Suited For...
• Murals & art to be made on-site
(All sorts of liability issues come up when you make live art or murals in a space you don’t own. Our contracts don’t properly account for this.)
• Web design
• Photography
• Brand partnerships
Take a look inside…
Our contract templates are incredibly thorough and cover you in scenarios you probably haven't even thought of!
They outline terms like licensing & ownership, termination (hello kill fees!), publicity & credits, payment schedules and late payment penalties, approval processes, plans for transferring and managing deliverables, and SO MUCH more.
The 4 contract templates included are:
Licensing
For use when licensing existing artwork
Service & Licensing for Products
For use when creating new, custom artwork to be licensed for products
Service & Licensing for Other Usages
For use when creating new, custom artwork to be licensed for non-products
Work for Hire
For use when handing over ownership of art to a client
Sound confusing? Don't worry!
We'll explain everything in the video lessons!
Course Curriculum & Downloads
01 - Introduction to Contracts
We’ll start out with a few video lessons with attorney Alyce to talk contract fundamentals. We’ll discuss what protections you need and why, delve into how contracts are organized, and make sure you understand exactly which of our templates you should use for any scenario!
(We even include a flow-chart to help you know which contract you need.)
02 - Contract Template Lessons
Next, Alyce will walk you through all 4 contracts individually, going over terms and clauses in-depth so you know exactly what your contracts really say.
03 - Q&A
Finally, we’ll wrap up with a video Q&A where Katie & Ilana grill Alyce on all their contract-related questions!
04 - Contract Downloads
You’ll get access to all 4 contract templates as editable Google docs or as downloadable text files. Every area that requires you to input information is highlighted in orange so you won’t miss anything.
“I want to say that I am ecstatic to have finally found such a useful kit! Originally I thought it would only include a few fill in the blank contracts, but it's so much more. I love that we get insight from an attorney that regularly works in the creative field. Contracts are filled with legal terms that, for most artists, are overwhelming, but this kit carefully breaks everything down! I would recommend this kit for any artist struggling with contracts and who wants to learn to advocate for themselves! ”
@chantelsanchez_
Chantel Sanchez
Who is The Contract Kit for?
Illustrators & Letterers
Graphic Designers
Pattern & Surface Designers
The Contract Kit is for artists who create art for clients and want to be protected! We’ve included 4 different contracts to cover different project scenarios, so whether you’re designing a branding package, licensing a greeting card design, or creating a magazine cover—you’ll be totally covered.
Instant Access!
All the course video content is pre-recorded and ready to watch as soon as you enroll! You’ll also get immediate access to download and edit the contracts.
This course is totally digital, so you can access it from anywhere in the world on your own schedule.
How Long Does it Take?
The video lessons in this course add up to just under two hours. Feel free to watch them all at once with a nice glass of vino, or login and watch just one when you need a refresh.
To set up your contracts, you’ll need to set aside about 30 minutes. We’ve highlighted every area where you need to input your personalized information to make this process as easy as possible.
Don’t Get in Your Own Way!
You deserve to feel safe and confident in your business.
“I’m too busy”
Sure, we’ve all claimed this one before! But the great thing about The Contract Kit is…you don’t have to do anything right away! This helpful tool will be waiting for you when future you gets into an unexpected bind.
“I’m not sure I’ll need it”
As much as we ALL wish we didn’t need to protect ourselves from legal issues…it’s just an unfortunate reality that crappy stuff happens. Clients don’t pay, or they use your art in ways you didn’t agree to, or they ask for their money back. It sucks…but it sucks WAY worse when you didn’t have a contract in place ahead of time to keep you from getting screwed.
“I’m scared to invest”
We know how scary it can be to invest in something for your biz! But as self-employed artists ourselves, we’ve learned that one of the best things we can do is invest in areas that are not our personal strong-suit. You’re not a lawyer—you’re an artist. So it’s really, really worth it to get help with the legal stuff from someone who knows that field as well as you know yours.
Don’t wait until things go wrong…
We've had projects go according to plan, and we've had them off the rails. We’ve worked with contracts and without (NEVER again!!). We’ve signed agreements that we regretted later and we’ve had to fight for rights that we hadn’t properly protected.
Let us tell you from experience—it’s just not worth it to wait until there’s a slip up to get your contracts in order. Through both of our experiences as business owners, we’ve discovered that investing in doing things right from the get-go is the best gift you can give your future self.
Can’t wait to get started? Let’s go!
Sign Up for The Contract Kit!
One payment of $347
FAQ’s
+ Is this a live course or are lessons pre-recorded?
All the lessons that accompany the templates are pre-reorded so you can revisit them any time.
+ Can I edit the contract templates?
Yes! Templates are in .docx format and can be edited via google docs or in any word processing program.
+ Is it easy to customize the templates with my branding and info?
Yes! We've highlighted everything you need to update with your personal info or terms. You're totally free to update the typeface or colors to match your preferences within the document, or copy and paste into a new document if you want to totally change the look.
+ How long will I have access to the contracts and lessons?
Forever! As soon as you enroll you'll get instant access to your student portal.
+ Are the templates applicable internationally or just to the US?
While some of the terms could potentially be used internationally, these templates and lessons are based on US law.
+ Is this course accessible for people with hearing loss?
Yes! It's important to us to be as inclusive and accessible as possible. We've added closed captioning to all our video lessons.
Disclaimer: While these contract templates are drafted in collaboration with an attorney they are intended for educational and informational purposes only and do not constitute legal advice. These contract templates should not be used as a substitute for an attorney or a law firm and we highly recommend that you have an attorney in the state that you live review these agreements to ensure they are suitable for your use. Using these contract templates does not in any way create a client-attorney relationship with Alyce Zawacki.
Jurisdiction: These templates have been drafted in accordance with general United States principles of contract law and are designed for those doing business in the United States. However, to ensure that the templates are suitable for the specific state that you are based in, you should consult with a lawyer qualified in your jurisdiction.
Let’s Get To It!
Have any questions?
Drop us a line at hello@goodtype.us