portfolio & design blog of logo & identity designer, Graham Smith
Someone asked me what the deal was with the whole aspect of ‘ownership’, in relation to logo design files when a project is completed. Fair question I thought.
I’m not the sort of person who likes to get into paragraphs of T&C’s, they just look boring, no one reads them and they are just dull. I keep my initial proposal short and sweet.
You may find the following useful, you may not. It’s just the portion of my proposal that outlines the specifics to logo file and design ownership. This is not the exact version, as I tend to make fine tweaks on a per client basis, but you get the idea. It’s simple, short and sweet.
I am not saying this is all you need – some people prefer more detail, the ‘watch your own back’ variety – but it works for me. It at least gives you the freedom to do use your own designs for promotional applications and states quite clearly, payment = ownership.
Feel free to copy and paste, edit and hack.
DESIGN & FILE OWNERSHIP
All preparation materials, sketches, visuals, including electronic files used to create the project, remain the property of [insert your name here] until final approval has been made.
Upon final approval, and once any outstanding invoices have been paid, [insert your name here] will pass ownership of the final approved designs as specified in the proposal to [insert name of client here].
This does not include unused intermediate ideas and concepts, which will remain the property of ImJustCreative.
[insert your name here] reserves the right to show any artwork, ideas and sketches created for this project in a portfolio, in various online galleries and in logo process posts as examples of client work.
If you are unhappy for me to display your logo design in portfolios and in other online inspiration galleries, please discuss this with me before proceeding with the project.
Categories: Logo & Brand Identity, My Views
Tagged: conditions, logo design, ownership, terms < Previous: Identity Guidelines for Apple & Eve Logo Design
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Graham, you went far, far above and beyond my initial question. You're an extraordinary entity. :)
That's a pretty solid contract. Ownership of Intellectual Property is a sticky situation, but if you can figure out how to cover all your bases, then everyone's happy.
nice and brief!
however, how would you sign off an ownership? do you provide a printed documentation completed with your signature along with the final files?
It's great to see other designers' positions on this. One further question- how do you deal with source files (Illustrator or Photoshop layered files)? Do you provide those with the final artwork?
My general policy is that I don't include source files as they can be used to create other pieces based on the original project. If a client wants the files, I will gladly provide them for additional cost. What do you think?
I don't think there is a right or wrong way with this. I think your policy is fair, if that's what you feel most comfortable with. Personally, I create a master Illustrator EPS/PDF and send that as the main logo files.
As they now have the rights to that logo, it seems reasonable to let them have the editable files to do with as they wish.
I think it's a different kind of thing when you are talking other forms of design like adverts and brochures. In this case no, I would not supply the source files Ike Indesign or Quark. Would rather supply high resolution PDFs.
Right now, my word is my signature so to speak, along with the wording in the proposal of course. So far have not needed to be any stricter with this.
If a client requests written proof of 'transfer of ownership' then i will of course oblige, as long as it does not contradict anything in my proposal.
Quite welcome you know…
Quite welcome you know…
this is helpful, thank you – just had the same question asked of me yesterday.
I know I’m joining this conversation a year late, but I was wondering what happens in the case of a client who doesn’t like any of the logo concepts? I work for a company who is dealing with a difficult client who doesn’t like any of our initial ideas and so we have decided to part ways with this client. Does she have any ownership rights to the work we’ve done for her so far? I don’t think it sounds right to hand over my Illustrator files with 15 different concepts for her to do with what she pleases.
@dmphillips Without knowing what the initial agreement between you and the client stipulate, what sort of payment had already been made, it’s a little tricky to give any advice.
If we assumed the client had paid some form of deposit, but not the whole amount, then you are certainly not under any obligation to provide her with any digital files. That would equate to giving her copyright ownership to all your thoughts and ideas which is way out of ball park.
Even if she had paid the full amount the client is really only paying for that one design, so if she doesn’t like any then it seems totally pointless to give her any of the ideas she doesn’t like, and certainly not if you are still owed money.
Feel free to give me a little more back ground on the situation.