Design Policies
Cover Design Process – Clients receive 2 cover drafts at the end of their scheduled month. If the book is a sequel to a series, you only receive one cover draft. Clients are asked to give constructive feedback to both covers in order to create a final cover that the client is happy with.
Logo Design Process – Depending on your package, 1 or 2 concepts are designed and sent to the client at the end of the month clients are scheduled. If the book is a sequel to a series, you only receive one cover draft. After receiving the drafts, clients are asked to give feedback in order to make revisions to the logo. The revision process can take anywhere from just a day or two, or weeks depending on number of revisions needed.
Web Design Process – We’ll do some initial information gathering with you. We’ll research your competitor’s websites, to see their approach. After that we’ll create a sitemap, wireframes and key visuals for you. The website will be launched after your approval and with your cooperation. We will commence work following the payment of our Tax Invoice, and once we receive all relevant collateral (copy for the website, images, etc.)
Currency – Except otherwise provided, all monetary amounts referred to here are in AUD (Australian Dollars)
Payment –
Payments should be rendered through PayPal upon receipt of the invoice to [email protected] . Should that prove difficult for the client, arrangements can be made for an electronic funds transfer/ bank transfer to Lime Spring Studio’s nominated bank account.
The client will make a 50 percent down payment prior to work commencement. The project can be scheduled once the down payment is received by the designer. The down payment is non-refundable. The remaining 50 percent is payable to the designer upon completion of the project and before original artwork is supplied to the client.
The exception to this is in the case of any Web Design, Book Formatting, or Proofreading jobs, where, instead, fees are due in full before we commence work.
Revisions – The client shall be entitled to the number of revisions as specified in their package. However, any revisions beyond that shall be chargeable at a rate of $30AUD, sometimes more if revisions are extensive.
Refunds – A lot of time and energy goes into designing, and therefore we cannot offer refunds on any deposits that are made.
Formatting and other services are also not eligible for refunds.
Delayed payment – If the final invoice is not paid within 30 days, a 5 percent “delayed payment fee” will be charged. This initial 5 percent figure will be added upon each recurring 30-day period until the full amount has been received by the designer.
Cancellation – If, after project commencement, client communication (face-to-face, telephone, or email) stops for a period of 180 days, the project can be cancelled, in writing by the designer, and ownership of all copyrights shall be retained by the designer. A cancellation fee for work completed shall be paid by the client, with the fee based on the stage of project completion. The fee will not exceed 110 percent of the total project cost.
Scheduling Your Design – We are able to reserve design slots for clients who have paid their 50 per cent down deposit. Formatting and other design services need to be paid in full. Do not consider yourself scheduled until we receive your deposit or full payment.
Re-Scheduling – If you need to reschedule your design slot, you must do so 30 days before your original scheduled design slot.
Cancelations – If you choose to cancel your design before you receive cover drafts, you forfeit your deposit.
Pausing Your Design – If at any point you’d like to put a pause on the design process, you may do so, but you are required to pay the remaining balance on your cover design fee. If you pause your design process and don’t pay your balance, we cannot work on your design again until your balance is paid.
Receiving Finished Files – During the design process, you will be sent drafts over email. Finished designs will be sent to you in a DropBox folder. You will be sent this folder after you have paid the remaining balance on your invoice. At this time, raw files such as Photoshop or Illustrator files are not available.
What Comes With Your Design? – Design packages are made clear on the main cover design page. You are subject to additional fees if you require material that is not included in your package.
Communication – All communication is mostly done via email. Video chats or telephone calls if required.
Rush Fee – Clients receive draft versions of their designs at the end of the month they are scheduled for. To receive designs sooner than this, clients are subject to a rush fee, which is decided on a case-by-case scenario.
Payment – All payments are made securely via PayPal invoices.
Confidentiality – During the course of the project, it may be necessary for the
Client to share proprietary information, including trade secrets, industry knowledge, and other confidential information, to the Designer in order for the Designer to complete the Graphic Design services and Deliverables in their final form. In which case, the client shall inform the designer in writing before the project commences if any portion of any material or information provided by the client or if any portion of the project is confidential. The Designer will not share any of this proprietary information at any time. The Designer also will not use any of this proprietary information for his/her personal benefit at any time. This section remains in full force and effect even after termination of the project by its natural termination or the early termination by either party.
Rights and ownership – all services provided by the designer shall be for the exclusive use of the client other than for the designer’s promotional use. Upon payment of all fees and expenses, the following reproduction rights for all approved final designs created by the designer for this project shall be granted: Client to gain full transferable rights to brand identity. AND Client to gain full licence to reproduce works through commercial printers.
Ownership: The client shall be entitled to full ownership of all artwork created during the project upon full payment of the agreed fee.
Third party Agreements: The designer may Agreement with other creative professionals to provide services such as web development, photography, and illustration. Any third-party terms and conditions will include full reproduction rights for the client. Where such Agreements adds to the project cost, the client will first be asked for permission to proceed. No project will commence on the assumption that third parties might be required for project completion. Such details will be finalised prior to project commencement, unless requested by the client at a later date.
Samples – The client shall provide the designer with samples of print design that result from the project deliverables. Such samples shall be representative of the highest quality of work produced. The Designer may use such copies and samples for publication, exhibition, or other promotional purposes. The designer shall have the right to photograph all completed designs or installations and shall have the right to use such photographs for publication, exhibition, or other promotional purposes.
Representations and Warranties –
Designer. The Designer represents and warrants that they have the right to enter into and perform this Agreement. The Designer further represents and warrants that they have the right to utilize and distribute the designs created for the Client and that such designs are not owned by anyone else to the Designer’s knowledge. In the event that the Designer does not have these rights, the Designer will repay any associated damages the Client may experience or will take responsibility so that the Client does not experience any damages.
Client. The Client represents and warrants that they have the rights to use any proprietary information, including, but not limited to trade secrets, trademarks, logos, copyrights, images, data, figures, content, and the like that it may provide to the Designer to be included in the Graphic Design Deliverables. In the event that the Client does not have these rights, the Client will repay any associated damages the Designer may experience or will take responsibility so that the Designer does not experience any damages.
Disclaimer of Warranties – The Designer shall complete the Graphic Design
Services for the Client’s purposes and to the Client’s specifications. The Designer
does not represent or warrant that such deliverables will create any additional profits,
sales, exposure, brand recognition, or the like. The Designer has no responsibility to
the Client if the deliverables do not lead to the Client’s desired result(s).
Limitation of Liability – Under no circumstances shall either party be liable to the other party or any third party for any damages resulting from any part of this Agreement such as, but not limited to, loss of revenue or anticipated profit or lost business, costs of delay or failure of delivery. The client agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the designer from any and all claims, demands, losses, causes of action, damage, lawsuits, judgments, including attorneys’ fees and costs, but only to the extent caused by, arising out of, the work supplied by their designer.
Legal Fees – In the event of a dispute resulting in legal action, the successful party will be entitled to its legal fees, including, but not limited to its attorneys’ fees.
Rights to Design – Clients do not own their designs until their invoice has been paid in full.
By paying for the design, you retain all rights to the design in accordance with the Standard Image Licenses purchased by Lime Spring Studio from Depositphotos and Shutterstock. You do not need consent or permission to use the design as described above in the Standard Image License.
Lime Spring Studio retains the right to display the design in their portfolio and to use it for marketing purposes only after the design has been revealed to the public by the client.
Lime Spring Studio is not obligated to promote the design.
You have the right but are not obligated to use the design.
You also have the right to hire another designer for future books in the series.
Proofreading Tasks – Our proofreading service includes two passes: the Editor will edit, then send manuscript to Author for approval, Author will either accept or reject changes and answer any of the Editor’s queries, and then return the manuscript to the Editor, who will incorporate those changes or corrections into the manuscript and clean the copy of editorial markings.
Proofreading Related Expenses – Author will reimburse Editor for direct expenses incurred in fulfilling this Agreement, including, but not limited to, photocopying, printouts, inputting, couriers, and postage. Editor will not incur any expenses without Author’s express written permission.
Standard Image License – Further information regarding Standard Image Licenses and their terms can be found at https://depositphotos.com/license.html and https://www.shutterstock.com/license
NOTE: We may change, update or amend these Design Policies at our absolute discretion without notice.