Portraits & Caricatures Portraits & Caricatures Business & Client Management 2 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: A portrait artist receiving a 50% deposit before starting a commission is following best practice primarily to protect against what risk?
- Non-payment if the client abandons the project after work has begun (Correct answer)
- The risk of the paint drying too quickly
- Copyright infringement by the client
- Overpaying for art supplies
Correct answer: Non-payment if the client abandons the project after work has begun
A deposit covers the artist's time and materials costs if the client cancels mid-project, shifting some financial risk back to the client.
Question 2: When a caricature artist is asked to draw a celebrity or public figure for commercial advertising use, which legal consideration is MOST critical?
- Right of publicity laws, which restrict commercial use of a person's likeness without consent (Correct answer)
- Whether the subject is physically present during the drawing session
- The color palette used in the image
- The resolution of the final digital file
Correct answer: Right of publicity laws, which restrict commercial use of a person's likeness without consent
Right of publicity laws in many US states prohibit using a person's likeness for commercial purposes without their permission.
Question 3: A portrait artist who offers a 'limited license' when delivering a digital file to a client is doing what?
- Granting specific, defined uses of the image while retaining copyright and restricting other uses (Correct answer)
- Selling full ownership of the copyright permanently
- Giving the client permission to resell the work
- Licensing the work exclusively to a single gallery
Correct answer: Granting specific, defined uses of the image while retaining copyright and restricting other uses
A limited license specifies exactly what the client may do with the image (e.g., print for personal use only) without transferring underlying copyright.
Question 4: For an artist selling caricature prints in the US as a sole proprietor, which tax form is used to report self-employment business income and expenses?
- Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business) (Correct answer)
- Form W-2
- Form 1099-B
- Schedule A (Itemized Deductions)
Correct answer: Schedule C (Profit or Loss from Business)
Schedule C is filed with Form 1040 to report all income and allowable business expenses for sole proprietor artists.
Question 5: An artist's 'kill fee' clause in a contract applies when what situation occurs?
- The client cancels the project after work has begun but before completion (Correct answer)
- The finished portrait is damaged during shipping
- The artist fails to deliver the work on time
- The client requests unlimited revisions
Correct answer: The client cancels the project after work has begun but before completion
A kill fee compensates the artist for work already completed when a client cancels mid-project, typically a percentage of the total fee.
Question 6: When presenting a portrait commission proposal to a high-end corporate client, including 'comparable project examples' in the pitch primarily serves to do what?
- Reduce the client's perceived risk by demonstrating the artist's relevant experience (Correct answer)
- Justify a higher price by padding the proposal length
- Legally protect the artist from copyright claims
- Replace the need for a written contract
Correct answer: Reduce the client's perceived risk by demonstrating the artist's relevant experience
Case studies and comparable examples build confidence that the artist can deliver the specific type of work the client needs.
Portraits & Caricatures Portraits & Caricatures Business & Client Management 2
A portrait artist receiving a 50% deposit before starting a commission is following best practice primarily to protect against what risk?