Portraits & Caricatures Portraits & Caricatures Business & Client Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: When a portrait artist provides a written client agreement before beginning a commissioned work, which element is MOST important to include to prevent scope disputes?
- A detailed description of deliverables including size, medium, number of revision rounds, and final format (Correct answer)
- The artist's full biography
- A list of the artist's past clients
- The price of art supplies only
Correct answer: A detailed description of deliverables including size, medium, number of revision rounds, and final format
Clearly defined deliverables prevent scope creep and client disappointment by setting explicit expectations before work begins.
Question 2: For a US-based portrait artist selling commissions online, collecting sales tax is generally required when the buyer is located where?
- In a state where the artist has a nexus (physical presence or economic threshold) (Correct answer)
- Only in the artist's home state
- In all 50 states regardless of the sale amount
- Only outside the US
Correct answer: In a state where the artist has a nexus (physical presence or economic threshold)
US sales tax nexus rules require collection in states where the artist has a physical or economic presence, per South Dakota v. Wayfair (2018).
Question 3: A caricature artist hired to perform live at a US corporate event should typically carry which type of insurance policy?
- General liability insurance (Correct answer)
- Property insurance only
- Health insurance only
- Workers' compensation only
Correct answer: General liability insurance
General liability insurance protects the artist against third-party bodily injury or property damage claims at the event venue.
Question 4: When pricing a portrait commission, the 'cost-plus' pricing method means the artist does what?
- Calculates all material and time costs and adds a profit margin on top (Correct answer)
- Charges whatever the most expensive local competitor charges
- Prices based purely on what the client volunteers to pay
- Offers the work for free and asks for tips only
Correct answer: Calculates all material and time costs and adds a profit margin on top
Cost-plus pricing ensures all direct costs (materials, time, overhead) are covered before the profit margin is applied.
Question 5: A portrait artist's copyright in a commissioned work in the US is retained by whom by default, unless a written agreement states otherwise?
- The artist who created it (Correct answer)
- The client who commissioned it
- The gallery that exhibits it
- The government upon publication
Correct answer: The artist who created it
Under US copyright law, the creator retains copyright unless the work qualifies as 'work for hire' or rights are explicitly transferred in writing.
Question 6: Which social media platform is generally considered most effective for portrait and caricature artists to build a US client base through visual portfolio sharing?
- Instagram (Correct answer)
- Twitter/X
Correct answer: Instagram
Instagram's image-first format and visual discovery features make it the dominant platform for building an audience around visual art services.
Portraits & Caricatures Portraits & Caricatures Business & Client Management 1
When a portrait artist provides a written client agreement before beginning a commissioned work, which element is MOST important to include to prevent scope disputes?