Whether you’re painting a mural in a nursery, drawing the artwork for a comic book, or working as a graphic designer, you want to get paid for the work you do. A free artist invoice template makes it a snap to detail charges as the jobs you take change in scope and medium. So, what do you need to record on professional invoice templates? Here’s a look at a few possible and essential components.
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Artists, illustrators, painters, musicians, performers, and dancers are all types of artists that can use art invoice templates to help them professionally charge clients for their work. Giving these important business documents to customers after a job is completed will illustrate your professionalism while also providing the proper documentation to track your revenue and accept client payments.
You can’t really put a price on your creativity and vision, but you can charge for your labour and the time you spend creating your art. It can be difficult to determine your rate; some artists can charge tens of thousands of dollars, while others only earn a fraction of that.
When pricing your artwork you will need to determine a fair price per hour or per job with the client. List your labour on the artist invoice as a separate line item, and document whether the charge is a flat fee or by the hour charge. If you’re charging by the hour, list the number of hours, the price per hour, and the total charge. It’s okay to prorate partial hours.
From paint to brushes, you require some expensive supplies to create your artwork. As part of your contract, you might note that some of your supplies will appear on the bill as a separate charge. Be as precise as possible and include a detailed description of the products and supplies used in the project. You can include things such as:
For artists that don’t work with these types of mediums, you can still charge for supplies, like costumes for dance shows, or set materials and props for theatrical productions, by supplementing these items with the appropriate ones.
Just like professional painters and freelance artists, performing artists can also use this customizable artist invoice template to fill in their corresponding business expenses and labour costs for their jobs. In terms of labour, performing artists put in just as much effort behind the scenes in order to make their art. Therefore, a performing artist invoice should include labour costs like hiring a choreographer or training for the performance.
Supplies for performing artists can include things like dance shoes and recital clothing or costumes. Any props or equipment used in the performance can also be added to this account. However, be sure to only include the costs that were previously decided on with the client before the performance takes place. You don’t want to add any expenses to your invoice that weren't agreed upon beforehand.
On the invoice, you will also need to list the invoice payment terms the client will follow. Part of these terms includes identifying the number of days the client has to pay the invoice. Most businesses use net 30 or net 10 as payment terms. With a net 30 term, the client has 30 days from the date of the invoice to pay, and with a net 10, the client has 10 days to pay.
Accepting a variety of payment methods can help you get your payment more quickly. Some acceptable payment methods you should consider accepting from clients include:
It can take months for you to paint a mural for the city or outline the pages of a colouring book, so you might invoice the client for partial work on a monthly basis. This individual invoice can reflect charges for the portion of artwork completed during that period. For example, say you’re working on a colouring book with 50 pages. You charge $25 per page. In February, you complete 10 pages, so on the first business day of March, you submit an artist invoice for those 10 pages at $25 each for a total of $250.
If it’s a short job, you can invoice for the completed job. In this case, submit your individual invoice as soon as the job is done and the client approves it.
When using this free invoice template pdf to send to your customers, you might consider using a few other tips alongside this document. To get paid faster and make the payment process hassle-free for both you and your client, why not add a pay now button directly on the art template. Invoicing software simplifies the billing process and makes it easy to add a pay button on electronic invoices, allowing customers a quicker and easier way to settle their bills with you.
Using the right payment terms, like net 30 or net 10 for the payment due date will also see you getting paid quicker. If you need speedy payments for last-minute gigs or art projects, be sure to change your payment terms to a shorter time frame.
Not only is an artist invoice template a way to illustrate to clients that you are professional and keep on top of your accounts, but these documents will also help you come tax season. Using an invoicing process and creating this paper trail will help you during tax time, as there are certain tax considerations for artists and performers must be aware of when submitting income tax returns to the CRA each year.
Keeping these records is also good business practice, as it will be easier for you to track revenue and accounts throughout the year. Using a unique invoice number on the artist invoices you send out will help you keep track of your accounts and any outstanding debts. Should clients fail to pay you, you can track unpaid accounts through the invoices to follow up and organize payments.
A free invoice template PDF offers room for you to list a variety of information, and additional details on the invoice mean fewer questions from the client before payment. Join many other business owners in using online invoicing software to track profits, payments, and expected payments.
Whether you're a freelance artist, graphic designer, or professional performer, QuickBooks Online can help you charge clients and get paid quicker. With options like online invoicing and ‘pay now’ buttons inserted into electronic invoices, you can ensure your small business receives what is owed.
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