Artist invoices cover four revenue types with different structures: commissions (30–50% deposit, milestone or completion balance, scope and revision terms stated), original sales (price, certificate of authenticity, shipping/insurance, sales tax), licensing (fee priced by usage scope — the artist retains copyright), and gallery consignment (the gallery's statement shows the sale price and the artist's share after the 40–50% commission). Every invoice should state what rights transfer — buying an artwork does not buy its copyright.
Artist Invoice Template
Reviewed by the Agiled editorial teamUpdated June 2026
The most misunderstood sentence in art sales belongs on every artist's invoice: buying the artwork doesn't buy the copyright. A collector owns the canvas; the artist keeps the reproduction rights unless a license or transfer says otherwise — and the invoice is where that's said. Around that core, artist billing splits four ways: commissions with deposits and scope terms, original sales with shipping and tax, licensing priced by usage, and consignment statements that reconcile gallery commissions. This template handles each. Download it in PDF, Word, Excel, Google Docs, or Google Sheets, or generate a pre-filled version below.
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Your Company Name
123 Business St, City, State 12345
billing@yourcompany.com
INVOICE
INV-0001
Bill to
Client Company
Due
Net 30
| Description | Qty | Rate | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Custom painting (24x36) | 1 | $2,000.00 | $2,000.00 |
| Art prints | 10 | $45.00 | $450.00 |
| Commission consultation | 1 | $150.00 | $150.00 |
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Create online- Commission deposit
- 30 – 50%, non-refundable
- Gallery commission
- 40 – 50% of sale price
- Licensing
- Priced by scope; copyright retained
- Copyright
- Stays with the artist unless transferred in writing
What to include on a artist invoice
The work identified completely
Title, medium, dimensions, year — "'Harbor Study III,' oil on linen, 24×36\", 2026." The identification doubles as provenance paper.
Commission scope and revision terms
"Custom portrait commission — 2 subjects, from client photos — includes 1 sketch approval round and 1 revision pass." Scope stated is scope billable.
Deposit credited, balance timed
30–50% at commissioning (non-refundable once work begins — materials and committed time), balance before shipping/delivery. Sketch-approval milestones on larger pieces.
Rights line, every invoice
"Artist retains copyright and reproduction rights; artwork sold for personal display." Or the actual license granted. The sentence that prevents your painting becoming someone's product line.
Licensing scoped explicitly
"License: book cover, single title, print + ebook, worldwide, 5 years — $1,200." Media, territory, term, exclusivity — licensing revenue scales on scope, not effort.
Shipping, insurance, and framing
Packing, insured shipping (declared at sale value), crating for large work, framing if provided — labeled lines. Damage-in-transit terms referenced.
Sales tax and certificate of authenticity
Sales tax per your state's art-sale rules (and marketplace rules online); COA noted as included with originals — collectors expect it and resale value depends on it.
Typical artist pricing structures (U.S., 2026)
| Revenue type | Typical structure | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Commission deposit | 30 – 50% up front | Non-refundable once begun |
| Portrait commissions | $300 – $5,000+ | Size, medium, subjects |
| Original sales | Per size/medium pricing | Consistent $/sq-inch helps |
| Gallery consignment | 40 – 50% to gallery | Artist's share on statement |
| Editorial illustration license | $250 – $2,000 | Single use |
| Commercial product license | $500 – $10,000+ or royalty | Scope-driven |
| Print editions | Per print, edition stated | Edition number on invoice |
| Murals | $20 – $75 / sq ft + lift/materials | 50% deposit standard |
Art pricing varies with reputation and market. Whatever the price, the rights line and deposit structure are the constants that protect the work.
How artist billing actually works
Commissions: deposit, approval, delivery
Commission billing follows the making: deposit at agreement (it buys materials and reserves studio time — non-refundable once work begins, per the contract), an optional sketch-approval milestone on larger pieces, and the balance before the work ships. The invoice states the scope — subjects, size, medium, reference materials, included revision passes — because 'can you change the background' arrives on every commission, and the written scope decides whether it's included, billable, or out of bounds.
Licensing: the revenue that respects the copyright
Licensing invoices grant defined usage — a book cover, a wine label, a brand's seasonal campaign — priced on media, territory, term, and exclusivity rather than the hours the work took. The artwork stays yours; the license can renew (a calendar entry, not a hope) or expand (a new invoice). Royalty arrangements (common on products) reconcile per the agreement with sales reports referenced. The one non-negotiable: never let a sale invoice silently function as a license — the rights line keeps the streams separate.
Galleries, consignment, and direct sales
Consignment runs on a signed agreement (works listed, prices, the gallery's 40–50% commission, payment timing after sale) — and the artist's paper is the consignment inventory plus the gallery's sales statement showing the price, commission, and artist's share. Follow up on payment timing; galleries paying 30+ days late is the industry's oldest complaint. Direct studio and online sales invoice the collector: work identified, tax applied per your state (and marketplace-facilitator rules online), insured shipping itemized, COA included.
Invoicing mistakes that cost artist professionals money
No rights line
An invoice silent on copyright invites the buyer to assume everything — and your painting becomes their merchandise. One sentence, every invoice: artist retains copyright unless expressly licensed or transferred.
Commissions without deposits
A deposit-free commission is speculative work with extra steps. 30–50% before the brush moves, non-refundable once materials are bought and time committed.
Unscoped revisions
'Just make it a bit warmer' four times is a second painting. Included passes stated, further changes quoted — the scope line is the studio's boundary.
Uninsured shipping
Artwork shipped at carrier-default valuation pays out pennies on a destroyed original. Insure at sale value, bill the line, reference the damage terms.
Consignment without paperwork
Works left at a gallery on a handshake become unfindable inventory in a dispute or a closure. Signed consignment agreement, listed inventory, and statements that reconcile — or the work doesn't leave the studio.
How to use this template
- 01
Download the template in your preferred format, or generate a pre-filled version with the download studio above.
- 02
Add your details and identify the work — title, medium, dimensions, year.
- 03
On commissions, state scope and revision terms; collect the deposit before starting.
- 04
Include the rights line: copyright retained, or the specific license granted by scope.
- 05
Itemize insured shipping, framing, and tax; include the certificate of authenticity with originals.
- 06
Time the balance before delivery, and reconcile gallery consignment against signed agreements and statements.
Skip this template if…
- Graphic designers — client-deliverable work with rights-on-payment runs on the graphic design template.
- Tattoo artists — shop-based deposit and session billing follows its own conventions.
FAQs
Does buying artwork include the copyright?
No — under U.S. copyright law, the buyer owns the physical artwork while the artist retains copyright and reproduction rights unless a written agreement transfers or licenses them. Every artist invoice should say so explicitly; the one-sentence rights line prevents the most expensive misunderstanding in art sales.
How much deposit should an artist take for a commission?
30–50% at agreement, structured as non-refundable once work begins — it covers materials and reserves studio time. Larger commissions add a milestone at sketch/concept approval, with the balance due before the finished work ships or is delivered.
How is art licensing priced?
By usage scope, not effort: media (editorial, packaging, product), territory, term, and exclusivity. A single-use editorial license might run $250–$2,000, while commercial product licensing runs $500–$10,000+ or royalty-based. The artwork remains the artist's — licenses renew and expand, each on a new invoice.
How does gallery consignment payment work?
The signed consignment agreement lists works, retail prices, the gallery's commission (typically 40–50%), and payment timing after sale. When a piece sells, the gallery's statement shows the sale price, commission deducted, and the artist's share. The artist's protection is paper: listed inventory, signed terms, and statements that reconcile.
Should artists charge sales tax?
Original sales and commissions are taxable tangible goods in most states, so artists selling direct generally need to collect and remit sales tax (online marketplaces often handle it as facilitators). Licensing fees are usually not tangible-goods sales. Rules vary — confirm your state's treatment once and template it.
What should be on an invoice for an original artwork sale?
The work fully identified (title, medium, dimensions, year), the price, sales tax, insured shipping at declared value, the certificate of authenticity noted, and the rights line stating copyright remains with the artist. Together that paper is also the collector's provenance record.
Pair it with the freelance artist contract template
Invoices collect; contracts protect. Get the matching agreement in Word or PDF — free, like this template.
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