: Should I oblige when a client asks to use a design as a logo when it wasn't made to be the logo in the first place? A client asked me to design a signage for his shop. He didn't have
A client asked me to design a signage for his shop. He didn't have a logo. He said all he wanted was the name of his shop designed nice enough to hang outside. Now he is asking for a smaller file to use as a logo.
The signage design didn't take long to make and he was pretty cool about everything. However, I feel that, if he was going to use it as a logo in the first place, then it should have been charged as a logo and branding project, which it wasn't.
I have always been confused on how charging in the design world works. I've always been pretty casual and informal. Sometimes though things like these come up and I dont know what to do.
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You should charge for the work, not the type of media you make. It's not like you needed physical materials to make it. The client has their fair right to use the material they paid you for in any way they like.
This question is closely releated but not a duplicate:
Copyright on free work
Similar to the linked question, you did a small job and now it's becoming a big job. So you explain that the rules are different if he wants this as an official logo.
Briefly, a logo copyright release is exclusive and unlimited. The client is the only person or entity allowed to use the logo (other than putting it in your portfolio) and the client is allowed to use the logo in whatever method, manner, or media he chooses, including distribution, forever.
You get to charge much more for that, because you are releasing all the rights to that work, to him only. You can't ever use that artwork or similar idea again, so you need to be compensated for that potential loss of income.
Try looking over the AIGA Standard agreement for some boilerplate wording, and adapt it as needed.
Your problem is that you did not have a contract. No worries there may be a way out, although you will probably lose your client. See, the reason why you charge your client more for logo work is that you will release all, worldwide copyrights to the client. In case of the signage you have not, hopefully not released copyrights to the client. Therefore you negotiate a fee for copyright release.
As a related note try to start making contracts. Contracts clarify situations so even if the contract is not a big deal in itself it would work like a introduction to graphics design business. This helps the client understand what they are getting which makes it easier for you to price things.
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