Terms and conditions

By purchasing one of our services, the 'client' agrees to the terms and conditions listed below. These terms are legally binding, so please read them carefully before ordering.

Special announcement regarding AI software

I hereby state that I do NOT use resources that are created by an Artificial Intelligence bot (AI), such as but not limited to Midjourney. All resources are purchased from verified stock sites (like Depositphotos.com) or stock boutique sites. I also prefer to upscale my skills as an artist by training and investing many hours in my artworks. If you have any questions about this, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

1. General

Price quotation & confidentiality

All oral and written offers from Secrèt D'Artiste are without obligation and are valid for 1 month from the start date mentioned on the price quote. The validity can be extended when the client receives a written confirmation from Secrèt D'Artiste. The price quotation may be subject to changes due to unforeseen changes by the client during the project. All client information and materials are considered confidential and only for use by Secrèt D'Artiste to provide a quote or to complete a project. Client project information will not be given out or shared with any third party, unless requested by the client.

Written confirmation

Orders must be confirmed in writing by the client. If the client fails to do so and the assignment is confirmed by Secrèt D'Artiste and no objection is raised within 8 days of receipt, the content of this confirmation will apply. If neither of the parties confirms the order in writing and Secrèt D'Artiste has commenced with the execution of the assignment with the consent of the client, the client shall be deemed to have delivered the assignment in accordance with the quotation. Verbal agreements and stipulations are not binding on Secrèt D'Artiste until they have been confirmed in writing by Secrèt D'Artiste.

2. The implementation of the agreement

Providing information

The client is obliged to do all that is reasonably necessary to enable timely and correct delivery by Secrèt D'Artiste, by timely delivery of complete, sound, and clear information/necessary materials.

Publication and multiplication

Before publication or duplication is affected, parties must give each other the opportunity to check the latest proof, revision test or the last prototype of the design and approve it in writing.

3. Copyright, design law and property law

The copyright and the exclusive right of the design (final and drafts) developed by Secrèt D'Artiste, come to Secrèt D'Artiste. As long as no further written agreement is established between Secrèt D'Artiste and the client with regard to the transfer of the copyright or the exclusive rights, these rights remain with Secrèt D'Artiste. Secrèt D'Artiste grants their clients to use the final artwork for their book cover and for other printed promotional materials (marketing use only) under the restrictions of stock images basic license (see 4. Use and license).

Investigation into the existence of rights

Unless expressly agreed, Secrèt D'Artiste assignment does not include conducting research into the existence of trademark rights, drawing or design protection, patent rights, copyrights, and portrait rights of third parties. The same applies to research into the possibility of such forms of protection for the client.

Attribution (giving credit)

Secrèt D'Artiste is at all times entitled to have the name stated in the colophon of a publication, a digital or physical book, audiobook, etc. ... Please include Cover art by Evelyne Paniez, www.secretdartiste.be

PSD-files

The contract price does NOT give the client access to .PSD layered files of the artwork. This is due to copyright and licensing restrictions of the stock images used. Upon request, Secrèt D'Artiste can provide the flattened blank artwork (without texts) to the client for marketing purposes only. Receiving the blank artwork will incur an extra fee.

4. Use and license

Use

When the client fully complies with his obligations under the agreement with Secrèt D'Artiste, he thus acquires the exclusive right to use the design insofar as this concerns the right of publication and reproduction in accordance with the destinations and/or edition as agreed upon with the order. If nothing has been recorded about the destination or circulation, the first use and the first edition shall be deemed to have been agreed.

More spacious use

In case of more extensive use than agreed, a new agreement regarding the user rights must be concluded between the parties.

Changes

The client or another designer/agency is not allowed to make changes to the provisional or definitive designs without written permission from Secrèt D'Artiste. The client must be the first to give Secrèt D'Artiste the opportunity to implement it. A fee must be paid for this, based on the usual fee rates applied by Secrèt D'Artiste. The rough draft may not be publicly displayed and should only be shared for feedback in private to select individuals that the client trusts.

Stock images used

The client agrees to abide by the terms of use of any license agreement for any images purchased by Secrèt D'Artiste through a third-party image provider for use in client’s project. The designs made by Secrèt D'Artiste contain the standard license to use these stock images and is limited to a print run of 500.000 end products. For projects with a print run over 500.000 end products or merchandising (such as bookmarks, mugs, calendars, ...) additional fees for an extended license apply. Secrèt D'Artiste is NOT liable for client misuse of images.

Own promotion

As long as no further written agreements have been made about this, Secrèt D'Artiste has the freedom to use the design for her own publicity or promotion (e.g., portfolio, website, social media, etc. ...). Secrèt D'Artiste reserves the right to publicly post the completed project in their portfolio if client does not publicly reveal their project within six months of project completion unless previously agreed upon with Secrèt D'Artiste. Secrèt D'Artiste reserves the right to take any discarded concepts from the completed project and reuse them in subsequent projects.

Reselling a design to another author

The written permission of Secrèt D'Artiste is needed in order to resell a previous purchased design to another author. There are no transactions possible without this written permission.

5. Payment and delivery

Payment obligation

CUSTOM ORDERS: A non-refundable booking fee of $50 needs to be paid to secure your slot. This amount is non-refundable and will be deducted from the final invoice. If the client chooses to cancel the booking before the scheduled date, the booking fee ($50) will serve as cancellation fee. A non-refundable booking fee can never be refunded.

A 50% deposit needs to be paid at the beginning of the project. The balance needs to be paid at the end of the project. Payments must take place before the due date stated on the invoice. Non-payment of an invoice on the due date shall legally and without prior notice of default and unabatedly set a compensation of 20% of the amount due of the invoice with a minimum of 50 euro or 60 US dollar.

PREMADE ORDERS: 100% needs to be paid in advance (FCFS) when claiming a cover in Secret D'Artiste Facebook group and/or payments must be made in full at the time of checking out from the shopping cart at our online shop. Payment will be done with PayPal and will be in US dollars or EUROS. Any revision, textual or otherwise, to the design will be only made after full payment has been made.

Suspension

In the event of non-fulfillment of its payment obligations by the client (or cancellation of the project), all rights transferred by Secrèt D'Artiste to the client within the agreement will be suspended until the moment that these payment obligations have been fulfilled. In that case, the client is not permitted to use the designs made available to him. A lack of fulfilling the payment obligation and/or cancellation of a project, client will have no rights to any mockups sent and the client agrees to destroy any materials or mockups given to them.

Refunds

All premade covers are non-refundable once purchased. Resale of select covers to other authors is allowed by only with prior written permission from Secrèt D'Artiste. Retitling and changes will incur extra fees. Refunds can only be given before start of the work on a certain project (only with custom orders). A non-refundable booking fee can never be refunded. For customs, see 'cancellations' under section 7.

Payment plan possibilities for premade covers (installments)

Standalone/single covers: no payment plan possible for covers under $300. Full price must be paid at once (FCFS).

For trilogy covers there are 3 possibilities:

OPTION 1: you directly pay 100% of the price via PayPal within 24h after your purchase.

OPTION 2: you directly pay 50% of the price via PayPal within 24h after your purchase. The remaining 50% must be paid within 30 calendar days after your purchase.

OPTION 3: you directly pay 1/3rd of the set price (trilogy) within 24 hours after your purchase. Part 2/3 needs to be paid within 30 calendar days after your purchase and the last part 3/3 needs to be paid within 60 calendar days after your purchase.

Revisions

CUSTOM ORDERS: the number of revisions is described in the packages that Secrèt D'Artiste offers. Depending on which package the client prefers, the number of revisions can vary. For more revisions needed, an extra fee needs to be paid.

PREMADE ORDERS: small changes are possible but depending on complexity, an extra fee might be charged. Please contact Secrèt D'Artiste prior to buying! Complex changes are not allowed to premade covers. Any requests that are inappropriate or any offensive or explicit ideas which violate terms of use will not be allowed.

Delivery

Completed projects are delivered to the client via email or wetransfer. Final files will only be delivered after full payment. The delivery periods set by Secrèt D'Artiste for the completion of a design are always indicative only and are not binding terms. Delivery of the design to be completed to the client after the specified delivery period can never give rise to any right to compensation on account of the client.

Proofing

Client must test and try proofing of printing. At no time will Secrèt D'Artiste be held financially or legally responsible for any problems, costs, fees, or expenses incurred by client as a result of using the art and/or book cover design. For more information, see liability under section 8.

6. Fees

Fees and additional costs

In addition to the agreed fee, the client must also pay to Secrèt D'Artiste the costs that Secrèt D'Artiste incurs for the execution of the assignment and that do not fall under the normal overhead costs (if applicable).

Fee for an amended order

If Secrèt D'Artiste is obliged to perform more or other work due to the late or incomplete delivery of complete, sound, and clear data/materials or due to an amended or incorrect assignment and/or briefing by the client, these activities will be honored separately.

Usage fee

The fee agreed between the parties also includes the compensation for the exclusive right to use the design, insofar as this concerns the right of publication and reproduction in accordance with the destinations and/or edition as agreed upon with the order. Full ownership can be obtained after written approval by Secrèt D'Artiste and an additional fee must be paid to obtain full ownership (please contact Secrèt D'Artiste to discuss possibilities).

7. Revoke and end command

Revoke or cancellation of the assignment

If not started working at the project, project can be cancelled but the client loses the non-refundable booking fee. If already started working at the project, the client is owed 50% of the project total sum. This is to cover resources and the time taking during the project up to the point of cancellation. If this is the case, client will have no rights to any mockups sent to the client and agrees to destroy them. Any tracked changes or work unfinished will not be implemented.

Finish assignment

If there are independent circumstances, which means that Secrèt D'Artiste cannot reasonably be expected to fulfill the assignment, Secrèt D'Artiste has the right to resign this assignment, without being obliged to pay any compensation or guarantee. In this case she is entitled to the fee for the work done up to that point and to compensation of the costs incurred up to that moment and she is obliged to make the results achieved available to the client. If conduct or actions on the part of the client are the cause that Secrèt D'Artiste cannot reasonably be expected to fulfill the assignment, then Secrèt D'Artiste, in addition to the right to resign the order, is entitled to the full assignment fee.

8. Liability

Liability

Secrèt D'Artiste can never be held liable for errors in the text or the design if the client carried out a check and gave its written approval. The client bears the risk of misunderstandings or errors regarding the execution of the agreement if these find their cause in acts of the client, such as but limited to not timely or not delivering complete, sound, and clear data/materials. Secrèt D'Artiste cannot be held liable for errors of production companies. Client shall indemnify, defend, and save Secrèt D'Artiste harmless from any and all suits, costs, damages, or proceedings, including, but not limited to, Secrèt D'Artiste services, pertaining to any and all litigation in which the client is a party. Client shall pay all expenses incurred by Secrèt D'Artiste including, but not limited to, all attorneys' fees, costs and expenses incurred should Secrèt D'Artiste be named a party in any litigation to which client is a party. Client shall further indemnify and hold harmless Secrèt D'Artiste from liability for any and all claims, costs, suits and damages, including attorneys' fees arising directly or indirectly out of or in connection with the operation of client, and from liability for injuries suffered by any person relating to the Client. In the absence of negligence, Secrèt D'Artiste will not be held liable for loss, destruction or damage of any kind resulting from items which are lost or delayed in transit, whether such transit is electronic, fax, mail or otherwise, not for unauthorized use by others of such property. Secrèt D'Artiste will not be held liable for any incidental, consequential or indirect damages, including without limitation damages for loss of profits, business interruptions, loss of information, story plagiarism, etc...

Limitation of liability

Secrèt D'Artiste's liability for damage arising from an agreement with a client is always limited to the amount of the fee due to Secrèt D'Artiste.

Copies of materials

The client is obliged, where reasonably possible, to keep copies of materials and data until the order is fulfilled. If the client fails to do so, Secrèt D'Artiste cannot be held liable for damage that had not occurred with the existence of these copies. The re-delivery of these copies of materials and data by Secrèt D'Artiste implies a new agreement with a separate fee to be charged.

Warranty delivered materials

In case of client provided images to be used in the project, the client acknowledges that he/she/they has obtained all rights and permissions to publish materials to be used in the project and shall be solely responsible for the materials and the validity of copyrights, trademarks and ownership claimed by the client. Client agrees to indemnify, hold harmless and defend Secrèt D'Artiste from any and all copyright and permission infringement action resulting from materials provided by the client. The project material client provides must not be a public domain work (unless client is the original author).

No guarantee of success

It is impossible to provide any guarantee about the outcome of the book performance. Secrèt D'Artiste will not be held liable for sale performance that does not meet the clients’ expectations.

9. Other provisions

Other conditions

General and special terms and conditions of the client do not bind Secrèt D'Artiste except if and insofar as these are not in conflict with the present conditions and insofar as Secrèt D'Artiste has accepted the applicability of such conditions in writing in so many words.

Belgian law

Belgian law applies to all agreements and commitments of Secrèt D'Artiste. In case of dispute concerning the offers, agreements, and invoices of Secrèt D'Artiste, only the Courts of the District of Dendermonde and/or the Justice of the Peace of the canton of Sint-Niklaas are competent (Belgium law).