Do you need a C.O.A. or Copyright Doc?

[Pub Wench]

Did you know that a  Certificate of Authentication for Fine Art  is the equivalent of a pink slip on the purchase of a car and protects your customers and you?
Did you know that 14 states in the U.S. require artists give their buyers C.O.A.’s on purchases of originals and limited edition prints?
 (Can you say IRS and Francise Tax Board- yikes!   )

Did you know if you don’t require a written copyright agreement for a customer you’ve authorized to use of your work in a specific medium (verbally) , that same customer may also reproduce your art in other formats (without your consent), profit from it and it’s all legal and you can't do squat about it?   

To say the least, including a C.O.A for your customers makes you look professional and a copyright agreement is just a must do.

We've got everything you need on the Pirates Booty Page.  Real cheap man!    http://www.theartistchallenge.com/the-pirates-booty/c-o-a/

[Gimnick]

I include a COA with every original I sell. Each one is templated, watermarked, signed, dated, and stamped. My COAs also serve as proof of ownership for the collector and statement of copyright protection. Even better still, I generate all the templating for them and utilize a very specific stock to print them on. Maybe not auction-house quality (you'll find no gold leaf here), but every piece is both self-documented and includes the accompanying paperwork for verification purposes. Should one of my collectors meet with the catastrophic loss of their home and belongings, I mean to provide them a means of being able to claim the loss of my works to recoup some of their losses.

[Pub Wench]

OMG! You say it so beautifully Lelan!!  Your a seasoned pro  and no doubt your customers see that.   Art is a ‘luxury’ item for any investor. Your format with your C.O.A.'s is not only a classy method of documentation for the transaction but shows respect to your customer and their future needs.

Having a good standard Copyright agreement has also become essential with the internet:  One of our members, Lisa Lancaster, recently had a customer that wanted to use one of her paintings as the ‘cover art’ for a weekend workshop she was holding. We whipped out the copyright form (I offer in this little package), modified it to the specifics and Lisa sent it to her.  Her customers was so impressed with her professionalism, she wrote back that she also wanted to buy a print from Lisa.

Can we say ‘return clientele.’