Terms & Conditions

1. GENERAL
These Terms and Conditions (“Terms”) govern all services provided by Tilly Quinn Designs (“the Designer”, “we”, “us”, “our”) to the client (“the Client”, “you”). By booking, paying a deposit, or entering into a contract with Tilly Quinn Designs, the Client agrees to be bound by these Terms.
2. PAYMENT TERMS
2.1 Deposit & Booking

A non-refundable deposit of 50% of the total project fee is required before any work can commence.

  • A contract will be issued and must be signed before work begins.

  • Failure to pay the deposit within 72 hours of invoice issuance will result in forfeiture of the Client’s reserved design slot.

2.2 Commencement of Work

Work on the project will not commence until the deposit has been received in full.

2.3 Final Payment

The remaining balance is due upon approval of the final design.

  • Final files will not be released until full payment has been received.

  • Final payment constitutes the Client’s formal approval of all designs.

  • Upon final payment, the project will be considered complete.

2.4 Additional Work After Completion

Any additional work requested after final files have been sent is subject to:

  • The Designer’s availability

  • Additional fees at the Designer’s standard rates

2.5 Non-Payment

The Designer reserves the right to discontinue, withhold, or suspend services for any account where payments are not made in the order or timeframe specified in this agreement.

3. EXTRA CHARGES

Additional charges may apply in cases including, but not limited to:

  • Delays caused by the Client

  • Additional concepts or revisions outside the agreed package

  • Model manipulation or additional image manipulation

  • Author add-ons or extra services requested after booking

All prices set by Tilly Quinn Designs are non-negotiable, subject to change, and only guaranteed at the time payment is received.

4. OWNERSHIP & INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS
4.1 Designer Ownership

Tilly Quinn Designs retains full ownership and copyright of all designs created.

  • Full payment does not grant the Client the right to trademark any designs or element of a design not created by the Client.

  • The Designer retains ownership of all original PSD files, which are not provided as part of completed custom work.

  • The Designer reserves the right to display and promote the final design in their portfolio, website, and social media channels once the Client has publicly released the work.
4.2 Client Licence

Upon full payment, the Client is granted an exclusive but non-transferable STANDARD licence to use the final, flattened artwork files (JPEG, PNG, PDF) exclusively for their book and promotional materials.

This licence:

  • Is valid only for independent authors and book boxes and  doesn’t allow sub-licensing.

  • Excludes publishers, foreign rights, audiobook companies, and licensing agencies.

  • Requires separate licensing agreements for expanded use. Different rates, fees and conditions apply.

4.3 Usage Restrictions

The Client may not:

  • Alter or edit the designs 

  • Isolate or reuse design elements

  • Use cover elements for interiors, marketing, printables, special editions, or audiobooks without written consent and additional fees. ( Only title PNGs may be used for interior formatting.)

  • Replicate or extend the design to create new artworks

Under no circumstances may a design be replicated or continued to create a new design.

5 Attribution 

As a condition of the exclusive standard licence granted by Tilly Quinn Designs, the Client agrees to credit the Designer for any artwork provided.

5.1 Required Attribution

The Client must include the following credit in the published book:

  • On the copyright page or back cover

Using the exact wording:

Cover design by @Tilly Quinn Designs

5.2 Marketing & Promotional Use

When featuring any designs or book covers created by Tilly Quinn Designs, the Client agrees to credit Tilly Quinn Designs in:

  • Marketing materials

  • Promotional graphics

  • Social media posts featuring the cover

using the same attribution format:

Cover or graphics design by @Tilly Quinn Designs

6 Liability & Limitation of Liability
6.1 General Limitation

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Tilly Quinn Designs shall not be liable for any indirect, incidental, special, consequential, or economic loss arising out of or in connection with the services provided, including but not limited to loss of profits, loss of sales, loss of reputation, or loss of anticipated savings.

6.2. Maximum Liability

The Designer’s total liability to the Client for any claim arising out of or in connection with the services, whether in contract, tort (including negligence), breach of statutory duty, or otherwise, shall be strictly limited to the total amount paid by the Client for the specific service giving rise to the claim.

Under no circumstances shall liability exceed the amount paid, nor shall this clause create any entitlement to refunds beyond those expressly stated in the Payment Terms.

6.3. No Guarantee of Commercial Outcome

The Client acknowledges that while the Designer creates professional, genre-accurate designs, no guarantee is made regarding sales performance, reader response, marketing success, or platform acceptance, including but not limited to Amazon, retailers, advertisers, or social media platforms.

6.4. Third-Party Platforms & Printers

The Designer shall not be liable for:

  • Colour variation, trimming discrepancies, or print errors caused by printers or print-on-demand services

The Client is responsible for reviewing and approving all final files prior to upload or print. Final approval constitutes acceptance of the work.

6.5. Licence Misuse

Any use of the design outside the scope of the granted licence, including unauthorised edits, reuse, replication, or third-party distribution, shall void any liability on the part of the Designer and may result in termination of the licence.

6.6. Pre-Made Covers

Pre-made covers are purchased as seen. Only minor technical changes are permitted, limited strictly to the following:

  • Author name

  • Book title

  • Tagline

  • Blurb text

  • Sizing adjustments required for standard formats

No other changes, alterations, redesigns, or creative modifications are permitted. Requests for additional changes outside the scope listed above will not be accepted.

Pre-made covers are non-refundable due to the digital nature of the product and the exclusive licensing granted upon purchase.

The Designer shall not be liable for subjective dissatisfaction, creative preference, or market performance once the final files have been delivered.

All licensing, copyright, ownership rights, and usage restrictions applicable to pre-made covers are governed by Section 4 (Ownership & Licensing Rights) of these Terms and Conditions and apply in full.

6.7. Legal Compliance

Nothing in these Terms limits or excludes liability for:

  • Death or personal injury caused by negligence

  • Fraud or fraudulent misrepresentation

  • Any liability that cannot be excluded under the laws of England and Wales

6.8. Force Majeure

The Designer shall not be liable for delays or failure to perform caused by circumstances beyond reasonable control, including illness, technical failure, supplier issues, or events of force majeure.

7. Dispute Resolution
7.1. Good Faith Resolution

In the event of any dispute, claim, or disagreement arising out of or in connection with these Terms or the services provided, both parties agree to make reasonable efforts to resolve the matter amicably and in good faith before pursuing formal legal action.

7.2. Written Notice

The Client must notify Tilly Quinn Designs in writing of any dispute, setting out the nature of the complaint and the desired resolution.
The Designer shall be given a reasonable opportunity to review and respond to the dispute.

7.3. Suspension During Dispute

While a dispute is ongoing, the Designer reserves the right to suspend services, delivery of files, or licence activation until the matter is resolved, without this being considered a breach of contract.

7.4. Mediation

If the dispute cannot be resolved through direct communication, the parties agree to consider mediation as a first formal step before commencing court proceedings, where appropriate.

7.5. Legal Proceedings

Nothing in this clause prevents either party from seeking urgent injunctive or protective relief where necessary, particularly in relation to:

  • Intellectual property rights

  • Unauthorised use of designs

  • Breach of licence or attribution requirements

8. Client Responsibilities & Client-Supplied Images
8.1.Client-Supplied Images

If the Client supplies any images or assets for use in the design, the Client:

  • Retains rights only to the supplied image itself
  • Confirms they hold full ownership or valid licences permitting commercial use
  • Agrees to provide proof of licensing upon request

The Designer shall not be liable for any claims arising from the use of Client-supplied materials. The Client agrees to indemnify and hold harmless Tilly Quinn Designs from any claims, damages, or legal actions arising from their use.

All other design elements created by the Designer remain subject to the ownership and licensing terms outlined in this agreement.

8.2. Stock Images & Licensed Assets

The Designer may use stock images, textures, fonts, and other licensed assets sourced from reputable third-party providers as part of the design process.

Due to the nature of stock sites and ongoing availability of licensed assets, the Designer cannot guarantee that stock images or similar visual elements used in a design will be exclusive to the Client. The Client acknowledges and agrees that the same or similar imagery may appear on other book covers, marketing materials, or be used by other designers, authors, or companies.

The Designer shall not be liable for any claims of similarity, lack of exclusivity, or perceived overlap arising from the lawful use of stock imagery in accordance with third-party licensing terms.

Where stock images are sourced by the Designer, the Client agrees to comply with the applicable licence terms ( for example Depositphotos licences permit up to 500,000 copies).

The Client is responsible for monitoring sales thresholds and re-licensing images if required by the stock provider. Licensing information will be provided upon request.

8.3. Communication & Timelines

The Client is responsible for maintaining timely and clear communication throughout the project. Delays caused by the Client’s failure to respond, provide feedback, or supply required materials may result in revised timelines, suspension of services, or project termination.

Where delays in communication result in additional labour, rescheduling, or administrative work, the Designer reserves the right to apply additional fees in accordance with the scope of work and current rates.

8.4.Proofreading & Accuracy

The Client is solely responsible for reviewing and proofreading all designs, including text, spelling, punctuation, and layout. The Designer shall not be liable for errors resulting from incorrect or incomplete information provided by the Client. Any changes requested after final approval or file delivery will incur additional fees.

8.5. Print Specifications & Final File Delivery

The Client must supply accurate measurements or templates prior to the release of any final print files. the final page count of the fully edited, formatted, and upload-ready manuscript.

Final files will only be provided once the final page count has been confirmed. Any changes to page count, trim size, or specifications after approval may require resizing, reformatting, or redesign and will incur additional fees.

The Designer is not responsible for sourcing printer templates or specifications for the Client’s chosen printer or print-on-demand service.

Any resizes, adjustments, or additional print files requested due to missing, inaccurate, or changed specifications provided by the Client will be treated as additional work and charged accordingly.

8.6.Fonts & Typography

Font licences cannot be transferred. Where specific fonts are required, the Client is responsible for purchasing the appropriate licences.

9.Cancellation & Termination Policy
9.1. Client-Initiated Cancellation

The Client may cancel the agreement in accordance with the Payment Terms outlined in these Terms and Conditions. Any deposits paid are non-refundable.

9.2. Designer-Initiated Cancellation

Tilly Quinn Designs reserves the right to cancel or terminate the agreement, with immediate effect if necessary, where the Client:

  • Remains unresponsive for a period of fourteen (14) consecutive days despite reasonable attempts at contact

  • Fails to make any payment in accordance with the agreed payment schedule

  • Engages in disrespectful, offensive, threatening, or abusive behaviour towards the Designer

  • Fails to comply with any provision of these Terms and Conditions or any other policy, directive, or requirement notified by Tilly Quinn Designs

  • Shares, publishes, or distributes work-in-progress, drafts, or unfinished materials publicly without the Designer’s prior written consent

In such cases, any fees paid for work already completed shall remain payable and non-refundable.

9.3. Effect of Termination

Upon termination of the agreement:

  • All licences granted shall be suspended or terminated

  • Any outstanding balances shall become immediately due

  • The Designer shall have no obligation to continue work or release any files

9.4. Designer Inability to Complete Services

In the event that the Designer is unable to complete the project due to unforeseen circumstances, including illness or events beyond reasonable control:

  • Where no work has been completed, the Client shall receive a full refund of all amounts paid

  • Where work has been partially completed, the Designer will either:

    • Refund the unused portion of fees paid, or

    • Where mutually agreed, complete the remaining work at the next available stage or reschedule the project

9.5. No Waiver of Rights

Termination under this section shall be without prejudice to any other rights or remedies available to either party under these Terms or applicable law.

10. Use of Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Tilly Quinn Designs does not use artificial intelligence (AI) tools, generators, or automated systems in the creation, illustration, or design of book covers, promotional graphics, or related artwork.

If the Designer reasonably suspects that an image provided by the Client is AI-generated, the Designer reserves the right to decline to use the image in the project.

Such refusal shall not constitute a breach of contract.

10.2. Third-Party Mislabelled Content

While the Designer takes reasonable steps to verify the licensing and origin of all assets used, in the event that an image or asset supplied by a third-party platform and labelled as “No AI” is later discovered to be AI-generated due to mislabelling or error by the provider, the Designer will take reasonable steps to rectify the issue, which may include:

  • Replacing the asset where possible

  • Adjusting the design accordingly

The Designer shall not be held liable for misrepresentations made by third-party providers beyond the Designer’s reasonable control.

11. Changes to These Terms & Conditions

Tilly Quinn Designs reserves the right to update, amend, or modify these Terms and Conditions at any time to reflect changes in business practices, legal requirements, or services offered.

Any updates will be effective immediately upon being published on the Designer’s website unless otherwise stated. Clients are encouraged to review the Terms and Conditions regularly.

Where changes materially affect an active project, reasonable efforts will be made to notify the Client. Continued use of the Designer’s services following any changes constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms and Conditions.

12. Acceptance of Terms

By signing a contract for any of our services, submitting payment, purchasing pre-made covers, or otherwise engaging with Tilly Quinn Designs, the Client confirms that they have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by these Terms and Conditions.

Acceptance of these Terms constitutes a legally binding agreement between the Client and Tilly Quinn Designs.

If the Client does not agree with any part of these Terms and Conditions, they must not use the Designer’s services.