These terms govern all creative services provided by Neal Strydom, trading as Neal Strydom Studios (“the Designer”), to any client (“the Client”). Commencement of a project constitutes full acceptance of these terms. No work will begin without a signed Creative Brief, an approved Quote and receipt of the onboarding fee.

Special offers, such as the Studio Launch Offer, may have their own terms. Those terms apply in addition to these, and where the two differ, the offer's terms apply to that offer.

The Designer is engaged as an independent freelancer and not as an employee of the Client. Project timelines will be agreed in the Creative Brief and are subject to the Designer’s schedule at the time of engagement.

Working hours

The Designer works flexible hours, which will be discussed and confirmed with the Client before the project starts.

Creative authority

The Designer is engaged on the basis of their professional skills, experience and creative judgement. By entering into this agreement, the Client acknowledges that they are hiring a skilled creative professional and trusts the Designer to deliver work of a high standard that meets the agreed Creative Brief. While the Client’s input and direction are welcome throughout the process, final creative and design decisions rest with the Designer, particularly where Client feedback would take the project outside the agreed brief, brand guidelines or established style direction. The Designer will always communicate openly where such a conflict arises and work with the Client to find an appropriate resolution. Where a request is a substantive change to the agreed creative direction, it will be treated as a scope amendment and handled under the revisions and amendments policy in Section 5.

The Designer can be contacted by email at neal@nealstrydom.com or on WhatsApp at 076 469 2783. Responses will be provided as soon as possible.

Written communication

All communication about active projects that includes actionable items, including but not limited to feedback, change requests, approvals and project instructions, must be submitted in writing. Email is the preferred channel; direct messaging is an acceptable alternative. Verbal instructions given outside of a written record will not be acted on until the Client confirms them in writing.

Rates

All projects are quoted and billed on a project basis, as a fixed fee based on the agreed Creative Brief. All services, including graphic design, motion design, and video and podcast editing, fall under a single billing rate. Hourly, daily and monthly rates are available on request. All fees are quoted and invoiced in South African rand (ZAR).

Onboarding fee and final payment

The Designer and the Client both agree and acknowledge the total fee payable for the services set out in the attached invoice. Unless otherwise agreed in writing, a non-refundable upfront payment of 50% (fifty percent) of the total agreed fee is to be made by the Client before the project starts. This payment books the Designer’s time and covers pre-production costs, the initial scope of work and all costs associated with onboarding. The Designer reserves the right to withhold services until this payment has been received and proof of payment provided. The remaining 50% (fifty percent) is due on completion of the project. Final deliverables will only be transferred to the Client once this payment has been received in full.

Invoice responsibility

All invoices are the sole responsibility of the party engaging the Designer directly. Where the Designer is contracted through a third party, the contracting party, not their client, is liable for all outstanding fees.

Late payment

Invoices not settled within 30 days of issue will attract a flat late payment fee of 10% of the outstanding invoice amount. This fee applies for each recurring 30-day period until the balance is cleared in full.

Payment methods

Accepted payment methods will be confirmed by email before the project starts and recorded in writing.

Each project includes two (2) rounds of revisions. A revision round is a consolidated set of written feedback submitted in a single communication.

Additional revisions

Any revisions beyond the included rounds will be billed at a fixed rate of R1,000 per change, unless another rate has been agreed in writing.

Style and subjective feedback

Feedback relating to stylistic preference, aesthetic taste or minor subjective interpretation is at the sole discretion of the Designer and will not automatically be actioned. If the Designer determines that such feedback falls outside the agreed Creative Brief, it will be noted but not applied without a formal scope amendment.

Reverts

Requesting a revert to a previous design version will not be billed. However, the original change that was requested and carried out remains billable, and the Client remains liable for that cost.

Feedback deadline

All feedback must be submitted within five (5) business days of artwork delivery. If no feedback is received within this period, the Designer will consider the work approved and proceed accordingly. No claims may be raised against work deemed approved under this clause.

Sign-off

All changes and approvals will be recorded and confirmed in writing by both parties.

On receipt of full payment, the Client is granted full transferable rights and a full commercial licence to all approved final artwork produced for the project.

Source files and working or open files remain the property of the Designer and are not transferred as part of the standard project fee. Source files may be purchased at an additional cost equal to 250% of the total project fee.

The Designer retains the right to photograph, capture or reproduce all completed work for use in their portfolio, exhibitions and promotional materials, unless the Client has submitted a written confidentiality request before the project starts.

Where third-party stock elements are used in a project, they are subject to the licences of those assets. The Designer will disclose any such use, and the Client accepts responsibility for complying with those licence terms.

The Client must notify the Designer in writing before the project starts if any materials or deliverables are to be treated as confidential. On such notification, the Designer agrees not to publish, distribute or display any of the work until the release date the Client specifies.

Any assets the Client supplies (logos, images, copy and so on) are provided at the Client’s own risk. The Designer accepts no liability for distortion, discolouration or loss of quality caused by assets that do not meet standard print or digital specifications. It is the Client’s responsibility to supply assets in the correct format and resolution.

By submitting assets for use in a project, the Client confirms that they hold the right to provide those materials and accepts full responsibility for any claims, disputes or legal consequences arising from their use. The Designer will not be held liable for any issues resulting from assets supplied by or on behalf of the Client.

All deliverables are produced for a specific purpose, and the way a file looks can vary significantly depending on where and how it is used. It is the Client’s responsibility to confirm the intended end use of all files before the project starts, whether that is print, digital display, video, social media or any other medium. The Designer cannot be held responsible for results that differ from expectations when a file is used in a way that was not agreed at the outset.

Print

Unless print-ready files have been specifically requested and agreed in the Creative Brief, all artwork is delivered for digital use. Artwork produced for screens is not automatically suitable for print. Colours, contrast and fine detail can look noticeably different on paper compared to a monitor. If the Client needs files prepared for print, this must be confirmed before the project begins. The Designer accepts no responsibility for any difference between the design as viewed on screen and the final printed result where print preparation was not part of the agreed scope.

Digital screens and social media

Artwork delivered for digital use is optimised for screen display. Different platforms and devices may show colours and image quality slightly differently, and social media platforms in particular may compress or process files in ways that affect how they look once uploaded. The Designer cannot be held responsible for any change to image quality or colour caused by how a third-party platform handles the file after delivery.

Video and motion deliverables

Video and animated files are exported to the specifications confirmed in the Creative Brief. If a video deliverable is converted, re-exported or processed by the Client or a third party after delivery, in a way that was not part of the agreed scope, the Designer accepts no responsibility for any resulting change in colour, contrast or overall appearance.

Changes to intended use

If the intended output format changes after the project has started, the Client must notify the Designer in writing as soon as possible. Any additional work needed to reformat or re-export deliverables for the new requirements will be scoped and billed accordingly.

Where a project needs specialist services (for example web development, photography or illustration), the Designer may engage third-party contractors. Full reproduction rights for the Client will be included in any such arrangement. Any additional costs arising from third-party involvement will be communicated to and approved by the Client before proceeding. No project will start on the assumption that third parties will be required.

If Client communication (by email, telephone or in person) stops for 30 consecutive days after the project has started, the Designer reserves the right to cancel the project in writing. In that event, all intellectual property rights revert to the Designer, and a cancellation fee will be charged based on the stage of completion, not exceeding 100% of the total project fee.

The Designer also reserves the right to end a contract at any time at their discretion. No refunds will be issued once a project has been signed off and delivered.

The Client agrees to indemnify and hold the Designer harmless from any claims, losses, damages or legal costs arising from the use of work supplied by or on behalf of the Client.

These terms are governed by the laws of the Republic of South Africa. Any disputes arising from this agreement shall be subject to the jurisdiction of the South African courts.

Commencement of any project constitutes full acceptance of these Terms of Service.

Last updated: November 2026