The guides are practical texts for anyone who works with art: how to document an artwork, what to review before signing with a gallery, when an artwork ceases to be protected. They differ from the articles in the Public Notebook in their function. The Notebook analyses and interprets; the guides explain how to do something and which rules, data or documents each step relies on. That is why they are updated when what underpins them changes, and each one shows the date it was last checked.
Verified means that on that date I checked every fact, rule and link against its primary source. Reviewed means that I re-read and updated the text without repeating that full check. When only Updated appears, the date corresponds to the last edit.
The guides offer general information. They do not constitute individualised legal, tax or professional advice: for a specific case, consult a qualified professional.
Total: 145
Featured resource
Master artwork record
An open-format template for keeping a consistent inventory of your work from the studio onwards. The ODS workbook brings together four sheets: master record, restricted data, gallery deposit and key. It includes validations, filters, frozen headers and an example row.
The gallery deposit sheet fills in the title automatically from the inventory number. It is a record of the works delivered, not a contract. Terms of custody, insurance, sale, commission and return must be agreed separately.
The restricted data sheet contains personal, financial and location information. It must not be published, nor shared together with the general record.
The ODS is the main resource. The CSV files let you import the master record, the restricted data and the gallery deposit record separately.
The guides are currently searched and indexed in Spanish.
95 guides
How to photograph your work for a dossier and catalogue: documentation and presentation
How to document and present a work through photography: usage matrix, lighting, colour, sculpture, installation and technological work, condition, file naming, rights, and delivery.
Verified on 17 October 2026
- documentation
- dossier
- photography
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How to price an artwork
Criterios para fijar el precio de una obra: qué vendes, coste real, suelo por canal, escala coherente, ediciones cerradas, descuentos e impuestos.
Verified on 12 October 2026
- art market
- cultural work
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How to ship or transport a work
What to check when moving a work within Spain, to another European Union country or outside it: cultural permits, customs, ATA carnet, insurance and packing.
Verified on 10 October 2026
- conservation
- export
- loans
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What to do if a work is damaged
What to do after a fall, a knock, a leak, a fire or any accident that damages a work: safety, documentation, conservation and insurance.
Verified on 10 October 2026
- conservation
- documentation
- insurance
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Portraying people: consent and the right to one’s own image
If a work depicts a recognisable person, the authorship of the work coexists with that person’s right to their own image. What consent to ask for and what precautions to take with minors.
Reviewed on 10 October 2026
- rights
- photography
- portrait
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How to write an understandable label
What information a label must include, in what order, and how to write and design a short text that can be understood in front of the work.
Reviewed on 10 October 2026
- accessibility
- curation
- writing
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How to request a licence and a quote from VEGAP
If the author of a work is in VEGAP’s repertoire, that is where you ask for permission to reproduce it. What information to prepare, how to read the quote and what to do if there is no agreement.
Reviewed on 1 October 2026
- copyright
- cultural policy
- cultural work
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An image licence does not always cover the work depicted
Paying a stock image library for a photograph does not always authorise you to use what appears in it. The layers of rights in an image and what to check before publishing.
Reviewed on 1 October 2026
- copyright
- digital infrastructure
- art market
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Artist name, domain and trade mark
The name you sign with, the domain of your website and a registered trade mark are three different instruments. What each one protects and when it may make sense to register it.
Verified on 1 October 2026
- copyright
- digital infrastructure
- art market
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Commissioning an artwork
Commissioning an artwork, or accepting a commission, works best with a written agreement. What it should say about the work, deadlines, price, changes and rights.
Verified on 1 October 2026
- art collecting
- copyright
- artwork documentation
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Corrections and contributions
If you find an error, outdated information or a better source, please write to me via the contact page. I correct confirmed errors and update the date of the affected guide.