Trying to figure out where the legalities stand before working on a contract for Dragon Art.

From Chapter 3/7 of License Your Invention

Copyright and Independent Contractors

If you are an independent contractor , the person hiring you will own the work only if your work belongs in one of the following categories listed in the copyright act:

1. a contribution to a collective work.
2. the list goes on…

It is not nearly that cut and dry. I am not hiring Mona in the strictest sense of exchanging money for goods. So it is important that we put in writing how I am going to compensate her. Also, the I am not sure if what she is doing would count as a “contribution to a collective work.” That phrase may be referring to a single contribution among many, whereas Mona will be doing more like 1/3 to 1/2 of the art.