| Licensing art can sound like American Idol(TM) for art. | | | | and marketing side), etc. |
| Put your art on stage and become an overnight | | | | 2. Start to think about your art like an artist who |
| sensation! A road to riches, paved with glitz, glamour | | | | licenses. Thinking like an artist who licenses their art is |
| and lots of cash. When people first hear about | | | | a shift for many people. Unlike creating art to sell in a |
| licensing, they often hear about the rock stars of | | | | gallery or commission work, you need groups, or |
| licensing. The people making millions that have | | | | collections, of art to license, not just single images. |
| become household names. Names like Thomas | | | | Think about products you see in stores with art on |
| Kinkade, Mary Engelbreit, Debbie Mumm, Paul Brent, | | | | them then consider the pieces a manufacturer needs |
| Susan Winget and the like. | | | | to make it. Take paper party goods for example. |
| This is often what you hear, "So-and-so's art is on | | | | The plate might have a central image and a |
| thousands of products each year, selling millions of | | | | coordinating border around the edge. The napkins |
| dollars in retail stores and the artist gets a | | | | have a repeat pattern. The cups have a solid color |
| percentage." Well yippee! Who wouldn't want to do | | | | and bordered edge. Then you might see a few |
| that? | | | | images used for invitations and decorations. So what |
| But how did those artists get there? There is a lot of | | | | does the artist provide to the manufacturer to |
| work, dedication and persistence that gets you from | | | | achieve this party collection? What themes do you |
| learning about the industry to becoming a rock star | | | | see over and over? |
| of licensing. | | | | 3. Make a plan and create at least a dozen collections |
| Here are three things I recommend artists just | | | | to get started. Even if you want an agent, you need |
| learning about licensing do, to decide if licensing their | | | | to show that you aren't a one-hit-wonder and that |
| art will be a good fit for their art, their lifestyle and | | | | you can produce art for licensing again and again. |
| their goals. | | | | Quality, quantity and speed are three keys to |
| | | | success in licensing. Another reason to create a |
| 1. Make sure you like the way the day-to-day job will | | | | dozen collections is that during this creation process, |
| be. Don't just throw on your rose colored glasses and | | | | you will discover if you actually like thinking and |
| create. Seeing the end goal is good but if you are | | | | creating like a licensed artist. It isn't for everyone and |
| unhappy with the way to get from zero to millions | | | | I believe that there are so many things you can do |
| (or even thousands) you probably won't get there. | | | | with art, why not pick something you love and are |
| Like any business, there are steps to take, things to | | | | passionate about? |
| do on a daily, monthly and yearly basis to move you | | | | When you have your dozen or so collections, start |
| towards your goal. Things like creating art collections, | | | | looking for an agent or showing your art to |
| figuring out what manufacturers license art, | | | | manufacturers. See what they say, listen and adapt. |
| contacting them (or finding an agent to do your sales | | | | |