How to Get an Art Selling License in New York

Painting past Natasha Wescoat licensed to Murals Your Way

When I began every bit an artist, I was really enjoying the experience of selling my piece of work directly to people. It was then much more exciting than hanging it on a wall in a gallery.

I had more than command over my work, when it was bachelor and where I could place it for auction. There was no middle man involved and I preferred information technology that way.

Merely something was missing.

I wanted to detect other avenues of making money from my work, but I wasn't sure how. I saw artists launching clothing lines, doing volume signings and licensing their fine art on collectables with well known brands.

I wondered how they were doing that. Did the company find them? Or did the approach come from the artist? It appeared a daunting and impossible achievement.

"Those artists must be veterans past at present," I figured. "They have thousands of fans and their art has to be in galleries everywhere."

I had no thought how licensing worked or what was expected. Interestingly enough, it was simpler than it appeared to be, thought not without some piece of work.

Actress income, extra exposure

When I began licensing, it was through the well known site, Art.com. Dorsum in 2005, I used their Print-on-Demand program for artists, which means they print orders as they are taken. They offered a decent typical market royalty to artists for every impress sold and even later, a minor percentage on their framing, which they exercise in-house. It was a slap-up choice, because I didn't have the equipment or funds to offer prints directly from my studio.

I then discovered other Print on Demand sites like Imagekind.com and FineArtAmerica.com. It would turn out to be a great option for extra income also as exposure to future collectors. For a time, because of Art.com'southward plan, I was exposed to a broader audience than I could've encountered through my site alone. This was invaluable to my business and helped me grow equally an artist and a business person. I even acquired several custom commissions from clients who wanted something 'larger' than what the impress sites were offering.

This was ironically a cracking way to also larn new licensee clients. They found my art through sites similar Art.com and emailed me to ask how they could put my work on their products. Considering of sites like Art.com and Imagekind.com, I accept signed on with product companies that now feature my work in stores similar Bed Bath & Beyond, Target and art shops across the US.

It was wild when just i twenty-four hour period, opening upwardly my email to detect requests on a regular basis. I congenital a larger post-obit and presently had regular paychecks coming in the mail!

Residual income builder and gap filler

What's great about licensing is that you are able to make full in the gaps when art sales are at a low or in a seasonal slump. This helps immensely when yous need to go the bills paid! If you lot desire to do this full-time, then you have to aggrandize your multiple streams of income. Licensing is a continual, residual income architect.

Painting by Natasha Wescoat licensed to Olivia Olive Oil Visitor

Licensing 101

And then how does licensing piece of work? What do companies look for? How tin can you lot pitch to clients? How practice clients find y'all?

Get-go, licensing is a large business. Non merely tin you offering prints, but you have the potential to create a Brand. Everything from collectables to home decor to machine decals. There are endless possibilities.

Companies work with manufacturing companies that deal with artists and designers to create products. Yous accept to know how it works in club to not only expand your art brand, but to protect information technology likewise.

It'southward worth registering the copyright of your work whenever you come up up with a new design or drove. Hither in the U.s., equally in many countries, copyright is automatically granted to you as presently as you create a piece of art, but registering the copyright means that your ownership is a matter of public record, and makes information technology easier to defend your rights. For instance, if you want to bring a lawsuit for copyright infringement, you will need to register your copyright. (More information at the United states of america Copyright Office FAQ.)

I call back ane mean solar day, while on vacation in Florida, I spotted an artist friend'due south signature fairies on a t-shirt in Hot Topic. I and then contacted her to find out it was a copycat ripping off her work! Because she had her work protected nether law, she was able to take that copycat'southward products downwards. You have to protect your work and make sure it's copyrighted with the Copyright office, non only to merits what's yours just to protect it in the future.

What companies want

Companies are looking for themes that they can use beyond a range of products, with complementary images.

Then whether you lot are a fine artist, illustrator or graphic designer, information technology'due south of import that y'all create your piece of work in sets. I know it may seem unappealing if y'all are a fine creative person to be a little commercial in your efforts, but if you tin can offer sets of 4, 5 or 10 in a collection of themes, they are able to make more than products or sets with information technology.

Another attractive thing to offer is patterns. If y'all are a designer or can work in blueprint, you could make patterns and designs that would work great to complement your original fine art images, or to license to textile companies.

Typical licensing terms

i. Royalties

Companies volition offer artists annihilation from four% to 30% royalties on the price of their products. It depends on the market and type of product. In that location are dissimilar types of royalty rates depending on the product. For example, typical royalty rates for prints and posters are around 10-fifteen% whereas licensed gadget cases or similar can exist around four-7%. Y'all can negotiate these as well, call up! Endeavour to get the nigh you can for what y'all're worth.

2. Contract length

Near licensing deals final from 1 to three years and will be renewed or canceled depending on how well the deal is working out for yous and them.

3. Ownership of the work

Never ever let the visitor merits ownership of your art, take your ownership or give them exclusivity.

Unless you lot are creating an exclusive collection for that company that is separate from your other art, do not ever allow a company to force y'all into a corner. You don't want them to take your right to license the aforementioned art somewhere else. Brand sure it's in the contract that they are non expecting you lot to but license to them for that item product.

I've found many artists don't realize just how much command they accept over their own work, when information technology comes to art licensing. You lot not just have the ability to create opportunities but y'all can brand the deals happen.

Y'all don't need an amanuensis. You don't need a manager. You simply need to learn how to license your piece of work, and arrive happen for yourself.

How to begin licensing your fine art

ane. Do the enquiry

Read books, websites and blogs such every bit MariaBrophy.com, Theabundantartist.com and ArtsyShark.com on how artists tin license their art. There is valuable information on the steps to follow, but more importantly – HOW to negotiate deals and besides HOW to PROTECT your rights.

Know what the typical licensing rates are for fine fine art or whatever your craft is and also know what you need to protect. With this basic cognition, you lot'll be ready to negotiate on your own.

2. Know your market

Before y'all pitch to any companies or brands, you should already know what your goals are and who you are selling to.

Are you lot a cartoonist? An opera songwriter? A fashion designer? A fine creative person? A book illustrator? Your genre of work and your market will determine the best people to contact, because yous'll know exactly what products y'all want to launch or companies you will want to work with. E.one thousand. You shouldn't pitch to a company that only licenses fantasy art if you are a floral creative person or to a children's volume art visitor if you are a fine artist painting landscapes.

Also – encounter what other artists in your genre are doing. How are they creating licensing deals? Did they apply a certain site or practise certain things that led to that? Who do they work with? Have note of these things.

iii. Make the pitch

You tin create your own opportunities. Make yourself known to companies y'all want to work with. Research their sites, their brand and so write a thoughtful letter of the alphabet describing your interest and make a cursory introduction of yourself.

Offer links to your piece of work, as sometimes attachments are marked spam or they won't open. Bear witness them how THEY can benefit. Non simply that yous want to piece of work with them. Testify how you ii fit. Link to the best examples of your work that complement what they already license.

4. Create a program

You should make information technology a regular plan to pitch to companies either monthly or every few months. Create a listing of companies you've contacted and ones you want to contact.

5. Mock-upwards a catalog

If you have the skills, create a portfolio of products that your art would be slap-up on. If y'all want to do toys, create some with your piece of work. If you want to sell yourself as a voiceover, create pretend commercials or jingles that you lot'd exercise.

The idea is to help them envision your work already on their products. This can take a few months to create and put together, only information technology'south an important part of your 'sell'.

Most people keep these offline or available as a downloadable file, or you can make this a public portfolio on your site – even better!

half dozen. Follow up

Requite it ii weeks to a calendar month before y'all contact over again, asking if they have gone over your e-mail. This is proficient to show that you are serious about your proposal and also to remind them, considering they might be too busy to keep up.

7. Utilize social media

If you really want to make a business opportunity happen, connect to the people who can make information technology happen – and social media is a keen mode to do this. Right from the start of my carreer, I've constitute information technology of import to actually connect with people and be a genuine source of friendship and value.

Follow them on Twitter. Talk to them on Facebook. I've constitute huge opportunities because of MySpace and eBay, two places yous'd NEVER wait to make a connection. People are people. We are all normal. We are all using the internet these days, and not just for business.

Connect on a personal level and befriend others! Don't await that your opportunity to happen overnight. Y'all have to provide them with something of value likewise. It'due south a give and accept space.

8. License the piece of work yourself

There are lots of websites that will assist you lot explore and develop your offerings, such every bit Imagekind.com, Artistrising.com, Zazzle.com, Glossi.com, iStockphoto.com and Blurb.com.

Some of my friends who are now famous authors got publishing deals Considering of their success in cocky-publishing. Some other very famous example is Justin Bieber, whose fame began on YouTube when he was just a little boy performing on instruments and singing! The potential options are Countless!

If you desire to license your piece of work, search the web for your particular craft. At that place is bound to be a site and software available for you to start making the product happen today.

Over to yous

And then what do you retrieve virtually licensing?

Do you lot plan to license your work or produce your own products?

Almost the author: Natasha Wescoat has been a full-time artist since 2004, living and working in Michigan with her two children and extended family unit. Her fine art is seen in publications and licensed products across the US and at WescoatFineArt.com

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Source: https://lateralaction.com/articles/art-licensing/

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