Some of the companies she negotiated with seemed surprised when she asked for additional rights, leading her to believe many artists can be naïve. "The conversation that plays out in my head is generally not what I end up hearing from the decision-maker on the other end." "Especially if they seem quite interested in your style, and you've got a collection to offer them." She said she's learned not to assume anything. "Why not engage them in at least a dialogue about the potential of a licensing deal?" Smith propposed. Some companies won't give you the time of day, but others might. That doesn't mean you can't propose a licensing arrangement. Many companies that license art have a standard policy of paying per piece. ![]() ![]() You can therefore consider licensing to companies in other countries.Ĥ. There are no geographic boundaries to licensing. When she lived in Florida for her husband's job, licensing her artwork was no problem. It's an industry that rewards professionalism and work that sells well so any artist can find their niche and make a wonderful stream of income from art licensing."ģ. George has explained on her site: "Licensing is not an industry where only the most elite, most skilled artists can succeed. When I'm out shopping and see things I like, I pick them up and write down the manufacturer. "But when you start paying attention, you realize art is on everything. "People think: 'Greeting cards, wall art,'" Smith pointed out. A vast number of products feature artwork. Reasons to consider licensing your artworkġ. As a young entrepreneur, one of the first lessons I personally learned was that in order to eat regularly, I had to to focus on creating something people want, and to offer it quickly. When you focus on licensing, you minimize the risk of getting stuck with a lot of inventory that doesn't sell - a huge benefit. She hadn't drawn for 15 years before she began working on her artwork in 2014 at night after her children went to bed, she told me.īut a chance encounter at a printmaking workshop resulted in a deal being offered to her (Full disclosure: My team helped negotiate the deal.) Last month, another of my students, Maria Yiannikkou, signed a licensing agreement for five of her block-printed textile designs. "Instead of thinking, 'How will I sell this in shops or boutiques?' Think: 'How can I license this to a company that will manufacture and then sell it?'" "Sculptors, potters, seamstresses - makers of all sorts can take their creative passion or products and look for companies that can use them in a licensing capacity," Smith said. In total, about 425 of her artistic pieces have since been licensed and are featured on a variety of products in the market, including charms for keychains. In the fall of 2016, after she'd submitted about two dozen pieces, a deal came together quickly, she told me. She hired freelancers to format the artwork for digital submission. ![]() She began designing a new phase of artwork based on her responses from various companies she'd pitched and on her gut instinct about the perfect fit. The move worked: Smith was inspired to create works for that company specifically. Taking advantage of the fact that her art features inspirational quotes, she connected with a product supplier selling to Fortune 500 companies that want to reward and encourage their employees. ![]() It wasn't until Smith began creating artwork with a specific licensee in mind that she struck gold. Why it's important to invent for the marketplace Unfortunately, nothing came of either effort. "Making this art was fulfilling a long-lost passion, so I kept on making more." She began pitching her artwork to companies she found on art licensing forums and attempted to connect with a licensing agent. "I took it as "qualifying the market,'" she told me. Negotiations fell through, but Smith was encouraged by the validation.
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