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Art licensing is a way of making money wherein, as licensing expert Tara Reed puts it, you “rent” your artwork to companies to put on their products. An artist who chooses to license their art may not sell any originals at all, but simply license the images for use on commercial products.
- Extra Income, Extra Exposure
- Residual Income Builder and Gap Filler
- Licensing 101
- What Companies Want
- Typical Licensing Terms
- How to Begin Licensing Your Art
- Over to You
When I began licensing, it was through the well known site, Art.com. Back 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 print sold and even later, a small percentage on their framing, which they do in-house. It was a great...
What’s great about licensing is that you are able to fill in the gaps when art sales are at a low or in a seasonal slump. This helps immensely when you need to get the bills paid! If you want to do this full-time, then you have to expand your multiple streams of income. Licensing is a continual, residual income builder. Painting by Natasha Wescoat ...
So how does licensing work? What do companies look for? How can you pitch to clients? How do clients find you? First, licensing is a big business. Not only can you offer prints, but you have the potential to create a BRAND. Everything from collectables to home decor to car decals. There are endless possibilities. Companies work with manufacturing c...
Companies are looking for themes that they can use across a range of products, with complementary images. So whether you are a fine artist, illustrator or graphic designer, it’s important that you create your work in sets. I know it may seem unappealing if you are a fine artist to be a little commercial in your efforts, but if you can offer sets of...
1. Royalties
Companies will offer artists anything from 4% to 30% royalties on the price of their products. It depends on the market and type of product. There are different types of royalty rates depending on the product. For example, typical royalty rates for prints and posters are around 10-15% whereas licensed gadget cases or similar can be around 4-7%. You can negotiate these as well, remember! Try to get the most you can for what you’re worth.
2. Contract length
Most licensing deals last from 1 to 3 years and will be renewed or canceled depending on how well the deal is working out for you and them.
3. Ownership of the work
Never ever let the company claim ownership of your art, take your ownership or give them exclusivity. Unless you are creating an exclusive collection for that company that is separate from your other art, do not ever allow a company to force you into a corner. You don’t want them to take your right to license the same art somewhere else. Make sure it’s in the contract that they are not expecting you to only license to them for that particular product. I’ve found many artists don’t realize jus...
1. Do the research
Read books, websites and blogs such as MariaBrophy.com, Theabundantartist.com and ArtsyShark.comon how artists can license their art. There is valuable information on the steps to follow, but more importantly – HOW to negotiate deals and also HOW to PROTECT your rights. Know what the typical licensing rates are for fine art or whatever your craft is and also know what you need to protect. With this basic knowledge, you’ll be ready to negotiate on your own.
2. Know your market
Before you pitch to any companies or brands, you should already know what your goals are and who you are selling to. Are you a cartoonist? An opera songwriter? A fashion designer? A fine artist? A book illustrator? Your genre of work and your market will determine the best people to contact, because you’ll know exactly what products you want to launch or companies you will want to work with. E.g. You shouldn’t pitch to a company that only licenses fantasy art if you are a floral artist or to...
3. Make the pitch
You can create your own opportunities. Make yourself known to companies you want to work with. Research their sites, their brand and then write a thoughtful letter describing your interest and make a brief introduction of yourself. Offer links to your work, as sometimes attachments are marked spam or they won’t open. Show them how THEY can benefit. Not just that you want to work with them. Show how you two fit. Link to the best examples of your work that complement what they already license.
So what do you think about licensing? Do you plan to license your work or produce your own products? About the author: Natasha Wescoat has been a full-time artist since 2004, living and working in Michigan with her two children and extended family. Her art is seen in publications and licensed products across the US and at WescoatFineArt.com
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Mar 20, 2023 · Art licensing provides a new source of income and exposure for the artist’s work, as well as potentially expanding their audience. For the buyer, it can add value and appeal to their products, as well as provide them with unique and attractive designs that they may not have otherwise had access to.
Sep 27, 2021 · What is licensing your artwork? When you license your artwork, you are giving another entity—either an individual entrepreneur or a business owner—the right to reproduce your artwork for sale. You retain the copyright, and the person who licensed the art can only use it in the way you both agreed.
Apr 7, 2020 · Art Licensing 101: A Beginners Guide to Submissions, Agreements, Pricing & Agents — Goodtype. An introduction to the world of art licensing: “renting” your art for use on products. Click the banner below to register for our FREE art licensing training!
Feb 20, 2024 · Art licensing takes your original work and allows for partnerships with retailers, companies, and other buyers that are interested in using your design on their products. And while it’s one thing to track down the companies that would be likely to license your art, the next step is to make contact.
Licencing your artwork means that you are permitting someone (an individual, company, or organisation) to use your work commercially. Some artists cringe at the idea of ‘commercial work’. The commercial world of art doesn’t need to be scary. A licence provides you control over how your work is seen and used.
