5 Steps to Successful Art Licensing

...From a writer, artist and licensing agent

I’ve been licensing my artwork since way back in the previous century and have seen the business grow up and get a life. I do have hundreds of designs under license and with my husband Jim, we run Two Town Studios, an art licensing agency. Here are a few (kind of blunt) tips to help you understand what this is really all about.

1)After you develop a portfolio of your work, show it to as many art licensing agents, gift and stationery retailers and gift and stationery manufacturers who will see you. Tell them you want 10 minutes of their time and ask if they will have a look at your work and give you an opinion. Here’s the deal---most of these people have seen thousands of images and product ideas come and go and they have very strong opinions of what will work and what will not. Expect that they will be direct with their comments and do not take it personally. Be quiet and LISTEN to what they say and do not argue with them. Thank them (profusely) and then go have coffee with your friends and bitch about how wrong they all are. BUT, if you hear the same things over and over (“gee, I’m not sure that style is saleable” or “I’m scared” or “Hmmm…yeah…not for us”), go back to the studio and refine your offering. Or, you know…rethink the whole idea.

2)Have something to say. Not the exact same thing as someone else, but say it in your own way. Most of the images that are licensable have a point of connection with another person. “I’m thinking of you”, “Let’s celebrate”, “Awwww…”, “you mean so much to me” or “screw this, let’s party!”. Be original but stay within the parameters of what is already on the market. This industry sometimes moves at glacial speed, but it does need refreshing new ideas.

3)Be patient. A career is built one contract at a time. A greeting card. A puzzle. A set of coffee mugs. 4 more greeting cards. A single fabric design. A fabric collection. A 72 sku Most Amazing Gift Collection Ever! You get the idea…so yeah, another source of income is a pretty good idea in the beginning.

4)Be nice. Extra nice. Most manufacturers I have worked with are working really hard to put out new, innovative products with tight schedules and even tighter margins. Whiners, complainers and prima donnas are not often invited back to the party. And those parties can be really fun!

5)I’ll cram a whole bunch into this one. Keep working. Try new stuff. Adapt to the comments you are hearing. Spell the word “stationery” correctly. And whatever you do, refrain from using the words: Live Laugh Love on anything. Ever.