1. MAKE THE DECISION to create an art licensing business
In order to earn money from creating your own artwork you must first make the decision to create a successful business and put in the hard work.
You need to act on your inspiration, put it into usable form and then find a way to bring it to market.
Dedicated licensed artists work more than 12 hours a day.
Hard work means:
- Wake up with the intention of working hard by focusing only on your art.
- Have your supplies set up for the day.
- Know what you are going to work on the day before.
- Put in a full day of creating.
- Being proactive.
- Creating high quality designs.
Creating a successful business means:
- Knowing exactly how you will make money consistently with your art.
- Know how to streamline your process.
- Learn how to organize your art production.
- Know exactly who you will be making your art for.
- Connecting with the buyers and agents who will work with you or represent your work.
2. KNOW HOW you will run your business
- Have a focused schedule on what you are creating and for whom.
- Find 5 manufacturers or licensing partners excited to work with you and licensing your art.
- Consistently create art at a prolific level.
- Consistently send art to your manufacturers or licensing partners for review.
- Make your time in the studio count.
- Know that your art must be attractive on products to sell them.
- Have an online art website for your buyer to see your newest work.
Focus:
- Do only one thing at a time.
- Know why you are doing it.
- Be purposeful in your task.
- Be mindful of the need for your art to be out in the world.
- Be positive. Your art needs to be out in the world.
Finding your partners:
- First discover what market channel you want your art to sell into.
- Then find out what licensees sell similar products into that same channel.
- Get in front of the art director or creative director at that company.
- Research manufacturers in your local stores by looking at labels and then send them an email.
- Find out what their art needs are. They need art! All the time!
- Send a small jpg sampling email of your art so they can see your style.
- Be professional. Be upbeat. Be helpful to them by being very acomodating.
- Once you have some contacts, keep in touch with them to let them know you are accountable.
- Follow art submission instructions.
3. MAKE ART:
- You need to think in 'product format'.
- Look for insight into how your art will stand out from others.
- Be aware of the resolution, format, size, shape you want your final art to be.
- Know the themes that you want to work on.
- Make sets of themed art. 2 or 4 possibly.
- Experiment during your art-making. Be new with your ideas.
- Create digitally or with your paintbrush. Anything is possible.
- Know your color wheel.
- Make compelling compositions.
- Know if your art needs to allow space for type above your work. [greeting cards]
- Keep your art files on a separate hard drive, back-up system.
Be prolific:
- Make great beautiful art that sells on products.
- Start a new piece of art every day.
- Be true to your style.
- Create sets of art for best selling ability.
- Make your art stand out by being unique.
- Become your art buyer's first go to artist for your art subject.
- Make a LOT of art. That's the key.
- Make art that you can send once a week to your customer to review.
Send art:
- Send your lo res art sets out to your buyers to review several times per month.
- Mock up your art to show its use in the marketplace. ie: dinnerware, textiles, fashion.
- Be in the flow by staying market current with what you send out.
- Keep your email short and simple with your art attached.
- Art expires. Trends move on. Send new ideas always. Refresh your portfolio regularly.
~ Karen
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