Simple Guide: Licensing your Artwork

Licensing art feels like the hottest topic of the art world these days (or am I just really deep in it?) If you’re super excited about starting your art licensing journey, I’m gonna walk you through the steps you need to take in order to begin licensing your work! Let’s get started…

BTW - if you’re serious about licensing your work, I take you through the exact process in my digital workbook “Learn to License Art.” I HIGHLY recommend grabbing that and getting started on your licensing journey!!

Build a portfolio

The first thing you need to do is start drawing, painting, or whatever artsy thing you do! Compile a portfolio of your best work that showcases your style and range as an artist. I’ve created my portfolio online so that it’s easy to send potential licensing partners a link. Inside your portfolio, you should have it divided into sections based on the theme of the work (ie. florals, Christmas, etc.)

Research the market & decide what you’re passionate about

Now is when you need to figure out what type of licensed artist you want to be. So, what type of artist are you?? Decide if you want to be known for your style and create work from that (ie. all art revolves around you being an activist for women) OR you want to simply create themes of work (ie. you make more generic work that fits in popular categories that are in high demand like Christmas and Valentine’s Day.) Once you decide what makes the most sense for you, determine the type of art that is in high demand in your target market and tailor your portfolio and approach to potential licensing partners.

Identify potential partners

Now for the hard part. The problem I see with everyone teaching art licensing is that they spend all their time telling you how to build a portfolio, but never how to get someone to actually LICENSE your work. Why? Because that’s the hard part!! But they won’t tell you that…and I’m pretty sure they won’t give you their contacts either LOL - that’s why a lot of promises from online courses make me laugh;)

What you actually have to do is research companies that align with your style and aesthetic, who you think might hopefully be interested in licensing your artwork, and reach out to them. This could be product manufacturers, advertising agencies, and other commercial entities, but truly there isn’t a shortcut, and a lot of times it’s just you getting lucky. In all honestly, that’s why there aren’t a lot of artists licensing their art - it’s hard to find the right people, harder to get ahold of them, and hardest to get them to take a chance on you. Just keepin it real, guys!

Pitch your artwork

Hopefully, you didn’t give up yet. I don’t want to dissuade you, just make you aware of the reality that some people won’t say if they’re out to make money on teaching you. Once you reach out to potential licensing partners (or a licensing agent) and present your portfolio and a proposal, make sure you tell them how you can provide value to their business through your artwork. Be prepared to negotiate terms such as royalty rates and usage rights.

Create a contract

Once you have secured a licensing agreement, it's important to put the terms in writing. A contract should clearly outline the usage rights, royalty rates, and other key details of the agreement. It sounds confusing but usage rights don’t have to be that difficult. Most likely, you’ll get a straight percentage of sales OR a base fee for creating the work and then a percentage of sales after the base fee is recoupedl (aka royalty with advance up front.) Stay away from flat fees, which is what most companies want to pay (a one-time fee and no royalties.)

Protect your work

I haven’t done this but it would be smart to secure the appropriate copyright and trademark protection for your artwork. This will help ensure that you receive proper compensation for the use of your work if someone else decides to steal your ideas.

Promote your licensed work

If all goes well, celebrate by promoting your licensed work on social media!! Use your personal and professional networks in order to increase exposure and help build your reputation as a licensed artist. And then get more jobs!

Remember, the key to successful art licensing is to build a strong portfolio, research the market, and actively seek out potential partners. It can take a while to find the connections you want, but those of us that don’t give up will win! With persistence and determination, you can turn your artwork into a profitable stream of income, yay!

ALSO: if you’re looking to license my artwork, feel free to check out my licensing page HERE!