Ever wondered how and why a manufacturer will opt to use an artist’s design for their products? Selling more stock and getting the company results in a campaign, of course. But what makes a manufacturer want your art? Your art solves one of three issues for them:
No in-house design team: They may have a great product but not the in-house design team to create excellent designs Independent artists produce more free and innovative work than in-house hourly paid designers who are often told what to create.
Niche: They need help reaching a niche market they cannot do themselves
Get the vibe: They want to create a buzz about their products which can’t be replicated.
Here are some questions that artists regularly ask me when discussing licensing their art:
Do you have to be well known to license your work?
No. Many “unknown’ artists do very well with licensed art because their works sell products. Being famous can help you get in the door, but it isn’t a requirement. This is when you need a good agent to help you get your art to the right manufacturers.
Do you need to be a genius at knowing breaking trends or be incredibly talented?
No,
a) it helps to create art the general public will love and
b) you have to be able to create art that solves a visual problem for companies.
Many different types of artists license successfully. They can be famous, using their reputation to sell products; prolific illustration, graphic or textile artists; super niche artists; artists that create according to trend and artists that make art that sells.
How do you know if your art sells more products?
Here’s a list of criteria that if you can match three to, then your work may be perfect for licensing. For example, ArtSHINE licensing artist Gabby Malpas meets #2 #5 #8 #9:
- Appeals to most
- Would print well on many different types of products
- Is current, on trend or is seasonally based
- Has a huge fan base or following already
- Has a unique, distinct, recognised style
- Appeals to a demographic that is hard to reach or that is an extremely viable buyer base (such as boys aged 11-15, affluent gay men, ageing baby boomers)
- Make people laugh or cry
- You create large quantities of work
- Your art solves a design problem for a company’s products or campaigns
- Appeals to a niche market
One must-have is a back catalogue of work. You can’t go into licensing with just 12 images but at least a few dozen images, and preferably more, for a company to choose from.
How to license your art
There are many ways to license art. Printing art on products such as coffee mugs, ceramics is one way. Another is to allow a company to use your art in their advertising campaigns.
Absolute Vodka, for example, has collaborated with many pop artists for art to be printed on their bottles and in their campaigns. Without the art, Absolute is just another Vodka maker.
A few years ago, Gabby Malpas’ artworks were used for NZ tourism, allowing viewers to download 6 iconic landmarks created by her to colour in.
What can I do next?
Start thinking about your brand, your persona and how your art might help bridge a gap between a company and its particular market.