Agent Spotlight - Art House Design

 

How long have you been in business and how did you come to be an agent?  

I started my business in Hong Kong in 1991, I wanted to live in Asia for a while and I noticed that a lot of publishers moved their printing from Europe to Hong Kong. Subsequently there was a lot of demand for good quality European designs.

 

Who are the manufacturers you work with - how did you establish those relationships?  

We work with all the main card publishers in Europa, US and Australia. From small players who supply the small tobacco chain to Hallmark licensees.

Do you have employees/help? 

We work with salesmen in Asia and Latin America, all the designers we work with are freelancers although with some we work for 25 years already.

How do you market artists?  

We exhibit at several fairs like Frankfurt, New York, London. Further I still travel a lot to visit clients so I can emphasize new lines and designers. I still feel that in this time of internet it is still important to have personal contact with clients.

 

What do you look for in an Artist?  We prefer commercial artists over niche styles since we sell all over the world.

How much work do you expect an artists to create?
At least 50 a year but some arts may take more time.

Any great news you would like to share? We just released our new web page with over 20,000 arts. When the client logs in, it has a unique filter that filters out designs that were licensed in the country of the client. Therefore, clients are never frustrated that part of their selection is not available.

 

How has the Art Licensing business changed over the years?
Of course the internet has changed the business dramatically but it also helps to be in business 24/7 all over the world.

Any advice or information you would like to share? 
Travel, visit prospects and believe in what you do.

You can find Art House Design

www.arthousedesignimagebank.com

Art Licensing Show:
https://artlicensingshow.com/members/arthousedesign/profile/ 

Want to be spotlighted? email me info@AnnGraphics.com. I am looking forward to your comments and thanks for sharing this great information on social media.

 

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Agent Spotlight - Brenda Manley Designs

How long have you been in business and how did you come to be an agent? 
I worked 16 years for a paper tableware manufacturer in multiple positions.  Started as a graphic designer for catalogs, then promoted to designer, senior designer, assistant manager and finally design manager.  I created trend briefs, art directed and was an art buyer/licensee.  I had been attending Surtex for 10+ years.  At each show without fail, I was in complete awe of all the insane talent oozing from each booth. The creativity was intoxicating!  I have always had the entrepreneurial spirit so I decided to switch sides of the proverbial table. Since I am an artist first, my original intention was to freelance on my own.  Along the way I met emerging talent who had little experience in this industry. In my attempts to help some of them my agency developed organically. Some may see me being an artist as confusing while being an agent at the same time.  I reassure them that my art directing skills are stronger and that my creative output is rather infrequent. I truly feel being an artist combined with 16 years of manufacturing experience is a win/win situation.  I understand the demands of manufacturing deadlines and know the challenges designers face.  I thrive being the conduit to both sides!  So while we are in our 3rd year of business I bring over 28 years of design experience to the table with 19 of those years specializing in the social expressions/surface design industry.  

(Editor's note: you can click images to view larger)

Angel Gerardo - AG_0042_Joy to the World_CS

Who are the manufacturers you work with - how did you establish those relationships?

Relationships have been established via exhibiting at trade shows.  I have had the pleasure working with many outstanding manufacturers, some of which have requested to remain anonymous.  However, the following have granted permission to publish:  Amscan, Apache Mills, Claire’s Accessories, Clever Factory, C.R. Gibson, Demdaco, Design Design, Design House Greetings, DesignScapes, LLC, Groupe-Editor, Hallmark, Igloo, International Greetings, Michael Miller Fabrics, Mohawk, National Imports, Northcott Fabrics, Jillson Roberts, Lenox, Pier 1, Seaman Paper, Sterling Brands, Sullivan Paper, The Lindy Bowman Co., TJX, Unique and Wigwam Mills.

Do you have employees/help? 

I have recently been employing the help of a contractor who helps with admin and accounting.  This frees me up to do what I do best - support my artists, art direct, network and secure projects for our talented team!

Alyssa Kays - AKD_15C001_Candy_Christmas_Train_Card_OP

How do you market artists? 

Many ways!  Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, newsletters, advertising in trade publications and exhibiting at trade shows. Oh, and several interviews here and there ;-)

What do you look for in an Artist? 

Passion, design style, originality, color sense, technical skills (PS and AI expert level) and authenticity as an individual.

Amiee Sue Malott - ASM_16078_Baby Collection

How much work do you expect an artists to create? 

I ask that they produce 12 new designs a month.  While this may vary per designer due to design style, it is a suggested guideline.  This helps them develop as an artist (the more we create, the more we develop).  It also helps keep our portfolio fresh so we are relevant to manufacturers who have little to no development time. 

Any great news you would like to share?  

We have a very desirable booth location this year at Surtex.  We are in booth 2707 - right in front of the entrance!  I’m so excited I can barely stand it!  Oh, and I also I have some very exciting news but it’s too soon to share.  Stay tuned!

Emma Schonenberg - ES_EXG16_005_Exotic_Garedn_01_OP_B

How has the Art Licensing business changed over the years?

I’ve seen a shift in manufacturers moving away from licensing and procuring artwork via purchasing artwork out right - full buy out.  This works well if manufacturers are equipped with an in house team to manipulate the artwork.  However, on the flip side, there are still many viable licensing opportunities available.  Each has it’s advantages and disadvantages.

Any advice or information you would like to share? 

I would say the most valuable piece of advice is to show up everyday no matter the circumstances.  Release the outcome of what you think it should look like. Just keep creating, dreaming, journaling and keep doing the necessary actions to achieve the next level on one’s goal/bucket list DESPITE the challenges, mistakes and disappointments.  For it is in these trying times that our character develops.  One with character, preparedness, and quality content rarely relies on luck to succeed - THEY FLOURISH!

You can find Brenda Manley Designs:

website: brendamanleydesigns.com
instagram: https://www.instagram.com/brenda_manley_designs/
facebook: https://www.facebook.com/brenda.manley.102/

Want to be spotlighted? email me info@AnnGraphics.com. I am looking forward to your comments and thanks for sharing this great information on social media.

 

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Bo's bLAWg - Continuation Fees to Licensing Agents

 

 MJ Bogatin (“Bo”) of Bogatin, Corman & Gold, is an Arts and Entertainment Attorney in San Francisco.  He is also a long-time President of California Lawyers for the Arts. www.calawyersforthearts.org. Bo is available to answer some of your questions surrounding the business of Art Licensing. - THANKS BO!

My Agreement with my licensing agent is expiring.  It is my understanding that she gets to receive her commission on licenses that she negotiated.  Can you tell me how long this goes on?  How it works?  After we terminate, aren’t I entitled to receive my royalties directly from the licensees and account to her?   Trudy

All Licensing Agents will include a “Continuation Fees” provision in their Agreement with you as the Licensor Illustrator.  The essence of this provision is to give the agent the right to receive their commission on your royalties -- for as long as you receive such royalties -- on a license they placed and/or negotiated on your behalf.  The Term of the Agency Agreement may expire (if it is not renewed), but the agent expects to “continue” to share in the benefits of her services for as long as you do.  Hence the name “Continuation Fees provision.”

The provision typically appears in association with the termination provision, but not always.  It reads something like this:

“It is further agreed, regardless of termination and/or cause, Agent will continue to receive its full 50% share of all Gross Revenue associated with all License Agreements procured by Agent during the Term (and any renewals, extensions and/or modifications thereof).”

I have left in the highlighted, “and/or cause” part of this provision, because this is the kind of term that might be slipped into the otherwise expected provision.  You might miss it if you were not aware of the implication.  What the “and/or cause” means is that even if the Agency Agreement were to be terminated for breach on the part of the agent, like non-payment of royalties due their illustrator client, they would be able to rely on the contract to continue to collect commissions on agreements they made for you!   I say, “No way!”  Commission continuation right should depend on the full, good faith performance on the part of the Agent.  If they screw up and breach their Agreement, all their commission interests should be put at risk.  

In an analogous situation, the California Labor Commission takes the position that if someone is operating as a musician Booking Agent without a license from the Commission, the musicians they represent can make a claim that all commissions earned be surrendered to them.  This includes both past and future “Continuation Fees” that Booking Agents as well include in their Agency Agreements.  Why should illustrators be treated any differently.”  While literary and illustration agents are not licensed, their clients should not have lesser rights than musicians.

As for the issue of continued accounting rights, as long as the Agreement has not been breached, and the Licensor Illustrator had all agency rights revert, it is reasonably expected that post-term, the agent will continue to collect royalties due under the licenses they negotiated.  They will continue to take their commission due, and then account to their former client on the balance due for as long as the underlying Licensing Agreement continues.  Some of the more comprehensive Agent Agreements expressly include this expectation:

“Upon expiration or termination of this Agreement, Agent shall continue to collect payments under any and all License Agreements negotiated during the Term (and any renewals, extensions and/or modifications of the same) unless otherwise agreed by the parties.” 

And, just in case there is any question of whether the Illustrator should contact the Licensee and request direct payment since they are no longer represented by the Agent, some Agreements also make clear they cannot as follows:

“Artist further agrees that Artist, after expiration or termination of this Agreement, may not make any changes in the payment instructions contained in any License Agreement or other arrangement covered by this Agreement to direct any licensees to make payments directly to Artist.”

I would like to offer one alternative to the standard agent Continuation Fees provision.  It is commonly called a “Step-down rate.”  In short, if the commission due is 50% when the Agreement is entered into, two years after termination it might step-down to 25%; two years later, 15%, two years later, it might thereafter remain at 5% or expire altogether.

This compromise term is especially appropriate in those instances when an agent may be taking on an illustrator who already has a significant body of business, but the pre-existing licenses are not necessarily excluded from the Agency Agreement.  Perhaps the illustrator is looking to have the agent review license terms when they come up for renewal and/or renegotiate them when possible.  I have also negotiated inclusion of a step-down rate where the illustrator’s reputation is already ‘made’ as it were, and prospective licensees are calling her for rights.  The agent need not shop her works so much as make the best deals possible.  Then again, you might ask for it with any prospective agent.  If they want to represent you badly enough in the short term, you might save yourself some significant commission fees over time by insisting on a Step-down commission rate post–term!

Disclaimer: The information contained in this website is not intended as legal advice. Because the law is not static, and one situation may differ from the next, we cannot assume responsibility for any actions taken based on information contained herein. Also, be aware that the law may vary from state. Therefore, this website cannot replace the advice of an experienced attorney. Receipt of this information does not create an attorney-client relationship. MJ Bogatin, Bogatin, Corman & Gold, www.bcgattorneys.com

Have a legal question? email it to info@AnnGraphics.com. I will forward it to Bo. It might be a blog post! You can search "Bo's bLAWg" to read more posts. I am looking forward to your comments and thanks for sharing this great information on social media.

 

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Agent Spotlight - Debby Leggat, Blue Sky Art & Design

 

How long have you been in business and how did you come to be an agent?
My career as a licensing agent began in 1994 when I started the licensing division at Wild Apple Graphics. Wild Apple was an established poster publisher, and a licensing division was a natural extension since, with a treasure trove of art, manufacturers were already approaching them with requests to use images on their products. It was a wonderful opportunity for me. My first choice would have been licensed artist myself, but a decided lack of ability disqualified me so I got to do the next best thing, which is to find licensing partners for the very talented artists I represent. Before becoming a licensing agent I worked at House & Garden magazine, sold advertising at Travel & Leisure, and handled public relations for an international trade group. All my prior experience has been very useful in what I do now.

What do you love most about the art licensing business?
There are so many things! Among them are:
• Finding talent that I believe has licensing potential and being proved right;
• Sending (big!) royalty checks to artists. Really, the bigger the better. If the artists are doing well, so is Blue Sky;
• Putting artists and manufacturers together. It’s extremely satisfying to find the perfect fit between image and product;
• Developing relationships and friendships with artists, manufacturers, and other agents. There are a lot of wonderful, talented, interesting, and hard-working people in art licensing, and I have enjoyed and continue to enjoy getting to know them through working together.

What do you like least about the art licensing business?
No question, dealing with copyright infringement. It quite literally makes me sick. I’m happy to say that often we have been able to convert a piracy to a legitimate license. There are times when infringement is inadvertent and not malicious, and the manufacturer is usually anxious to making things right.  However there are also those times when the infringement is deliberate and there’s a ‘guess we didn’t get away with that’ or a ‘we dispute your claim and will keep the dispute going forever until you go away’ attitude, or a ‘we’re too big for you to fight’ approach which is infuriating. Art Licensing is a relatively small field so word can travel pretty fast about the bad actors, but there is still far too much.

Who are the manufacturers you work with - how did you establish those relationships?
We work with manufacturers across the board from stationery to decorative accessories, wall décor, rugs and mats, tabletop and ceramics, gift. Many of our relationships are long—standing, established years ago and are on-going. For the most part they began at a trade show where the licensees were exhibiting or through cold calling and e-mailing. There’s no magic or trick to finding licensees: perusing trade publications, shopping the stores, both big box and small gift shops, and attending the trade shows are the obvious ways to find prospects. After that it’s a matter of perseverance.

How do you market artists?
By attending the gift and trade markets in Atlanta and New York, which gives us the opportunity to meet face-to-face with our licensees. We exhibit at Surtex, but sporadically. Last year was very good for us, so we’ll be there again in May, but we evaluate after every show to determine it’s worth.

Beyond that we market artists largely through email: I believe in edited, tailored presentations designed to appeal to whichever category or specific licensee we’re targeting. I want my contacts to want to open the submissions that come from Blue Sky because they’re relevant to what the manufacturer is doing.  We’re conscious of not wanting to waste anyone’s precious time.

Finally, we use our website and facebook page as much as possible. Our website is up-dated frequently to reflect the newest images and facebook allows for regular up-dates on what’s happening with our artists and licensees.

What do you look for in an Artist?
We look for:
• Applicability of the artwork to a range of products. If I can’t easily visualize it on a minimum of three to four product categories it probably won’t work;
• The artist’s recognition that art licensing is a commercial venture. That means the work may have to follow trends, be altered to suit a licensee’s needs and might not be used at all;
• The artist’s commitment to licensing by producing new work regularly, ability to resist discouragement, and patience, since the payoff can be a long ways out;
• An artist that sees licensing representation as a partnership—neither of us works for the other, but we are working together to build something.

How much work do you expect an artists to create?
I’ve never understood this question. It’s a little like asking ‘How successful do you want to be?’ I know that every artist produces new work at his or her own rate, but the simple answer is the more art that’s produced the greater the likelihood of success. That said, one artist can produce ten pieces that don’t go anywhere, another can produce one that gets licensed all over, so in that case it’s a matter of quality over quantity.

There really is no short answer either, but I will say that Jane Maday, one of Blue Sky’s top artists is also the top producer of new work. She was already an experienced licensed artist when we started working together, but even so, she never stops pushing herself in new directions with techniques and approaches so her licensing program will move into new categories. She treats art licensing as the full-time job that it is and that discipline and ambition are largely responsible for her success

How has the Art Licensing business changed over the years?
When I started in art licensing there was a lot of resistance from manufacturers to using outside artists. Many companies had in-house design staff so they couldn’t see incurring additional expense for something they already had, they felt the accounting was going to be a hassle, and they’d have to increase prices to accommodate the royalty. Then, as it became clear that certain artists like Mary Engelbreit, Susan Winget and some others were selling a lot of product, those attitudes started to shift; before very long a lot of companies had given up their in-house artists and began to rely exclusively on outside artwork.

Then the internet provided a huge shift in the art licensing business. The advent of email and the now ubiquitous image software removed any barriers to entry for would-be art licensors. Many bloggers, Etsy shop owners and individual artists with computer connections are now successful art licensors. There’s more competition, but there are more opportunities as well.

What’s new at Blue Sky Art & Design?
There’s always great new artwork. Jane Maday is at work on a wonderful series of Vintage Journal Sketches that she’s painting in an old ledger bought online. There are already over 40 images of wildlife, Spring, coastal, inspiration, and holiday to name just a few of the themes. Veteran licensed artist Wendy Russell is adding to her Bird Dog series which got an immediate and enthusiastic response when first introduced.

In addition, Blue Sky has recently added several talented, experienced and FUN artists: Swirly Designs, comprised of husband and wife Paul and Lianne Stoddard make bright, colorful and imaginative ornaments from clay. Their work is already being developed for collectibles and gifts. Their images are also translated to flat art for multiple other uses; Nancy Archer is hard at work on new collections of patterns for stationery, fabric, tabletop and more; and artist Barbara Behr, well-known in Germany and new to the American market is making a big impression with her Victoriana collages and imaginative compositions. All this newness keeps things exciting!

You can find Blue Sky Art & Design
www.blueskyartandddesign.com
https://www.facebook.com/BlueSkyArtDesignInc/
Surtex 2017 booth #2824 May 21-23, 2017
debby@blueskyartanddesign.com

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Artist Spotlight - Steph Calvert

 

 

Tell us a bit about yourself: Did you go to school for art? Are you self taught? 
I was the arty kid back in school; I can still remember getting in trouble in seventh grade for looking out the window and drawing instead of paying attention in class. Strangely enough, in high school I was fighting that and seriously thinking about going to school to be a vet - I even took classes like Latin (nerd alert!) that I thought would be helpful in college...

And then junior year, I remembered that vets deal with blood and needles.

So that was the end of that.

I went to Savannah College of Art and Design and graduated with a BFA in computer art in the spring of 1999, focusing on 2D hand drawn animation. When I came out of school, there was less and less traditional animation positions - especially for a newbie with no work experience - so I've been adapting my skills ever since.

I've worked as an in-house artist for OshKosh B'Gosh, I've illustrated two travel themed coloring books, and most recently I've created repeat patterns and t-shirt graphics for Kohl's as well as created a custom pizza box for a client that's literally COVERED with hand lettering and fun drawings! There's some really exciting new opportunities that have been coming in, but it's a tad too early to mention specifics. 

Do you work in just one medium? Several?
As I've grown with my art over the years, fresh techniques get added to my process. Within the last year I feel like I've really honed in on my "style". It's all about digital painting in Photoshop, mixing in layers of hand lettering created with either paint or markers, and bringing lots of hand drawn or painted textures to the party. It's a great way to create pieces that are easy to work with on the production side of things, but I'm not chained to the computer every step of the way.

20+ years of creating artwork professionally on computers has left me always thinking and creating in layers and workability for production. When I draw with markers or paint in traditional media - acrylics, watercolors, or gouache, I usually play around on paper, and then scan everything into the computer at as high a resolution as possible and pull together my finished pieces there. Live trace, vector bits, and smart objects are my best friends. Outside of my husband of course.

I really like the control I have in Photoshop - I can call out specific Pantones, I can get more precise, I can edit that one little stray line that isn't quite working with the rest of the piece. Most importantly, everything and I mean everything is separated out into layers so I can go back and change things easily. Photoshop gives my clients peace of mind knowing the ease of production and editing they'll experience while working with me.

What inspires you / where do you get inspiration from?
I pull so much inspiration from my life! I've been a self employed work at home mom since our son Phil was born in 2010. Nowadays, he's in kindergarten, but his little sister Joy will be in the studio with me until she starts pre-K in a couple of years. My family is hilarious - there's lots to get inspired by.

My latest collection for licensing, This is Halloween, is inspired by some decorations my son Phil and I bought ages ago at a dollar store. My kids love the fun characters and the bright happy colors - even though those little cardboard cutouts have taken a serious beating over the years, they HAVE to have them on the walls every year! I wanted to create a group that made kids smile just as much, in colors that were classic and easy to work with alongside someone's existing Halloween home decor. I've also got a few kids book ideas on tap based on funny things that we've experienced as parents, and don't even get me started on all of the greeting card designs I'm starting to work up based on hilarious one liners that have been blurted out in our house over the years!

How did you start licensing your art?
As I ventured on the path of self employment, I was finding more and more clients were asking for web design. I was happy to oblige; I was great at it and the paycheck was fairly steady. But over time, I was finding that I was becoming more and more unhappy with my work. I missed drawing. About a year ago, I slowly started to pull away from web design; I took advantage of the Black Friday deal on some Make Art that Sells courses from Lilla Rogers, I worked my way through Julia Cameron's The Artist's Way and actually stuck it out through all twelve weeks over the summer... taking the leap of faith is really what helped push me towards art licensing.

What are you working on now?
I'm wrapping up 2016 with lots of great Christmas art that'll be available for licensing, and I'm fine tuning what art I'll be working on each month for 2017. I'm playing with the idea of working within a theme for each month, a month ahead of time. So January I'll work on all things love, so I have lots of great Valentine's theme art to share all February long.

I'm also honing in on what I want my Instagram feed to look like, because that's a great way to get exposure. The balance for me is to share enough to get art directors interested, without giving away the really good stuff. One of my strengths after so much time spent working as an apparel illustrator is coming up with funny sayings that haven't been totally overused in the marketplace. It's been interesting trying to figure out how to share without sharing too much if that makes sense.

Any great advice for our readers?
Failure is for quitters - if you don't ever give up on your art, you'll never fail.

Before I shifted focus to my illustration work, there was a lot of things I was pretty attached to - like my old business name. As I started working with my agent, I quickly started to realize that if I wanted real and drastic change in my career, I needed to be as open as possible to that change! Here we are six months later - I've got a new website, a growing portfolio that's finally showing a cohesive and distinct style, and lots of prospective projects on the horizon. None of this would have been possible if I stubbornly held on to the old ways.

And keep in mind - an illustration agent isn't the silver bullet that is going to make a deluge of work come busting down your door the second you sign on. When you connect with an agent, marketing your work is still your responsibility, but now the exciting thing is you're part of a team. There's more than one of you working on bringing in projects and licensing deals - they're an advocate for you if a project goes south, and can be an amazing sounding board as you work through the direction your career needs to take. My agent Liz Sanders has been so key in helping to shape my illustration adventure!

Anything else you would like to share with us?
I'm always learning something new - it keeps things interesting. A couple of months ago my friend Kim and I took an oil painting class for the first time, and we were hooked! I don't know how well oils would work for art licensing since it takes such a long time for the paint to dry, but I'm definitely continuing to explore this medium moving forward.

I have a group of artwork that'll be seen on girls t-shirts in Kohls in Spring 2017, and I'll also be working on a kids book pitch for one of my many ideas to start shopping around next year. I'm looking forward to connecting with a literary agent that works with illustrator authors for some really fun titles!
 
Are you an early riser? or night owl?
As much as I'd love to be a night owl... I'm definitely an early bird. Even when the kids don't wake up horrendously early on a summer morning, I'm still wide awake by 8am.

The upside? There's coffee.
 
What is your favorite food?
All of it... Is all of it an answer?

I just like snacks is all.

But if I had to narrow it down...

I'd have to say cookies, coffee, macarons, chocolate, pizza, chips, salsa, donuts, cakes, pies, ice cream, fried chicken, cream puffs, bacon, marshmallows, Jelly Bellys, burritos, hamburgers, spaghetti, crab legs, charcuterie plates, grilled cheese sandwiches, quiche, soup, deep fried Oreos, deviled eggs, the candy parts of trail mix, midnight pancake parties, muffins, steak, and all you can eat buffets. And cheesecake.

You can find Steph:
Liz Sanders Agency: http://lizsanders.com/
Email: hi@stephcalvertart.com
Portfolio: http://stephcalvertart.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/stephcalvertart
Instagram: http://instagram.com/stephcalvertart
Twitter: http://twitter.com/stephcalvertart
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/stephcalvertart
LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/stephcalvert
Behance: https://www.behance.net/stephcalvertart
Tumblr: http://stephcalvertart.tumblr.com

Make my day! and Buy me a cup of coffee (PayPal Link in right side bar, you don't need a PayPal acct.).

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Agent Spotlight - Donna Westman, DSW Licensing, LLC.

 

 click images to view larger


How long have you been in business and how did you come to be an agent? 
Next year I will celebrate my 15th year in the art licensing field. In 2002 I was approached by an artist to partner with her to market her illustrations to acquire licensing deals with manufacturers. At that time I had limited knowledge of what art licensing was, however I did know an extensive amount about sales and marketing. My career for 15 years prior to meeting her was with a motivational speaker and writer helping build that business into a successful, lucrative career. The same skills that I learned in that business, I have applied to running DSW Licensing. Since that initial meeting in 2002 with the one artist, I have grown my business to include five highly talented, experienced artists that I am proud to partner with.  

Who are the manufacturers you work with - how did you establish those relationships?  How do you market artists?
I have partnered with over 85 different manufacturers of every imaginable product in the marketplace. With a collaborative effort between our agency, the artist and the manufacturer, strong partnerships have been developed over a wide spectrum of reputable companies within the home décor, paper products and giftware industries. One of the most exciting things about this business is to walk into a store and see DSW licensed products on the shelves and selling! It puts a smile on my face to see our flags displayed at Lowes, paper tableware at the local grocery store, or spot our wall décor and pillows at Target! We have had products in mass retailers as well as smaller, independent retail stores throughout the country.

Establishing these partnerships with manufacturers has been accomplished in various ways, but mainly through good old fashioned hard work and constant, consistent marketing and follow-through! I have exhibited at both Surtex and the Licensing Show, which have been beneficial, however I have found that it’s the daily work in my office of continual contact and communication through emails, my quarterly DSW E-News, utilizing social media (Facebook, Instagram, Linked-In, Twitter), and picking up the phone to talk to a client to hear what their needs are. (You can get a lot of information just by listening!)  And, a prompt response time when a request comes in, is always appreciated by clients.

 I also have attended for the past 15 years trade shows annually including the America’s Mart, Dallas Trade Show, Las Vegas Market, San Francisco Gift Show and the New York Stationery Show meeting one-on-one with clients at these shows as well as at their company headquarters. I have established terrific relationships over the years with some of the top manufacturers in this industry and am always looking for companies to align with. There are always new companies to research and present my artists designs to and very important that I stay on top of whom is the correct person to be sending the art to, as company contacts change often.

Do you have employees? 
I am a one woman show!  However, since I work so closely with the artists that I represent, they are, in some ways, considered my business partners. I think what differentiates my company from many other art agencies is that I keep the number of artists that I represent to a select smaller number, where many agents have a long roster of artists. I am very familiar with my artists’ portfolios because I work alongside each of them on an intimate basis. Knowing their portfolios’ enables me to curate and tailor proposals to manufacturers. And, what I have found is companies prefer to be sent artwork that is tailored to their specific needs and product formats, and not just a laundry list of images that they then have to weed through. They don’t have the time to do this, it is up to me as an agent to listen to their needs and then send a tailored, targeted submission. 

What do you look for in an Artist? 
There are several things I look for in an artist, but mainly art that is licensable!  I receive on a weekly basis submissions from artists and designers that are eager to get their designs licensed.  The vast majority are not images that I would present to my clients.  The art may be great for galleries or advertising campaigns, but not art that can be applied to a variety of product formats.  I always tell an artist to actually go walk retail stores and look at what is on the shelves. Buyers are very rarely looking for the neon unicorn on a plate. But, most likely you’ll see a more traditional Santa, beautiful floral, or fun and trendy word art. I also prefer an artist that has a wide portfolio to pull from, with all seasons. I license a lot of seasonal artwork, including, spring holidays, and fall holidays, especially the two big selling holidays, Harvest/Halloween and Christmas. I also partner with artists that are flexible and understand that the buyers make the final decision on the art. Buyers and creative directors are looking for what their customers’ needs are and what sells. It’s all about making the numbers work for manufacturers and it’s about what we can do to help them accomplish that! My artists are always “in the loop” on what requests I am receiving from potential licensees and art trends that they are looking for in their next product release. Many times my artists have taken these art “call-outs” and created new art collections based on the client’s specific requests. As a result, we have had quite a lot of success with securing licensing deals because of the time put in to listen and review what their needs are and create art accordingly.   I also look for artists that understand how to work in Photoshop, or some similar software so their designs can be applied to multiple product formats, and completed in an expeditious manner. The industry works on a quick turnaround these days, so having these necessary computer skills is critical for success.   

I also look for integrity and mutual respect when partnering with artists. It’s a close working relationship between me and the artists, and so these two qualities are important. My company statement is “At DSW Licensing you will find the distinctive art you need to have a successful product line, and at the same time, make each project an enjoyable experience with the highest level of excellence and integrity.” The five artists that I currently represent, I have worked with for many years.  I am grateful that I have such fabulous artists that are on my team.

How much work do you expect an artist to create?  
As I tell my artists, the more new art collections you send me, the more opportunities you have to get licensing deals! Of course, I would love to receive a new collection every week from my talented team, however that is the ideal. Some are more prolific than others, and some art requires more detail than others, therefore I may not receive as much from them. With that being said, if I find that I am not receiving new art on a pretty consistent basis, than I may need to look for a new artist to fill that void. Artists that are serious about this business know how important it is to stay on top of the trends and create new art on a regular basis. Otherwise, it’s just a hobby, not a business. 

Any great news you would like to share? 
I am pleased that we have had one of the best years in art licensing this past year.   I had many new manufacturers come on board, as well as licensees that we have worked with for many years expand their collections with new products. One of my artists has had her beautiful Christmas collection expanded by Demdaco after a very successful launch of her initial collection last January. It is rewarding to have a company do so well with their sales figures that they come to you to add more product sku’s for a future collection.        

How has the Art Licensing business changed over the years?
So much has changed and evolved in the art licensing industry! I would say the most significant changes are due to the digital age. My arms are not as in shape as they used to be since I don’t have to cart around 15 pounds of binders at shows! Now I present art from a SURFACE or iPad. When I began this career, all the art was printed out, put into folders with cover letters, post cards used as marketing tools, contracts were all mailed. Today it is predominantly digital marketing, including art submissions, email introductions, and E-contracts. And, there are all the Internet marketing tools such as websites, Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. It’s completely transformed how I do business. One question that I get asked often is why I don’t have all of the artist’s designs on my DSW Licensing website. I only keep a small sampling from each artist to showcase their style and various themes.   We prefer not to put their entire portfolio online for a couple reasons. One, I prefer to hear from clients so I can tailor the art specifically for their product formats. And, secondly, unfortunately, we have found that there are online “opportunists” that may copy or infringe on the copyrights of artists therefore, I find it is best that I send out the artwork.

Any advice or information you would like to share?
This is a very unique business and takes a lot of the 3 P’s- patience, persistence, and perseverance.    There have been some companies that I have marketed to for ten years that I finally ink a contract with because I didn’t give up and kept consistently communicating with them. Sometimes the timing may not have been right, or the art just wasn’t what they were looking for during that season. The slogan that patience pays off, well, in this industry, that rings true! Not only can it take a long time to finally get the license agreement, but then there is the long process from the time I send a contract to when we will actually see any revenue, unless an advance was negotiated.  In between that is pre-production, sampling, getting to the market, shipping, and then you’ll see returns on the royalty reports.  This timeframe can be anywhere from 1-2 years. As in any business, there are days when you may feel discouraged, but I always try to focus on the successes and opportunities in this business.  All industry’s have their ups and downs. You just have to keep your head up and the art flowing! I like to think that the work we do is putting a smile on someone’s face as they enjoy one of our licensed products in their home.   

You can find DSW
Company website: www.dswlicensing.com

Connect with DSW through:
https://www.facebook.com/dswartists

Instagram:
@dswlicensing or @donnawestman

Linkedin:
Donna Westman

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Agent Spotlight - Jewel Branding & Licensing

 

Julie Newman, founder and president of Jewel Brand Licensing takes some time to talk with all of us:

How long have you been in business and how did you come to be an agent? 
We are officially 8 years old on September 17th!  It doesn’t seem that long as it has been so much fun!  I became an agent through a contact I made at AT&T when I worked for them in Florida.  He was the licensing agent for Thomas Kinkade.  He asked me to come work for him and I started my licensing career in 2003.

Who are the manufacturers you work with - how did you establish those relationships?
We work with all kinds of manufactures in stationery, greeting cards, textiles, wall art, apparel, and also many worldwide agents.  I established those relationships at shows, through networking events, cold-calling, and referrals.

Do you have employees/help?
Yes, there are 9 of us!  It’s still hard to believe there is that many but we all work together and divide up the artists and brands so we can provide a high level of service to our licensees and to our artists.

How do you market artists?
We market artists at Licensing Show and Surtex and also to people we meet at various trade shows around the country.  We also have a website that we launched in 2012 that gives each artist their own page as well as an artists information sheet.  We also market in emails to our licensees on a regular basis.  We try to keep our designers top of mind as much as possible with our manufacturers.

What do you look for in an Artist?
I look for a unique style and design.  Something that stands out from our other artists as well as something that I know our licensees are looking for.  We also like a strong social media presence, a good size portfolio that contains a range of artwork and mock ups in categories for home décor, textiles, stationery, etc.  We also encourage our artists to promote themselves as much as possible through their website, Instagram, etc. 

How much work do you expect an artists to create?
I prefer quality over quantity every day!  I also feel that when an artist is inspired by something, I love exploring that with them to make it licensable. 

Any great news you would like to share?
Yes, we have an IPad app, where licensees can login and search all of our artists designs!  We were the first agents to offer this type of technology and we have gotten a great response.  You can find it here.

How has the Art Licensing business changed over the years?
It seems that competition is tougher than ever and licensees have so many places to find designers from Instagram to Etsy, etc.  We have to really work hard at picking out the best of the best and then make it easy to work with us and the artist.

Any advice or information you would like to share?
Just that licensing is an amazing entrepreneurial business segment that we are all in and I get inspired everyday by creativity and people willing to take the risk and spend the time and money to build a licensing program.  It truly is the American dream and I love being part of it. 

You can find Jewel Branding & Licensing:
www.Jewelbranding.com
Facebook - @JewelBranding
Instagram - @JewelBranding
Twitter - @JewelBranding

 

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Agent Spotlight - Laurie High - Creative Connection, Inc.

How long have you been in business and how did you come to be an agent?

Parker Fulton, an artist herself, started this business with two others in 1991.  After they secured 50 artists to represent very quickly, one of the partners dropped out almost immediately leaving a large work load for 2 people.  They asked me to join, and that began my journey into this business.  Not long after, the other partner dropped as well.  Parker (who is also my mother) and I have been running Creative Connection, Inc. ever since. So, I kind of fell into this, but quickly learned the ins and outs of the business including marketing, bookkeeping, contracts etc.  My college education and jobs prior to Creative Connection, Inc. did help prepare me for my roles in this business, however.

  
Who are the manufacturers you work with - how did you establish those relationships?  

Almost every year including 1991, Creative Connection, Inc. has had a booth at Surtex.   In the beginning, for several years, we also had a booth at The Licensing Show.  We secured many of our clients through those two shows.  We've walked shows and exhibited elsewhere, but Surtex has always benefited us the most, until recently.  We stopped showing at Surtex a couple of years ago and changed our tactics, due to the lessoned show traffic.  We signed up for ArtLicensingShow.com in the beta stage, and we now focus most of our attention on face-to-face meetings where our clients are located or at our office.  This seems to be working, but we won't rule out Surtex in the future.  I also spend time surfing the Internet to find clients, reading blogs, watching videos and reading newsletters, etc.  The clients who license from us the most include puzzle, needlepoint, fabric, greeting card, stained glass, and garden flag manufacturers, however there are so many other products that our designs are licensed for throughout any given year.

Do you have employees/help? 

No, we don't have any employees currently and haven't since the Internet took off so dramatically making our marketing efforts easier and faster.  I occasionally hire a graphic designer to manipulate artwork or help me create marketing materials. Some of our artists provide their art, ready to market, on promo sheets like Jessica Sporn has done with her Wildflower Collection below.  If you scroll further, you will see another promo sheet that Karen Rossi has created - Winter in the Mountains. 

How do you market artists? 

Email is the main way that we market our artists.  If appropriate for the client and seasonal needs etc., artwork is sent to clients almost immediately upon receipt. I create promo sheets on a regular basis to email or post on our web site.  Some of our artists provide their artwork, ready to show, on promo sheets which aids in getting art before the clients quickly.  In addition, I regularly update our website, send out a monthly newsletter, advertise in at least one printed publication per year and utilize Social Media.  As stated above, we have taken a two-year break from Surtex and have been meeting with clients either where they are located or on Gibson Island where we are located.  This is working for now, but it is important to remain open to trying new things, and we are.

What do you look for in an Artist?  

First and foremost, really great art, so if an artist is sending through something that is not their best, then I'm likely to say no before delving any further.  Something different is important, because I am not doing my artists any favors if I bring on someone doing the same thing.  Available artwork is important also because most clients are in such a hurry that they cannot wait to commission a design.  And, finally something that compliments what we do have because this is the kind of art our clients seek from us. We are always willing to review an artist's portfolio according to the guidelines on our website, however, we are full and have been for most of the 25 years we've been in business.

How much work do you expect an artist to create? 

This depends on the artist and the style and what's currently happening in their lives.  Ideally, I'd like to see new artwork every week, but that is not always possible, especially with the highly detailed designs.  I do send periodic requests to our artists of needed designs and trends so that they always have something to work on or towards.

How has the Art Licensing business changed over the years?

Marketing has completely changed and really is much easier now for several reasons - very few color copies or mailings are needed now, high res files can be instantly sent to the clients instead of original artwork for scanning, Photoshop allows for quick manipulation of images to suit various products, and the Ipad allows for complete portfolios of our 20 artists to be carried in a brief case or shoulder bag.

Any advice or information you would like to share?

Always show your best.  Always paint what you love to paint.  Be yourself, but also grow yourself.  Read "Big Magic" by Elizabeth Gilbert which is about utilizing your creative energy to the max! 

You can find Creative Connection, Inc:

View our portfolios: www.cciart.com

Connect with us on FB: www.fb.com/creative.connection.inc
Connect with us on Instagram: artful_inspiration

See us on artlicensingshow.com: https://artlicensingshow.com/members/creativeconnection/profile/

 

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