Art Licensing Newsletter - Happy New Year!

Happy New Year Everyone! 

I am giving you a look at what my Art Licensing Newsletter looks like ;-) Click this link to see past issues too! http://eepurl.com/bLzjiX  I have been known on occasion to give away stuff - newsletter subscribers are the first to know!

If you want to guest post or be featured on my blog, send an email to info@anngraphics and let's chat :-)

Wishing each and every one of you the VERY BEST 2016!

Hot Summer Updates from ArtLicensingShow.com!

I am excited about ArtLicensingShow.com (ALSC). I had a manufacturer find me through the site
already! I didn’t do a thing other than join. It is a brand NEW only-one-of-its-kind website for everyone in the art licensing business. I asked the Founder and CEO Cherish Flieder to tell us about what is new and exciting about ALSC.

What’s New?

ArtLicensingShow.com is fully up-and-running. We have heard many stories of artists and agents connecting, working on projects together and signing deals! It’s wonderful to hear that the Art Directors/Manufacturers/Licensee Companies are enjoying using the site to see art and it is a huge relief to artists as well. Now licensors can take back control of who exactly is seeing their art licensing portfolios online. (Most of the deals are top secret, so we can’t tell you details until the products are on the market next year.)

This summer, I flew all over the country to New York (Stationery Show/Surtex), Las Vegas (Licensing Expo) and Atlanta (Summer Gift Mart) connecting with members and potential members of the site. There was a very high level of enthusiasm in the air and we are very optimistic for things to come! Members are giving very useful feedback and are an important part of making this website an excellent place to network and show art online. Art Directors tell us that they are eager to see more art on the site from a variety of art and photography styles!

Our development team continues to develop the features of the site to run smoothly and securely in the background. Since we launched, we have added a vetting process for new Artists/Agents and Art Directors/Manufacturers/Licensee Companies to join the site. It’s a difficult thing to do sometimes, but adding this step in the registration process actually has attracted a more professional level of Artist/Agent as well as Licensee Companies. Overall, we are very happy with the progress.

We are getting social…
Art Licensing Show is now on Pinterest & Instagram!
In effort to give our members more opportunities to get their names out there, we have decided to partner with these highly visual social media platforms.

Art Directors are always using these networks to look for art. They can find out about a new artist they like on Instagram or Pinterest and click through to the site to see their private portfolios on ALSC.

Follow ALSC on Instagram: https://instagram.com/artlicensingshow/
Follow ALSC on Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/artoflicensing/

ALSC portfolio members can find out the steps to get featured here!
(http://artlicensingshow.com/instagram-opportunities/)

…and even more social!
ALSC has recently added social links to the portfolio enabled profile pages. Artists/Agents can share their links to: Facebook, Twitter, Google+, LinkedIn, Ello, Pinterest, Tumblr, Vimeo, YouTube, Flickr, Instagram, Dribbble, Blogger, RSS, Email, Vine, Spoonflower, Etsy, and Behance.

 

What’s Coming Up Next?

More notifications:
The ALSC development team has been adding new ways for members to know what’s going on within the site including notifications for trigger behaviors and email updates from groups. Settings can be managed in the notifications section. We hope to provide more helpful notifications in the future based on member feedback.

Re-ordering collections:
We are in the finishing stages on a new feature that will allow Artists/Agents to re-order how their collections will appear on the page. (It sounds simple, but the way the portfolios are set up to give specific permissions, it’s much more complicated in the code than one would imagine). We are happy to announce that this long-awaited feature should be up and running by next month. We have hundreds of ideas in queue that we are working on with our development team. Members are encouraged to contact ALSC with feedback and ideas. (http://redcarpet.artlicensingshow.com/contact/)

There are so many things you can do at ArtLicensingShow.com, but there are also MANY lesser known strategies that will help you out. Cherish and I brainstormed on some tips that have come up in recent discussions. Hope you find them beneficial.

Tips & Tricks for Artists/Agents

• Mark each image with your name so if an Art Director saves the image on their computer, they will know it is yours when they come across it in their files later.

• Upload tear sheets/portfolio pages rather than individual art. It will save you time! You can edit the crop if you want to zoom in on a portion of it for the preview image.

• Get connected with industry leaders. Join a group that interests you. There are 20 specialty groups, so far, such as Greeting Cards, Trends, Home Décor, Art Marketing, Tech Talk, Character Design, Art for Kids, Bi-Weekly Art Challenge, and Call for Submissions. Of course, Annie Troe’s “2nd Thursdays” group is very popular and a great way to get plugged into our community.

• Take time to add tags, keywords and descriptions. When an art director is in your portfolio and does a search (or clicks on a tag on your profile page) it is searching only within YOUR portfolio. Adding more art will make these searches more productive for them, which will give you more opportunities to license your art.

• Remember, this is YOUR private portfolio; you can invite any credible licensee to the site to come see it. They only need to register once and then they will be able to login and out with ease. (Invitation & art sharing steps: http://redcarpet.artlicensingshow.com/kb/invitation-and-portfolio-sharing-process-infographic/)

• Sharing your art is VERY simple, but it’s not automatic. Login often to share your art with current and new Art Director contacts. Remember, you have 100% control of who sees your art. All you do is click the check box next to their name and it is instantly shared with them (no “save” button needed). (More info on sharing: http://redcarpet.artlicensingshow.com/kb/share-collections-pieces-art-directors/)

Tips & Tricks for Art Directors/Manufacturers/Licensee Companies

• Click on the “My Activity” link to see an archive of everything that has been shared with you. There is a thumbnail for each share that will take you in to see the full collection or piece at your leisure.

• Feel free to request Artists/Agents to submit to you though the site. It’s very easy for them to share work this way (since they have already uploaded their art, they only have to press the button next to your name, this means you get to see it even faster!). (Info on how to request specific art “shares” :
http://redcarpet.artlicensingshow.com/kb/art-directors-ask-see-hidden-portfolio-collections/)

• All the portfolios are searchable, so you can find what you need at a moment’s notice. You can search within an Artist/Agent’s portfolio or the whole site if you go to the “Portfolio Tab”. In both cases, you will only see art that is specifically shared with you. (How to request art shares: http://redcarpet.artlicensingshow.com/kb/art-directors-ask-see-hidden-portfolio-collections/ )

• Post your art needs in the “Call for Submissions” group if you are looking for licensors to submit specifically themed images with your ALSC account. Don’t worry, submissions via ALSC won’t bog down your email with attachments. You can login to the site when you are ready to review fresh new art. (Ask to join the group here: https://artlicensingshow.com/groups/call-for-submissions/)

Note: You can join ALSC today and by setting up a free, enhanced “yellow pages” type listing for your business while getting a feel for the site. Also, if you want to learn more about the tools and resources available to you with the premium account options check out our knowledge base site at:
http://redcarpet.artlicensingshow.com/.

THANK you Cherish for writing the majority of this post. Love the "Call for Submissions" group - what a great idea! I can't imagine the amount of time (years!) you have spent researching and setting up this amazing new site. I REALLY appreciate it and I find it is worth every penny.

Everyone - let me know if you found this post helpful and feel free to post comments below or email me info@AnnGraphic.com. Thank you for stopping by!

Related posts: Why I am on Art Licensing Show http://annietroe.blogspot.com/2015/03/why-i-am-on-art-licensing-show-com.html

Artists: See how your profile page looks to Art Directors/Manufacturers : http://annietroe.blogspot.com/2015/02/peek-into-artlicensingshowcom-next.html

Art Licensing Academy is Open - Register by 9/20/14 Get 3 FREE Books!

 

Quick post to let you know

Hey Doodlebugerz,
For those of you who are interested in Art Licensing Academy there is a GREAT FREE bonus if you register by September 20, 2014. Yup, it is the 3 books in the photo above! I am reading The Big Leap right now and The War of Art is on my to do list. I think I better ad the 3rd book to my to do list too :-)

This link is an affiliate link - if you click on it and purchase, I get a small fee as an affiliate that helps support my blog. THANK YOU! Art Licensing Academy

If you don't want me to get the fee - here is a non-affiliate link. No worries. I would rather you get the info! Art Licensing Academy

Staycation Update:

On a whim I tossed out into the internet if anyone would be interested in a group text chat to talk about Tara's free Staycation Audios. 15 of you signed up and I am thrilled how well the first group chat went! My fingers were sore from trying to type fast ;-) I really enjoyed chatting with other creative souls.

Be sure to stay connected with me :-D

FREE Audio Series! Starts August 4, 2014

 

I just signed up! Did you?! If you want, we can group email chat about what we get out of it each week. 

 

This is kind of like Tara's Ask Calls - delivered to your inbox every Monday in August!

I really enjoy Tara's Ask Calls for two reasons. 1. I am listening to people who get artists! 2. I ALWAYS pick up wonderful nuggets of information :-)

Even if you have been in the business for quite awhile - hearing another person perspective can give you just the insight or idea that you needed. SO, I would appreciate it if you click the image above to sign up - It is FREE, I won't make any $$ from it. It does let Tara know you heard it from me which I really do appreciate!

Here is the gist of the audios that arrive in your inbox every Monday in August - more info on Tara's site CLICK HERE.

WEEK 1. The basics of art licensing

WEEK 2. How to "package" your art to appeal to licensees (the manufacturers and retailers who license art)

WEEK 3. How your beliefs and mindsets can support or sabotage your success

WEEK 4. Tips to let the right people know that you have art for licensing

I am interested in weeks 2 - 4. If you want to group email chat with me, leave your email in the comments below. OR if you are worried about spammers picking up your email, send it to me directly at anntroe@cox.net.

Looking forward to connecting with you!

Saying Yes to Less

New(er) approach that I have been taking.

Happy Friday Doodlebugerz!
I am 50 years young! The older I get, the less mucking around I want to do :-) So I thought this week I would share an approach that I have no idea where it originated from. The "is it a HELL YES!" approach. if not, then it is a NO. It kind of goes along with the "don't should on yourself" approach.

Okay, I better say right now that don't even think that I have any of this self-helpy stuff mastered. I find though that these phrases do help me move forward more easily! I let go of over thinking things more quickly. Practice makes perfect. Of course there are situations that a "maybe" is the right answer. I don't want you to take this too far and quit your day job that pays the bills! Having income is a BIG HELL YES! in my book!

Saying yes less to the neighbor, family, dog, church, school, 3rd cousin who is getting married, the long line of people who want free art/work from you for exposure......... means more room for the Yes's you want to do :-) When I ask myself if it is a "HELL YES!" it can really clarify more quickly the direction to take.

No, I don't get a "HELL YES!" to paying taxes - but I do pay, on time :-D

I was chatting through email with a fellow artists who had a pros and cons list for a decision that they were struggling to make. Of course only they know what is right for them, but I suggested that since it wasn't a strong yes, that maybe no for now was a good idea :-) Even though it was through email - it was like you could see the light bulb go on.

SO, I thought today I would just remind all of us, including myself, that a lot of times we know what to do before we think about it alot. Saying yes to less is a beautiful thing!

I really dig hearing about your experiences! Thanks for commenting below.

Artist Spotlight - Ronnie Walter

Be sure to scroll down to see samples of Ronnie's art!

 

Tell us a bit about yourself: Did you go to school for art? Are you self taught?

I was fortunate enough to attend a technical high school in Erie, Pennsylvania that had a commercial art program, so I had a pretty great foundation of drawing and painting before I went off to art school at the Columbus College of Art and Design. I only managed two years at Columbus due to my sad little budget, but I eventually ended up getting a BFA from St. Cloud State University in Minnesota. But I was also one of those kids who had to draw all the time. Like in math class, social studies, history…yeah, one of those.

What inspires you / where do you get inspiration from?

I am inspired by life, really. I find that humans are an ever changing source of inspiration due to our quirky and complex natures, plus, we are not particularly good at expressing ourselves emotionally--and as long as this is true, the world will continue to need artists and writers! I’m inspired to develop products that have meaning and I like the idea that something I do can make someone feel better, or could help mend a relationship, or just add a smile to somebody’s day. I know that sounds kind of schmaltzy but it really is something I bring to each new concept I work on.

Do you work in just one medium? Several?

I have always worked in watercolor with line art accents, but now by combining Photoshop with some other graphic programs I can replicate mediums that I am not necessarily proficient in for  real---and that’s pretty cool! I have also discovered a love for type since many of my new collections over the last few years have featured my original writing as part of the design.

What are you working on now? 

Since my husband Jim Marcotte and I are also agents, we’ve got a number of irons in the fire right now. We have several concepts that are going to see the light of day as a result of our efforts in Atlanta last month so they need final touches and art delivered. I just finished a grouping of personalized products that I’m pretty excited about, we are working on the upcoming refresh of our Life is Country® brand products plus we’re revamping our Two Town Studios website to better reflect the direction we’re going. We always have something happening—and if we don’t? We make it so!

Anything else you want to tell everyone?

I’m working on some follow-up materials to my book, License to Draw - How I built a fun career in Art Licensing and you can too!  (say that three times fast!). Writing the book has been a fantastic experience and I hope that my story of a humble start and continued success in this market can help others who might be trying to find their place in our world. My intent was to deliver the information in a friendly style that wouldn’t scare anybody (well, not too badly anyway!) but still give the readers a solid understanding of the business along with a little “you can do this!” as well.  I’ve gotten great feedback and it has really ignited my interest in following a new path creatively. I can’t wait to do more!

Are you an early riser? or night owl?

Definitely an early riser, always have been. My ideal day starts around 6:30 with some writing, drawing and the first of several large cups of tea.

What is your favorite food?

Can I please pick more than one?  I guess dark chocolate would go the tip top of the list but I love really good hearty bread, bacon (duh), coconut cake, and actually since I love to cook there are very few things I don’t like. I’m perfecting my Shrimp and Cheesy Grits recipe right now so that’s a fave. Oh, and is red wine a food?

(Click images to view larger)

You can find Ronnie:

Website and my blog:
www.ronniewalter.com

Two Town Studios website and Jim’s blog:
www.twotownstudios.com

Email:
ronniew@twotownstudios.com

Buy Ronnie's  book at Amazon

THANKS for stopping buy! Make my day and follow this blog :-D
Email me if you would like to be spotlighted anntroe@cox.net

Artist Spotlight - Paula Joerling

You have seen her work in stores!

Tell us a bit about yourself: Did you go to school for art? Are you self taught?
I would say that it's a little bit of both.
Coming from a long line of creative types, I come by my abilities naturally. My grandfather taught me how to paint and my grandmother taught me how to sew and knit. My mother would commandeer my sister and I to make a variety of decorations, gifts and cards for any occasion that arose.
In high school,  art was my favorite subject so when it was time to pick a college, naturally I went to art school. I have a major in photography with a minor in painting from the Art Academy of Cincinnati. 

What inspires you / where do you get inspiration from?
Pretty much anything vintage inspires me. I have a nice collection of vintage wallpaper, fabric and department store catalogs. If I am ever stuck, I head to those to spark something. It never fails.

Do you work in just one medium? Several?
In the past I have been all over the place; do I want to paint, collage, stitch etc. ? It's enough to make a girl's head explode! Lately I have been trying to reel all of this in and have figured out how to combine all of it into something that I am excited about. My most recent work reflects that.
The "being all over the place" has it rewards. I have built up a library of patterns, textures and ephemera that I have painted or collaged and it all comes in handy. That said, my style will change a bit depending on the project. Products are generally aimed at a certain demographic and I will adjust my style to reflect that.

What are you working on now?
For the next couple of  months I will be working on calendars for Lang and Avalanche. I have two titles for 2015 and will have 6 for 2016. For some crazy reason, I love doing calendars. I am also working on two collections for Midwest/CBK. I will post links on my blog and Facebook page when they are available.

Anything else you want to tell everyone?
Lots of people contact me for advice and there are two things that I always say. Both sound corny but are true.

First of all, if you know in your heart that what you are doing is what you want to be doing career wise, then stick with it. Be patient, things will happen for you when they are meant to happen.
Secondly, stay true to who you are and what you do. If you love collage and don't like to paint then for heaven's sake collage away. For years I had people telling me that no one would want certain art because of this or that and I  listened. I tried new things and no one wanted that art. Why? Because my heart wasn't in it. I stopped listening, went back to what got my juices flowing and, viola, success!

Are you an early riser? or night owl?
Early riser, I like to get up and get going.

What is your favorite food?
Air-popped popcorn, I could eat a bucket of it.

EMAIL   paulajstudio@yahoo.com
BLOG     paulajoerling.com
I primarily represent myself  but have some work at Roaring Brook Art
http://www.roaringbrookart.com/gallery/categories.php?cat_id=47
FACEBOOK   Paula Joerling Studio

Do you want to be spotlighted? Send me an email: anntroe@cox.net
THANKS for stopping by - make my day and follow this blog :-D

Pottery Painting Ideas - Nautical and Initial

Two Cute Ideas for Painting on Bisque
My daughter and I spent a wonderful afternoon painting at our local "paint your own pottery place". She painted the bowl on the left complete with a ship on the inside. The stripes on the rim are made by alternating with a wide square brush and a very thin brush. The waves are white paint squeezed from a small 'writer' bottle.

My small dish on the right has a base coat of speckled paint. I then lightly penciled in the letter "A", (the pencil burns off in the kiln). You can kind of see the pencil line in the before photo on the top right. I then dipped the brush handled into paint and made the larger dots in lots of colors. I didn't put any dots inside the letter A. Next I used a brush with a very small handle and made smaller dots. I put some of the smaller dots inside the large ones :-)

You might also be interested in my Bumble Bee Oval Dish (click bold words).
OR this Lady bug bowl, cereals bowls and mug (click bold words).

Tell me what fun thing you have done lately!

Dec 17th, 2013: I wanted to post a HUGE THANK YOU to all the visits this post has had so far!! I am glad you all are finding these two ideas interesting :-D Follow my blog to stay update with me.

Breaking the Rules - Do you?

 

When mixing color, I break these two rules - sometimes.

1. Don't use black in a painting.
2. Don't mix more than three colors together at a time.

The above two rules were taught in classes I took way back when. I see them pop up in art books & on blogs. I have done this when I paint with guache AND in the above pear palette knife acrylic unfinished painting.

Black was mixed in to get the darkest green you see above. There, I admit it. If you are new to painting, just use very small amounts of black at a time. It is a strong color and you won't need much when your are mixing. In other paintings, I have made a lovely mud out of several colors.

NOW, I think these rules are great. They help keep me from over mixing paint. Not using black can give a painting more interest and help to limit your palette.

Am I the only black-user-mud-maker out there?

5 Simple Newsletter Tips

Recently I sent out a marketing email to my graphic design clients. I thought all of you might be interested - we all do marketing as a part of doing business.

Write in the 3rd person. Take a look at newspapers and magazines for examples.

Little to no sales hype. Your consumers will see how great you are by the information you provide.

Keep it conversational. No need to wow them with your technical knowledge - you will seem less approachable.

Front page should pack a punch. Large photos are an easy way to grab attention.

No color - no problem. Black and white is less expensive to print and will work just as well.

Thanks for reading! ~Annie