Based on a business need to diversify your income base, this may be a good time to look into licensing your work. Many manufacturers with product development departments need to fulfill the creative aspects of their pro­duct lines, which has opened up new opportunities. Pub­lish­ers are always looking for fresh ideas, creative design and art to main­tain a competitive edge for their retail paper products.

The only limit to the different ways your art can be sold through licensing is your imagination! Start by looking around at different uses of images on everyday objects. These include obvious items as greeting cards, note cards, paper products (plates, napkins and cups), calendars, stationery and video games; and the not so obvious, such as kitchen décor, house­wares, apparel, textiles, toys, beverage and food packaging. Interior designers also work with licensed products using design, illustration and photography. One of my favorites is the use of nature photography manufactured on floor tiles.

How do you know if you are ready to explore licensing? You are ready and marketable if you have imagination, technical skills, passion and persistence. In addition, product design capabilities, including the ability to translate 2-D illustrations to 3-D products, are in high demand.

For some expert advice, we talked with Jeanette Smith, owner of J’net Smith Marketing, Licensing & Publishing (www.jnetsmith.com). Smith has more than twenty years experience in the marketing and licensing industry. Her credits include building the Dilbert® brand from infancy to a global cor­po­rate icon while vice president of licensing for United Media. She has represented, consulted and coached hundreds of licensed artists, including Tara Reed and Becky Denny. Her strategic marketing expertise has led to character develop­ment and branding projects for such clients as Father Flanagan’s Girls and Boys Town, America’s largest privately funded organization for severely at-risk children. Smith also lends her talents to the Animaticus Foundation, a nonprofit organiza­tion, dedicated to the preservation, education and evolution of traditional 2-D animation in a digital age.

CA: Why look at licensing as a profit center?

Smith: Licensing is more important than ever to manufacturers; it’s a key way to create a competitive advantage in the retail industry. According to a recent study commissioned by the Inter­national Licensing Industry Merchandisers’ Association (LIMA), manufacturers paid $6.04 billion in licensing royal­ties in the U.S. in 2006 (up 1.5 percent from 2005). Most important to your readers is that the art licensing segment, while a small percentage of the overall licensing pie, had one of the largest growth rates in the industry. Art licensing grew in 2006 at a rate of 4 percent, with an increase of $7 million to a total of $182 million in licensing royalties according to the lima’s 2007 Annual Industry Study conducted by Yale School of Management and Harvard Business School. The term “art licensing” includes all types of creative, from design and illus­tration to painting, photography and collage.

CA: What are some of the qualities or skills necessary for success?
 
Smith: The number one quality is artistic and marketable talent, with an eye toward trends. Many manufacturers want something traditional, yet fresh. They don’t do ahead of the curve, but they do look for designs and art that are already “in trend” and that will appeal to a very broad audience.

Also, I always ask artists if they do holidays. For many manu­facturers and retailers, Christmas, followed by Halloween designs, far exceeds sales of any other product lines. Because of the constant, and high, demand for new art and designs within these categories, it’s a great way to get started in the licensing business.

The work of some cutting-edge designers is marketable to such a small and sophisticated audience that manufacturers may shy away. Don’t be discouraged. If this is your artistic niche, take the time to explore alternative manufacturers who are the right fit for your style.

CA: Do artists need agents for licensing sales?

Smith: That’s a relatively complex decision with many variables. It boils down to your goals, the speed with which you want to accomplish them, your personal talent and skill sets and what you are willing to do to achieve your goals.