Abundant Artist - Art Licensing, Licensing Artwork

The simple answer is licensing is the agreement between two parties (licensee/manufacturer and licensor/artist) to utilize a property on a specific product for a designated time and territory. In return, a fee is paid to the licensor for each item sold based on the wholesale price.

Licensed products have taken the world by storm, from Spongebob Square Pants candy bars to Eddie Bauer jeeps. Art-based licenses generate less in revenue and attention when compared with the licenses for entertainment, sports and character properties. But like the old fable about the tortoise and the hare, art licenses continue to grow at a steady and reliable pace. Unlike the flashier licenses based on super hits and trends, a good art license is design driven, which provides steady growth and, most important, longevity in the marketplace. Read the rest of the article.

Licensing Resource Links

One of the best ways to scope out the licensing world is by attending one of these
Trade Shows

Licensing International: Trade show for the licensing industry. It is one of the only global marketplace dedicated to bringing together the entire licensing community under one roof, at one time each year.

Surtex: (Javits Center; New York) : trade show for artist to sell designs and license artwork.

Hong Kong Licensing Show

Licensing Resource Links

Comprehensive List of Licensing Industry Releated Publications

List of Licensing Agents

List of Company's that License Artwork

License Finder - List of Licenses being actively ought or recently let.

International Licensing Industry Merchandises Association

The Licensing Journal

US Government Copyright Office

Basic License Agreement Dos and DO NOTs

Make sure any license agreement you enter into ALWAYs includes the following basics.

- The name of each piece of artwork being licensed.

- The specific types of products the artwork is to be reproduced on.

- A list of countries in which the product will be sold.;

- A statute of limitation during which time the company must either bring the product to market or forfiet the right to use the image.
- A specific written agreement to include a copyright notice concerning your image on each product, piece of packaging, instruction sheet, brochure, ad web page, etc. where the image will be used.

- A time limit on the agreement (usually about 3 years).

- An "indemnification clause" which says that the company will protect you from any lawsuits that might arise from any of their business activities which in any way relate to products carrying your art (so that you're protected if, say, a child swallows a product with your art on it and the parents sue).

- Aclause saying you may terminate the agreement if the company does not use the image according to the terms of use agreement, or if they go bankrupt.

- A specific statement of any non-refundable advance payment to be made to you against future royalties, the specific royalty percentage to be paid to you on a quarterly basis, and the requirement that each royalty check be accompanied by a clear statement of how they came up with the royalty amount;

- The right to have their books audited at your own expense to make certain they have been paid all that is due to you.

Do Not ever allow a licensing company:

- Access to the full copyright for any piece of art or to access blanket full reproduction rights

- The right to sublicense your work to other companies without your approval and sighature on each specific sublicensing agreement;

- Get ownership of your original works of art as part of the licensing agreement.

You'll sleep much better each night if you take this advice.

- The Abundant Artist

ART LICENSING