Do you remember the classic kids toy the Weeble Wobble? I can still hear the tv commercial jingle in my head, "Weebles wobble but the don't fall down!"
While you might not physically want to resemble a Weeble Wobble, they are a great example of the mental fortitude artists need to succeed in art licensing. You will get more NO's than YES's when you submit art to manufacturers. If you are easily discouraged, you might never get to your yes.
Art licensing is art for commercial purposes. Manufacturers are looking for art that they feel will help them sell more products. So a coffee mug company that sells to stores with a country or folk art feel, won't want to license trendy colored patterns because that isn't what their clients are looking for. However a coffee mug company that sells to boutiques looking for modern and trendy products, could be a good fit.
The key to dealing with the many, many NO's you will encounter is to learn how to not to take them personally. You are looking for a company that creates a product that sells to stores and consumers who want your style of art. It is better to be told no by a company that isn't a good fit than to get a yes and have poor sales.
Here are three tips to build your "Weeble Wobble Bounce Back" skills:
Don't be afraid of rejection. Rejection is inevitable and without showing your work to manufacturers who license art, you will never be accepted. Get in the frame of mind to expect more people saying "no thank you" then yes, we want to use your art.Listen to feedback. Sometimes you won't be told why your art wasn't chosen but there are times when you have the opportunity to ask questions. If you can, ask why they chose the art that they did and if they have any suggestions for how you can make your art more desirable for them in the future. If you can accept the no and learn from feedback, your chances of getting a yes the next time greatly improve.
Don't take rejection personally. No artist can create art that will work for every company out there so don't take rejection as a sign that they don't like you personally or that your art isn't good. I like this mindset instead: No just means my art isn't a fit for their products at this time.
Artists in licensing need to balance creating art that is unique and authentic to them and that is a fit in the marketplace. Finding where your art fits will come with its share of rejection so learn to bounce back so you get to your yes's.
Get a jump start on licensing your art by claiming the first chapter of the eBook "How to Get Started in Art Licensing" FOR FREE when you visit http://www.artlicensinginfo.com/freebie.html
From Tara Reed, a licensed artist who is doing what she is teaching and creator of http://www.artlicensinginfo.com/ the place for artists to learn how to earn an income licensing their art, from experts in the industry.
Make art. Make plans. Make money.?
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