Lilla will be speaking on trend at the show, too!  Don’t miss it!

Xo, Reine

Our ‘Q&A with Lilla’ series is back and here is part 2 of our posts this week. This is where we share questions from the previous class of Make Art That Sells.

In Lilla’s Make Art That Sells classes she often gets asked about how to sell work in particular markets, so we thought we’d share some of those questions and answers with you. If you want to work on making art that sells yourself, then why not join us for Assignment Bootcamp, starting on January 5*. (Please note there is no Q&A with Lilla in Bootcamp as the focus is on creating art. If you want to ask Lilla questions directly you will need to join MATS A or B)”

The next Make Art That Sells classes will take place in March 2015, so get on the mailing list here to be one of the first to hear when registration opens!

You can see what a wide variety of topics are covered – and you might even find the answer to that burning question you have been wanting to ask! These questions were asked during the MATS Part B earlier this year.

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Q: If you exhibit at a tradeshow like Surtex, do you bring your own licensing contracts and terms to the show and sign contracts there and then? Or do the buyers always work with their own contracts? Do you sell right there on the show or send them the low res pieces they were interested in after the show?

A: We have never signed a contract on the spot. All this will be done after the show, where all the “work” takes place. Surtex is the meet and greet, and then the work takes place afterwards, at which time you’ll review terms with the client. If there is a contract, it’ll be provided by them, which you will review. If you have questions (as not all contracts are written clearly), be sure to ask for clarification. This is perfectly acceptable.

You will send them lo res pieces that they are interested in during or after the show. Be sure to ask how soon they need the jpgs.

The exception to this is if you sell the piece at the show, which now happens primarily in the Atelier section at Surtex, although you can certainly do this at the regular section. To sell your prints (and accompanying hi res image), you show printouts. You will bill the client after the show.

Q: When submitting work to art directors and companies, if they say no or that my work isn’t ready, is it okay to submit new work later on? Is there an appropriate amount of time to wait before sending anything new?

A: Absolutely! Keep growing, and then resubmit.

Q: Can I license the same art to multiple industries/companies? Or is the art strictly exclusive to whoever licenses it first?

A:  Yes, you definitely can send emails to multiple companies showing your work. Where you can license it will depend on the contracts you sign.

***

Want to work on making art that sells yourself, then why not join us for Assignment Bootcamp, starting on January 5*. (Please note there is no Q&A with Lilla in Bootcamp as the focus is on creating art. If you want to ask Lilla questions directly you will need to join MATS A or B)”

Got your own questions for Lilla? Join us for the next round of Make Art That Sells. Class begins on Monday 2 March, 2015 and you can register your interest here to be one of the first to hear when registration opens.

Lilla will be speaking on trend at the show, too! Don’t miss it!

Xo, Reine

Our ‘Q&A with Lilla’ series is back! This is where we share questions from the previous class of Make Art That Sells.

In Lilla’s Make Art That Sells classes she often gets asked about how to sell work in particular markets, so we thought we’d share some of those questions and answers with you. If you want to work on making art that sells yourself, then why not join us for Assignment Bootcamp, starting on January 5*. (Please note there is no Q&A with Lilla in Bootcamp as the focus is on creating art. If you want to ask Lilla questions directly you will need to join MATS A or B)”

The next Make Art That Sells classes will take place in March 2015, so get on the mailing list here to be one of the first to hear when registration opens!

You can see what a wide variety of topics are covered – and you might even find the answer to that burning question you have been wanting to ask! These questions were asked during the MATS Part B earlier this year.

***

Q) I liked your ‘trendspotting with your notebook’ idea. How long did you spend doing what you showed us? How fast were you flipping through the magazine pictures looking for things… like just scanning the page with your eye fairly quickly and then flipping the page or more of a studying eye moving around on the page? 

A) Good questions! All of the above. I just cut out whatever excited me or made me happy to look at. This is a great way to learn to tune in to your passions and visual taste. For the train trip, I had gathered a few magazines and catalogs beforehand, so when I sat down I was able to just dive in. Hard to say how long it took because I was on a four-hour train ride, but I suppose we were talking an hour or two.

Q) Is it true that if you post artwork to your website it makes it unlicensable? I’ve heard people say you should post only a few samples of your work publicly and have a password protected area for clients only. 

A) We have not found that to be the case that work shown on a website becomes ‘unlicensable’. We like having a mix of work we blog, post, etc., and work that is password protected. You need to get some of your work out there so you are seen, however, and password protected art is not a must. It’s not done in the editorial market, for instance, because all the work is specific, and is commissioned.

You’ll always need to show some work on the “outside” of the password-protected site. You have to create interest in your work, so you must show some art. Then, you can offer to send interested clients your images that are in your private stash.

Think about any company out there, like Paperchase or Crate & Barrel. Any other manufacturer or retailer can copy or riff off of their products (once they are in the shops), too. We all take risks.

Do your best, keep making work, put your name on all art, only send lo res jpgs, and copyright your work. (Note: copyright arises automatically in some countries)

Q) Can you suggest any magazines you think we should all be subscribing to?

A) I love UPPERCASE. Also FLOW Magazine. And I religiously view all the catalogs that come into my home (Anthropologie, Crate&Barrel, etc.)

Q. Are licensing contracts always written up by the company or by the designer? In what situations would I be the one to write the contract?

A: We have never written up a contract. We review the company’s contract, and cross out or add things as needed. That said, we put all pertinent info in our Job Confirmation which we send to our artist and the client, such as fee, scope of job, usage, exclusive, due dates, etc.

Q. How much time is reasonable to pass between receiving a licensing inquiry (and me replying promptly) and the company’s response? If 2 months pass, and then again several weeks, can the company be considered ‘flaky’ or is this normal?

A: Here’s the reality. We—manufacturers, art directors, agents—are all so busy and overwhelmed with more than we can do. I would keep them on your radar and send them your newsletter or emails. Mamma Lilla always says, “Many eggs in many baskets”. You never know who will bite. You are sowing seeds.

***

Want to work on making art that sells yourself, then why not join us for Assignment Bootcamp, starting on January 5*. (Please note there is no Q&A with Lilla in Bootcamp as the focus is on creating art. If you want to ask Lilla questions directly you will need to join MATS A or B)”

Got your own questions for Lilla? Join us for the next round of Make Art That Sells. Class begins on Monday 2 March, 2015 and you can register your interest here to be one of the first to hear when registration opens.

Hi Lilla!

I’m so excited to announce that the team at ecojot and I have launched a kickstarter campaign for our ecojotCONNECT smartphone app. We are raising funds to develop version 2 of the app which will have quicker scanning capabilities, richer editing, searchable tags and multiple page pdfs.

I find it so useful for 3 reasons.

FIRSTLY: My rough sketches or concepts can be sent to clients for approval.

SECONDLY: My sketches can be quickly brought into my drawing program where I can digitally bring them to life!

THIRDLY: I can store all my sketches in the app for handy usage or retrieval later.

Thinking of our fellow artists I think this is a handy tool in our design process.

I use the app regularly and if we can get the support for version two I know many of my fellow artists will too.

Thank you Lilla!

Here is the direct link:  https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/800822737/ecojotconnect

xo,

Carolyn