Over the next few weeks we are bringing back Lilla’s popular Q&A column, this time with questions from the previous class of Make Art That Sells. 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! We will be sharing a host of questions and answers over the next few Fridays so stay tuned!

Q) How can we find an agent/ artist representative to represent our work? 

Lilla: The book, “Artist’s and Graphic Designer’s Market” lists agents, and each agent lists how they like to be approached. Generally, I suggest emailing a few lo res jpgs (72 dpi) and a link to a website, plus a little bit on why you’d like an agent, and in particular that agency. Agents take a percentage, from about 30% to 50%. Generally, most agents are exclusive in all categories, but some handle only licensing, or children’s books, for example.

Q) Isn’t it a risk to submit art to companies that buy art when they often also develop their own collections and might copy your ideas? Can you protect your work against abuse this way?

Lilla: Do you hold everything close to you, or do you risk it and show your work to get work? You show your work. 99% of the time, companies do not copy. They don’t want a lawsuit. Companies that do copy are so rare, and more and more are getting outed by social media and legal action. We as artists can band together now.

The more you are a unique brand, the less likely you are to be copied, and when you are, it’s obvious that it’s your work. (This course helps you create your own unique brand, your own special look. So you are in the right place!) Some agencies and artists require passwords to their site. In addition to a blog and portfolios of all our artists work on our site, we do have a password-protected section for our freshest work. It’s a bit of both. You can give a taste on your site and blog, and then send your freshest work out to your favorite clients.

Think about any company out there, like Paperchase or Crate & Barrel. Any other manufacturer or retailer can copy or riff off of their products, 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) How do you create a story in your design (like squirrels baking pies) instead of just drawing pictures? Do you try to think of something witty?

Lilla: Don’t force it. Play. Make up a story. Dream.  Space out. Pretend you’re telling a little tale to a child. Where is that little raccoon going? What is she wearing? Not everyone creates stories. It’s not for everyone. No worries. You’ll learn more about this next week in the Children’s Book week.

Q) When creating coordinate patterns can I use elements that are contained in the principal pattern? Emma Schoneberg

Lilla: Yes, that’s fine, but you want to give value to the client, so the less repetition, the better.

Q)I have a question about typography in different languages. I sometimes use words in the Irish language, but it’s not a well-known language. Would I be limiting myself by using Irish words in my illustrations/patterns or would it be a chance to make my work unique? Tina Devins

Lilla: You want to be able to sell your work around the world. The largest market is English-speaking, so you want to not limit yourself. Be unique in other ways.

Q) If we work mainly in Photoshop and a client asks for a file in Illustrator what do we do?

Lilla: Work in the program that you like best. Build up your body of work. Most clients can take either format. You can’t second guess who wants what. Work in layers in Photoshop, hi res, and don’t flatten. I have artists that work in Photoshop, and artists that work in Illustrator. Rarely do they work equally in both. And they all get work. If you like flat shapes, Illustrator is best. If you like paint and traditional media and scanning in, Photoshop is best.

Q) Up until now I have sold most of my art on print on demand sites such as Society6, Redbubble, Zazzle etc. Would it be OK to license art and also sell it this way?  How is this viewed within the industry?

Lilla: It’s totally fine. It’s a great way to get your work out there, seen, make some money, link to your products from you site, and test what art of yours is selling well.

Got your own questions for Lilla? Join us for the next round of Make Art That Sells. Class begins March 31.

Book your spot here!

In this very cool video, alumnus Antonija M shares the ‘ultimate lesson’ she learnt in Make Art That Sells...

Are you ready to start making more commercially viable art whilst staying true to yourself? Do you want to get inside the head of art directors in ten of the hottest markets for art, and find out exactly what they are looking for? Do you want to become part of a community of supportive artists who are just like you? If so, you need Make Art That Sells.

The next class starts on March 31. Don’t miss out! Find out more and register here.

The first gallery from our hot new course Make Art That Sells: Assignment Bootcamp is now live! You can view it here:

The gallery features over 400 pieces of original art inspired by the February class assignments… cuckoo clocks for iPhones in the Gift market. We were blown away by the quality of submissions and love the energy in the Bootcamp community. Everyone is so supportive of each other’s work, and there is clearly a lot of talent in the group!

MATS Assignment Bootcamp is for people who crave professional level assignments to stretch you to create fresh signature pieces that are ready to sell in multiple markets, cutting edge trend and inspiration from an art agent who licenses and commissions projects for her artists every single day, and a structure for staying on track and accountable, so you can create a strong body of work over six months.

If you want to find out more about any of the featured artists, just click on their work so it opens up larger, then click on the link above the larger image.

If you like the look of this class and want to join you can still squeeze in if you register by March 13. But be quick – this is the ONLY time we will be running this class in 2014.

Over the next few weeks we are bringing back Lilla’s popular Q&A column, this time with questions from the previous class of Make Art That Sells. 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! We will be sharing a host of questions and answers over the next few Fridays so stay tuned!

Q) Is it better to try to follow a trend, or to do something completely different with the hope that it is pre-trend, since by the time your product is out on the market, the trend you are following could well be over?

Lilla: All of the above. But it is even more important to do work that you respect and find clients for that. As for trend, you can’t predict what the company sees as pre-trend. For some, it’ll be over and for some it’s too ahead, so best to make art you love and find companies who are similar to you.

Q) Has the current global economic crisis affected any of the markets we have touched upon in this class and if so how? What do you think the future holds for recovery in each specific market area?

Lilla: Never before has there been such a demand for gorgeous, hip products. This is great for artists. Fewer products are sold during a recession but still billions are, and the best ones will always be in demand. So artists have to up their game and shine. Editorial (magazines) took a hit in the late 2000s, but I was just in NYC and I was discussing with a colleague how people will always love the printed page, and we sense a resurgence. I am seeing some pretty amazing magazines emerge from women publishers. There is always a demand for visuals as we know from Facebook, Tumblr, Flickr, Pinterest, and Instagram. I am very optimistic about editorial and would love to lead the way with an editorial course to help artists make rockin’ great art for this field (stay tuned!) More great art will also help make this market even more exciting and more great art will be bought. It becomes a hot trend.

Q) In your opinion, at what point in their career can an agent-less artist justify exhibiting at a show like Surtex? Could you please give some pointers on how to prepare for such a show?

Lilla: I go over this in detail in my book and in Week 3 of MATS B. Short answer: This course is a great way to prepare. Make lots of great pieces. At Surtex, you can show anything such as loose prints, portfolios, books like iPhoto or Blurb books, ipads, etc. If you want to sell your prints in the apparel markets, those clients are used to viewing prints.

And yes, you certainly can show at Surtex as a agentless artist. I would definitely walk the show first before you invest many thousands of dollars in a booth, airfare, hotel, etc. Get the feel, develop your work, and then you will be ready.

Q) If you don’t hear from a company for a while do you contact them again? If so how long do you wait?

Lilla: The odds are that you won’t hear unless they are interested. Keep sending NEW work in emails, and send newsletters with your newest work to them, too.

Q) How do you decide which designs to sell outright and which to license?

Lilla: That is the million dollar question. Short answer: some clients only buy outright, some only license. When starting out, you might be more open to either. If you sell outright, it’s ideal to sell outright JUST in their market. And sometimes you’ll make more money with a sale than with a royalty.

Q) Are there paper or ink types that are more successful than others for hand lettering?

Lilla: Try smooth (hot press) papers, and try rougher (cold press) papers. Try a variety of pens and inks and brushes. See what you like.

Q) Could you please define for me the difference between wall art and fine art? After all Paul Klee’s work is considered “Fine Art” and hangs in museums today.

Lilla: They are not mutually exclusive. Wall art is the broader term. It means any art that hangs on a wall. It refers to a market. Fine art refers to art that is not craft or commercial art, although I am not a fan of any of these distinctions and these kinds of distinctions are becoming less common. I prefer the distinction of Gallery Art and Wall Art. Galleries sell the original paintings, and Wall Art sells reproductions.

Got your own questions

for Lilla? Join us for the next round of Make Art That Sells. Class begins March 31.

Book your spot here!

In this adorable video talented illustrator Reg Silva shares why she decided to make a real investment in herself and take Make Art That Sells… and what she learned along the way.

Are you ready to start making more commercially viable art whilst staying true to yourself? Do you want to get inside the head of art directors in ten of the hottest markets for art, and find out exactly what they are looking for? Do you want to become part of a community of supportive artists who are just like you? If so, you need Make Art That Sells.

The next class starts on March 31. Don’t miss out! Find out more and register here.

Make Art That Sells is an investment in yourself and your art career. We realise that for some people it is easier to spread the cost over several months, so we have an interest-free installment plan available. However, this closes on Thursday 20 February, so be sure to register before then if you want to pay in three monthly installments!

Stunning work by Linda Tordoff in response to a MATS assignment

It’s a brave enterprise to be an artist in our culture. And is there anything more gratifying than making a living with your artwork?

But sometimes it’s hard to know where to begin. What pieces of art do you make to get even more work than you’re getting, or better work, or work in brand-new markets? How the heck are you supposed to find that information if you don’t have an inside track into what clients are looking for?

What’s really exciting about our brand new course Make Art That Sells: Assignment Bootcamp  is that it’s an opportunity for you to create portfolio pieces that are hot. As an art agency, EVERY SINGLE DAY we assign jobs to our artists. I see what clients buy in all the major markets from home decor to children’s books to baby apparel to stationery to wall art.  I’ve been making trend reports and assignments for my artists for ages and I realize that our community needs this hard-to-find information.

Bootcamp is exactly that. It’s a structured, fun and inspiring e-course that will get you charged up to make new work. You’re going to get color directions to freshen up your palette, on-trend assignments, and a supportive community of fellow artists to inspire, support and motivate you.

Gorgeous home décor ideas from PaintLoveStudio in response to a MATS assignment

Plus, new for Bootcamp, we are offering an online gallery every month, where you can upload your assignment work and share it with the world. Who knows who will be looking? My friends in the business sure will – I’ll make sure of that! Plus, Bootcamp is perfect preparation for the 2014 Global Talent Search, which will be launched soon with a host of amazing new licenses for the winner.

For less than the price of a weekly venti latte, you can move your art career forward with this phenomenal experience! I really hope you will join us. Class begins on Monday, and it’s gonna be pretty amazing. There will be a ton of buzz around this course, and you can be part of it. So book your place now and get ready to get cracking!

Love Lilla

Ps. You know if it’s a course produced by Beth Kempton of Do What You Love, you know it’s going to be top-notch and worth every penny.

So many people have been asking me about our brand new course MATS Assignment Bootcamp (which starts on Monday) I thought I’d record a few words to tell you about it. In this short (5 minute) video I explain why Bootcamp is such a valuable opportunity for you if you want to grow your body of commercially viable work with on-trend assignments for hot markets…

Sound like just the thing you need? Bootcamp starts on Monday so find out more and secure your spot now!

In order to do what you love as your career, you have to ‘ship’ – you have to create whatever it is you create, and get it out in the world. Otherwise no-one will be able to buy it, and you won’t generate any income to sustain your desired way of life. But we know that it can be tough to stay focused as a creative person, when there are so many distractions in our daily lives.

Over the years we have learnt there is nothing better than a goal, a deadline and a supportive community to help people make real progress with their careers. So we have created Make Art That Sells: Assignment Bootcamp, to provide exactly that. You will get five professional-level assignments and cutting edge trends and inspiration over six months, to stretch you to create fresh signature pieces that are ready to sell in multiple markets. This will provide a structure for staying on track and accountable, so you can create a strong body of work over six months.

Class begins February 3 so be sure to book your place now, and get ready for a creative blast! Find out more and register here.

Happy new year! We have a feeling that 2014 is going to be a very exciting year, and hope it is a great one for you. Why not make this the year you commit to your art career, invest in yourself and pour everything into making a living from your talent? If you are ready to take your art from good to great, and start to truly flourish as a professional artist, we have some special things in store for you. Read on…

Make Art That Sells Part A & B is back! Registration is now open for the March 2014 class (begins March 31). These are two 5-week e-courses which give you everything you need to know to make and sell commercially-viable art in the hottest markets, learning from someone who has sold art for products worth over $100 million! Find out more and register here.

Want to know what kind of impact this course can have on your career? Here is what alumnus Emily Balsley had to say about it:

“I went into the course a fairly “green” illustrator and I have come out of it ready to take on the world one illustration at a time – with new skills, self-confidence, focus and drive.

When I first signed up for the course, it was hard for me to justify paying so much for this class when I was hardly making any money as an illustrator! But that was the point of the course, right?!? With encouragement from my husband, I decided it was time to do something for myself and look at it as an investment for my career. And now that it’s over, it was worth every penny. I can’t imagine how many hours of planning went into this class, but thank you so much for putting in all the effort. It really shows.

This is what I’m supposed to be doing, and I couldn’t be more excited about what opportunities lie ahead.”

Read Emily’s full review of the course here. Find out more about the course and book your place here!

Our brand new online experience Make Art That Sells: Assignment Bootcamp is filling up fast, ahead of class beginning on February 3. This is a structured six-month program of monthly assignments to help you build a strong body of work. You will get five professional-level art assignments over six months to help you create great pieces that are ready to sell. Each month you will have three weeks to complete the assignment. You will then have the option to post your work to a public gallery where it can be viewed by peers, art buyers and industry experts. Find out more and register here.

The Global Talent Search will soon be back – this is your opportunity to win two years’ representation from top art agent Lilla Rogers, along with a host of licensing deals. This is a highly regarded and fiercely contested opportunity, so if you want to maximize your chances of winning we would strongly encourage you to take one of our Make Art That Sells classes to help you understand what sells, how to present your work, and how to create great art that is commercially viable. More details on the Global Talent Search coming in the Spring…

So what are you waiting for? Take the leap, make the commitment, and get cracking!

2013 has been a hugely exciting year for us, not least because our inaugural Make Art That Sells e-course launched and has helped reignite and develop hundreds of artists’ careers all around the world, including Zoe Ingram who actually went on to win the Global Talent Search 2013 and is now part of our studio.

Make Art That Sells is a collaboration with our friends at Do What You Love, who are celebrating this by giving away a free place on the brand new Assignment Bootcamp! This exciting new online experience will help you create professional-level art in a supportive, nurturing environment over six months in 2014. Sound good? Read on…

Do you want…

• Professional level assignments to stretch you to create fresh signature pieces that are ready to sell in multiple markets?
• The kind of assignments that are proven to get work?
• Cutting edge trend and inspiration from an art agent who licenses and commissions projects for her artists every single day?
• A structure for staying on track and accountable, so you can create a strong body of work over six months?
• Access to a community of talented, supportive artists?

If so, you need the Make Art That Sells: Assignment Bootcamp! It will help you stay motivated – the best way to improve career is to make art. It will give you structure. It can be so hard to do it on your own – this way you don’t have to. And it will be super fun! You will love discovering a new tribe of talented artists who will work alongside you, support you, and keep reminding you why you are doing this. The community aspect of Bootcamp will be hugely valuable to you.

Dates: Feb – July 2014* (*Please note there will be no assignment in April when Make Art That Sells A & B are running)

Each month, from February to July (excluding April), you will receive a professional-level assignment from Lilla Rogers. To find out more about how the class works, click here. Bootcamp is designed to be taken alongside full time work or other commitments, with just one major piece of work per month to work on. Find out more here.

All participants will have the opportunity to share their work via a public gallery on www.lillarogers.com each month. This will be a fantastic way to get your work seen by others in the industry as we will heavily promote the class gallery via our social media and other channels.

As an agent, artist, teacher and trendspotter, Lilla absolutely loves creating professional-level assignments that really stretch artists and help them grow. This is good for them, and good for the industry, as art directors get the pick of even better work. In collaboration with Lilla we would like to invite you to join us for the inaugural Make Art That Sells: Assignment Bootcamp and get cracking!

GIVEAWAY

The prize: ONE spot in Make Art That Sells: Assignment Bootcamp (runs for 6 months from Feb 2014, delivered online)

How to enter: Leave a comment on the Do What You Love blog here. (Please do not leave your comment here on lillarogers.com as you will not be entered!)

Deadline: 12 noon GMT on Wednesday 11 December 2013. Any comments left after this time will not be counted. The winner will be announced here on the blog Friday December 13.

The small print: The winner will be chosen by Do What You Love from the comments left below this post. Our decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. The prize is non-transferable (other than to the person nominated by the winner) and there is no cash alternative unless you have already registered for the course and win, in which case you will get your course fee back. This competition is open to anyone from any country over 18 years of age. The winner will be announced on this blog next week (Friday Dec 13). Thank you and good luck!

Good luck!