Author: school

12/5/13

NEW! Assignment Bootcamp for artists!

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After the storming success of Make Art That Sells we are thrilled to announce the launch of the brand new Assignment Bootcamp with Lilla Rogers! 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 crave…

  • 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)

Price: £99 (approx. $159) – Secure your spot NOW! 

register 200 x 200

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!

10/7/13

Make Art That Sells begins today – are you in?

Do you wish there was somewhere you could go to learn how to make your work more commercially viable, whilst staying true to yourself?

Do you wish there was a one-stop-shop for understanding the hottest markets in the world for selling art?

Do you wish you had access to someone who has been in the industry for decades, who knows how it works, who sees trends coming, and who understands where your work fits in?

Do you wish there was a way you could ask questions about art which don’t seem to be answered anywhere else?

Do you wish there was somewhere you could go that felt like a safe and happy place, where your journey guide understood what it’s really like to be an artist for a living, who has been through tough times and good, and who understands both the business and the emotional aspects of such a life?

Do you wish you could be part of a community of like minded artists who get you, support you, and cheer you on?

Well you can, and there is such a place. It is called the Lilla Rogers Studio School, and the course you need is Make Art That Sells.

This course begins TODAY and this is the last chance you have to join it this year. The course will not run again until Spring 2014.

We are keeping registration open for latecomers until midnight GMT on Thursday, but class has begun today so we urge you to sign up quick and GET CRACKING!

PS Don’t just take our word for it – read our amazing testimonials here!

10/4/13

Q&A Friday with Lilla: On life as an artist

Lilla loves questions, and she was asked a great deal of them in Make Art That Sells, so we thought we’d share a few with you. Over the past couple of Fridays we have been posting a few real questions from students, along with Lilla’s responses. We hope these are helpful as you develop your own work. This week we are focusing on life as an artist.

 

Q) What happens when an artist is facing a difficult situation, things like sickness, or loss, or financial issues? How we can keep creating with joy in difficult times?

A) This is a very real question. When I’ve gone through difficult times, my studio was a place of refuge. Commissions and work can be a healthy way to escape. The demands of assignments can be a good focus. All of my employees are mothers, so we all go through the ups and downs of children (several are teens!), and we have all commented on how the Studio is a place to put worry out of our minds for the time being. Another idea is to paint and draw your emotions; good, bad, ugly and weird. There’s a lot of relief and clarity that comes from that. Joy doesn’t need to mean all rainbows and smiles in your art. It just means you’re making art that comes from a joyful experience.

 

Q) How do you deal with envy?

A: It’s absolutely normal and common to feel envy at another artist’s success or amazing work. Artists don’t talk much about their personal feelings of envy. I don’t know why. Maybe we’re uncomfortable admitting to petty negative feelings?

To really be spiritual though, is to step back and remember that there is room for everybody. Art is actually not a competition. The more great art that’s out there, the more people buy more great art!

My best advice for dealing with envy is this: Rather than focusing on others, just keep focusing on your relationship with your work. Do what you do best and have fun with it. (Take it out for a nice dinner and a movie… LOL).

No-one can ever compete with your own unique vision.

 

Q) I am my own harshest critic. How do I stop this taking over?

Creative people have a fine mind and heightened sensitivity. You’re able to create something new and original, beautiful and unique.

This is the good part.

However, the difficult part is that this same intensity can be turned inward and can produce a sense of inadequacy. You may feel that your work isn’t good enough, you’re not doing enough for your career, or someone else got a great project and you didn’t.

I would like to suggest that you ask yourself “Am I feeling inadequate?”

Take a read on how you’re feeling. Then say to yourself, “Adequate, not inadequate. That’s good enough for now.”

Try this throughout the day.

 

Q) In the beginning when you are struggling to make ends meet from your art, it is easy to feel pulled in many directions – the need to make art, the pressure to sell it, the importance of promotion, the demands of admin, etc. How do you manage your time in a way that allows you to move forward?

A: What is the secret of life for the brilliantly creative person? Time management. I hear you groan, but you, as a creative whizz, need to make time management your friend and do it in a lovely way so that it fits your personality. Break things down into tiny chunks so that you chip, chip, chip away in little bits toward your goals.

Even before you begin managing your time, it’s vital to think about – and write down – your values and your goals. You might list just two or three things. Next, list all the activities involved to achieve those goals. Finally, clump them into similar activities and place them on a calendar so that you have a timeframe for achieving them. I write extensively about my Clump System in Part A of Make Art That Sells – this can really help you juggle everything.

Remember, too, that facts are your friend. If necessary remove some of your financial pressures so you are more happily making art. To do so, you need to be realistic about how long it takes to build a brand and a career. You may need another source of income for some time. Give yourself time. Build that into the calculation. But work hard and put in lots of hours in your career. What you spend time on is what you value!

Additionally, support is your secret weapon in the fight to do all the various tasks that are required of the independent artist. Delegate anything and everything you can. Invest in hiring others at any level you can afford.

There is no denying that the journey you are on requires a ton of work. But it’s so worth it. You have such freedom in your life, and you are your own boss. You can create a life that is full of adventure. There will be lots of surprises along the way, and opportunities that you never knew existed will come to you. I, for one, wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

Q) Don’t you think that making art that sells is selling out?

That is a fabulous question. 1)It’s only selling out if you are selling out to yourself and your own vision. 2) When you look at the fabulous products of companies like Land of Nod, Blue Q, and Paperchase (just to name a few), and scads of many amazing picturebooks, for example, do you think those artists have sold out to get that work in the world (and enjoyed by so many)? I don’t.

Let’s define selling out. In my mind, it’s dumbing down your work so that you make money. My whole career has been about doing the opposite, in my own work, my agency, and my e-courses.

Any time you sell a piece of art, whether it’s through a gallery or to a manufacturer, you are involved in the conversation of commerce and aware of your market and who is buying. Only when you do a piece strictly for you own self are you potentially free of that. So the question is, how can you make art that sells while being the most true to yourself? For me, the answer is to understand the market, and then elevate it with your art. It’s a dance that takes time. I believe my artists have mastered that very well.

Finally, we live in a time when, unless you are a farmer, you need money to eat. And so you accept the fact that there is some kind of compromise involved. Look at it from another perspective – how totally amazing is it that you can pay the rent with your art-making? This is a relatively new phenomenon in the modern world. For most of civilized history, only a few painters could make livings by painting portraits of royalty or biblical scenes for the Church (the main two big clients). So, from that perspective, it’s a pretty amazing time we live in. I say to my kids, “How cool is it that I bought my first car from making pictures?”

The question becomes, how can you get that gig while doing your very best work?

 

If you want the chance to ask Lilla your own burning questions, sign up for Make Art That Sells (starting online THIS MONDAY October 7). This is an industry first – a real opportunity to learn how to make great art that sells in the top ten hottest markets. Don’t miss it!

 

PLUS: WIN A 1-1 PORTFOLIO REVIEW & CAREER CONSULTATION WITH LILLA!

Have you ever dreamt of having a portfolio and career consultation with a top art agent? Well this is your chance! For the first time ever Lilla Rogers is offering a private one hour portfolio review and career consultation (via Skype) to TWO lucky artists.

This is a rare, incredible opportunity to tap into three decades’ of experience from someone at the forefront of the art licensing industry. Lilla Rogers Studio has sold art for products worth over $100 million. Lilla knows what is hot, what is on the horizon and where your work fits in. Find out more here!

10/3/13

Announcing the Global Talent Search 2013 Winners!

After four months, 1500+ entrants from 30+ countries, three rounds of competition, more than 10,000 public votes and many hours of deliberating, we are over the moon to reveal the winners of the 2013 Global Talent Search! It was so hard to choose from our outstanding six Finalists that we have decided to give two awards – the Grand Prize and a second Special Studio Award. Two art careers are about to change forever. Drum roll please…

 

Grand Prize Winner:

ZOE INGRAM, Australia

Congratulations Zoe! The finalists were asked to design for a home decor line with Midwest CBK. Here’s a glimpse of Zoe’s winning work for the competition (we will be sharing more in the coming days):

We loved the very fresh take on birds with the integration of the doilies, the zany/happy freedom of her style, and her sensational color palette. She has a distinctive look that we know will become recognizable and is highly marketable. Artists that can do patterns, lettering, icons, and people are able to attract a vast array of work – and she has proven herself in all of these areas. She’s expert in traditional media as well as digital media which is a terrific combination. Plus she can paint.

Can you believe these amazing plates? Zoe created in response to the assignment for Home Decor week in our Make Art That Sells class. We fell in love with them the minute we saw them. I am quite fond of the “seedling” lettering as well. I remember commenting on the plate that she submitted for class (the plate on the top left) and saying in the weekly art review, “This is a perfect piece.” Can you believe she created all four in one week? Her years as a graphic designer show.

It was clear that Zoe already had the talent, and then Make Art That Sells helped her understand the market potential for her work, and present it beautifully.

We are thrilled to announce that Zoe has won TWO YEARS’ INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION BY LILLA ROGERS STUDIO, with a host of licensing deals and international promotion including:

– A MINI FABRIC COLLECTION with the prestigious ROBERT KAUFMAN FABRICS

– A SCRAPBOOKING LICENSE with PRIMA MARKETING INC. Zoe will work directly with Prima’s own Creative Director and in-house Design Team through the development process, giving her the hands on experience to learn about this industry from the inside out.

– A HOME DECOR AND GIFT PRODUCT LINE WITH MIDWEST-CBK. Margo Tantau, Midwest-CBK’s Vice-President of Design & Creative, will personally work with the Zoe to create a smashing product line of gift and home decor products, such as wall art, lighting, textiles, ceramics, and specialty products, all offered with the voice of Zoe to help her build an identity and strong brand footprint in the marketplace.

– A LICENSE FOR A JOURNAL COVER with gorgeous UK-based stationery company PAPERCHASE.

– A LICENSE FOR A DECORATIVE GARDEN PRODUCT WITH STUDIO M, the new artful home and garden division of Magnet Works, Ltd.

– A FEATURE IN WHERE WOMEN CREATE BUSINESS, the top creative business magazine from Stampington

We are thrilled to welcome Zoe into the studio fold and cannot wait to start working with her.
But there’s more – we were so blown away by the finalists’ work that we added another prize…

Special Studio Award Winner:

Daniel Roode, USA

Here’s the winning work Daniel created for the third and final round of the competition:

Can you see why we had to add another prize? His submission is a fully-realized product line with a strong graphic read with a charming retro feel, and lovely textures. And check out his calligraphy!

We are thrilled to announce that Daniel has won:

– TWO YEARS’ INTERNATIONAL REPRESENTATION BY LILLA ROGERS STUDIO

HOME DECOR AND GIFT PRODUCT LINE WITH MIDWEST-CBK. Margo Tantau, Midwest-CBK’s Vice-President of Design & Creative, as one of the judges of the Global Talent Search, was so blown away by Daniel’s work that she offered this prize. She and her team will personally work with the Daniel to create a gorgeous product line of gift and home decor products branded with Daniel’s name.

We couldn’t be happier to add these two awesome artists to our studio family, alongside all our other talented artists. The other four Finalists are also brilliantly gifted, and we will be showcasing them and their final entries here on the blog over the coming days. We are grateful to our judges, to everyone who entered the contest, and to everyone voted and supported the participating artists.

 

LOVE WHAT YOU SEE?

If you are an Art Director… Want to talk to us about licensing or commissioning work with our newest artists? We’d love you to contact us. Hurry! These artists are going to get booked up fast. And of course we have all your favorite artists, too.

If you are an artist… Want to see your career skyrocket? We would strongly encourage you to consider joining the next round of Make Art That Sells(which starts on Monday). The course clearly had a major impact on Grand Prize Winner Zoe Ingram’s work, and helped her take it to the next level. She said on her blog “I learned so so much during the e-course and I don’t think I would have made the top 50 had I not taken part in it.”

If you want to learn how to make great art that sells in the top ten markets for art internationally, whilst staying true to yourself, there is no other course like this out there. There are still a few places left if you are quick – register here!

 

CHANCE TO WIN A 1-1 PORTFOLIO REVIEW & CAREER CONSULTATION WITH LILLA ROGERS

Have you ever dreamt of having a portfolio and career consultation with a top art agent? Well this is your chance! For the first time ever Lilla Rogers is offering a private one hour portfolio review and career consultation (via Skype) to TWO lucky artists.

This is a rare, incredible opportunity to tap into three decades’ of experience from someone at the forefront of the art licensing industry. Lilla Rogers Studio has sold art for products worth over $100 million. Lilla knows what is hot, what is on the horizon and where your work fits in. Find out more here! The deadline to enter the 1-1 competition is 7pm EST / 12 midnight GMT Sunday 6 October.

9/27/13

Q&A Friday with Lilla: On style

Lilla loves questions, and she was asked a great deal of them in Make Art That Sells, so we thought we’d share a few with you. Over the next few Fridays we will be posting a few real questions from students, along with Lilla’s responses. We hope these are helpful as you develop your own work. This week we are focusing on style.

 

Q) Do you know any successful artists who have more than one distinctive style? How do they present their work on their website?

A) If the reality is that you have a few styles, then by all means show them. The world is your personal focus group. The market will come to you for the work that’s marketable. But if you believe in a style, don’t give up on it even if it takes longer to get results. Here’s the deal: Over time, your various styles will probably merge into one even stronger style. I’ve seen this happen time and time again. Keep making art.

 

Q) For bolt fabric, do ‘simple/modern’ designs work – or is it great only when marketed under a brand (like Orla Kiely) who stand for that kind of lifestyle and have the power of their brand behind them?

A) This is a very important question. Remember that most companies have in-house designers.  So they won’t come to you and pay $500 – $1,000 or more for a piece of art, or royalties, for work that they can do themselves. This is why I encourage you to do pieces that have a lot going on, and even possibly paint on the art. Simple has its place, but the more you can offer a client, the more enticing your piece will be.

 

Q) Do you have any advice on how best to know where your style fits? Would having an agent be the best way to find the right audience?

A) Getting an agent is like getting a client. A good agent is difficult to get. Make Art That Sells (in my humble opinion) is a terrific way to see what styles are commercial. Also, it gives you some of the best subject matter for each market according to what I see licensed in the marketplace, since it’s what I do for a living. That’s one way. If you are looking at lots of products that are currently being produced in the market you like, then you are getting a flavor for what I call the cultural visual conversation. Then, you put your spin on it.

 

Q) If you want a long career, how do you balance developing a distinctive style with staying fresh?

A: I am all about career longevity for artists. I have seen careers come and go over the decades. Why do some artists’ careers last? Simple answer: they stay inspired and take risks. They don’t get stuck in a rut. They push, they try, they explore. So that might mean being creative in all kinds of ways. 

Let’s dig deeper into the premise of the question: How do you make a career last for decades? First, it’s important to have one core business that you can leverage, so you don’t scatter your efforts everywhere. Just get good at one thing, for starters. Then, opportunities grow from there. So, for example, say you have an Etsy shop of your artwork and things are selling well.  So you might grow from there to getting a variety of surface design licensing deals like for wall art and gift products, picturebook commissions, fabric lines and magazine illustrations (editorial). Remember, one thing leads to the next.
That answers the first part of your question, about a career longevity. Now let’s look at the part about balancing a distinctive style with staying fresh.  I think what you’re asking is how can you get known for your look while not changing up your brand so much with all kinds of work so that you become unrecognizable. The answer is that you do want to have a body of work that hangs together, but then it’s terrific to have art around the edges that pushes the boundaries of your style. This shows art directors and agents that you have more up your sleeve. I always love to see that in an artist – what kinds of explorations are they doing? 
Q) Is it more important to have a vision of the style you want, or to let it evolve naturally? What is the key ingredient to homing in on your style?

A: Short answer: The more art you do, the more your style emerges. Fact. Your style actually grows and evolves over time as your tastes change. Looking at art and the world informs your work. Pushing yourself to try new things and to work in different media grow your style as they add more tools to your tool kit. So learning is key.

One of the most exciting parts of art-making is the spiritual process of self-discovery. By constantly asking yourself questions such as, “Do I like this? Do I like making this mark, or putting down this color, or drawing neatly, or wildly?”, you learn more about your true self. That is why when we see a very distinctive style, like Helen Dardik’s, it is as though we are looking at Helen herself. You are making what you – in your core – love to make, regardless of what others think. That is how you become an original.
Those of you that have taken our Make Art That Sells course know that I often say “people buy your joy”. It’s true.  And the corollary follows that joy comes from being passionate about your work. And when you are passionate, you know that you are doing the art you’re meant to do. Make the art you’re meant to do and then match it up with the right market for your work.
Homing in on your own style is about taking risks and requires courage!  When I was young, one of my favorite books was Rollo May’s text, The Courage to Create. Confession: I don’t think I actually ever read it, but I contemplated the title for many years! Yes, art-making takes courage.

 

If you want the chance to ask Lilla your own burning questions, sign up for Make Art That Sells (starting online on October 7). This is an industry first – a real opportunity to learn how to make great art that sells in the top ten hottest markets. Don’t miss it!

We’ll be back next week with ‘Q&A Friday with Lilla: On life as an artist’

 

PLUS: WIN A 1-1 PORTFOLIO REVIEW & CAREER CONSULTATION WITH LILLA!

Have you ever dreamt of having a portfolio and career consultation with a top art agent? Well this is your chance! For the first time ever Lilla Rogers is offering a private one hour portfolio review and career consultation (via Skype) to TWO lucky artists.

This is a rare, incredible opportunity to tap into three decades’ of experience from someone at the forefront of the art licensing industry. Lilla Rogers Studio has sold art for products worth over $100 million. Lilla knows what is hot, what is on the horizon and where your work fits in. Find out more here!

9/26/13

It’s OK to wear your pajamas to work! (Louise Wright talks about MATS)

Sometimes, when you get in the creative zone, it completely takes over and you forget to eat, get dressed etc. Looks like that is what happened to Louise Wright as she completely threw herself into Make Art That Sells! Here she shares what she learnt (this cute video is just a minute long).

Click on the image below to view it:

If you have any problems viewing this video, click this link to watch it on Vimeo.com.

If you feel like you want something juicy and creative to dive into, and want to learn how to make art that sells in the top ten hottest markets from one of the world’s top agents (who has sold art for products worth over $100 million) sign up for Make Art That Sells now (begins October 7 online).

 

PLUS: WIN A 1-1 PORTFOLIO REVIEW & CAREER CONSULTATION WITH LILLA!

Have you ever dreamt of having a portfolio and career consultation with a top art agent? Well this is your chance! For the first time ever Lilla Rogers is offering a private one hour portfolio review and career consultation (via Skype) to TWO lucky artists.

This is a rare, incredible opportunity to tap into three decades’ of experience from someone at the forefront of the art licensing industry. Lilla Rogers Studio has sold art for products worth over $100 million. Lilla knows what is hot, what is on the horizon and where your work fits in. Find out more here!

9/24/13

Coloring outside the lines – Valerie Hart on Make Art That Sells

It has been a humbling experience hearing what Make Art That Sells students have taken from the course. Words are powerful, but visuals are sometimes even more so, which is why we love this testimonial video from Valerie Hart so much. It is so simple but so true of so many people’s stories – we hope that if you join us for the next course (starts Oct 7), you will find the same kind of confidence and friendships that Valerie found.

https://vimeo.com/71393886

Click on the image to watch the video (it is just one minute long):

If you have any problems viewing this video, click this link to watch it on Vimeo.com.

If you want to learn how to make art that sells in the top ten hottest markets, from one of the world’s top agents (who has sold art for products worth over $100 million) AND become part of an amazingly supportive artists’ community, sign up for Make Art That Sells now (begins October 7 online).

See more amazing testimonials from the course here.

 

PLUS: WIN A 1-1 PORTFOLIO REVIEW & CAREER CONSULTATION WITH LILLA!

Have you ever dreamt of having a portfolio and career consultation with a top art agent? Well this is your chance! For the first time ever Lilla Rogers is offering a private one hour portfolio review and career consultation (via Skype) to TWO lucky artists.

This is a rare, incredible opportunity to tap into three decades’ of experience from someone at the forefront of the art licensing industry. Lilla Rogers Studio has sold art for products worth over $100 million. Lilla knows what is hot, what is on the horizon and where your work fits in. Find out more here!

9/21/13

Keeping the momentum going (Victoria Weiss reflects on MATS)

We love checking in to see how our MATS alumni have been doing since the course, and have been thrilled to hear that so many of them have been working on their portfolios and on work for new clients. In this very short (1 minute) video you can see one of our alumni, Victoria Weiss, working on developing one of the assignments from class, to add home decor work to her portfolio.

Click on the image below to view Victoria’s video:

If you have any problems viewing this video, click this link to watch it on Vimeo.com.

Every week of MATS includes a professional level assignment designed specifically for a certain market – this really opens participants’ eyes to new possibilities for their work, and stretches them further than they might go alone. AND all work gets seen by Lilla, with some of it being featured in a weekly video review – pure gold!

If you feel like you want something juicy and creative to dive into, and want to learn how to make art that sells in the top ten hottest markets from one of the world’s top agents (who has sold art for products worth over $100 million) sign up for Make Art That Sells now (begins October 7 online).

 

PLUS: WIN A 1-1 PORTFOLIO REVIEW & CAREER CONSULTATION WITH LILLA!

Have you ever dreamt of having a portfolio and career consultation with a top art agent? Well this is your chance! For the first time ever Lilla Rogers is offering a private one hour portfolio review and career consultation (via Skype) to TWO lucky artists.

This is a rare, incredible opportunity to tap into three decades’ of experience from someone at the forefront of the art licensing industry. Lilla Rogers Studio has sold art for products worth over $100 million. Lilla knows what is hot, what is on the horizon and where your work fits in. Find out more here!

9/20/13

Q&A Friday with Lilla: On presentation + promotion

Lilla loves questions, and she was asked a great deal of them in Make Art That Sells, so we thought we’d share a few with you. Over the next few Fridays we will be posting a few real questions from students, along with Lilla’s responses. We hope these are helpful as you develop your own work. This week we are focusing on Presentation + Promotion.

 

Q) When a client asks for layered files in Photoshop, what do they expect the different layers to be, and how many layers would they expect?

A) It really varies. I would work in such a way so that you’re not going crazy making layers to the point where it interferes with your creative process. I would say typically 5 – 20 layers, and even more. You’ll find that layers are liberating as you have great freedom to move things around, resize things, etc.

 

Q) If you don’t work in a vector style, what do you do to add layers to your work?

A: Clients more and more do like art in layers, but I have some artists that are painters and the work is done on canvas, and there are no layers. In some cases that held them back and in some cases the work is so great that it made no difference and they get lots of jobs such as home décor products, greeting cards, and more.

Over time, you’ll get a sense of WHAT IS RIGHT FOR YOU, YOUR STYLE, AND YOUR CLIENTS. Great art comes first. Wall Décor in Make Art That Sells Part A is great for very painterly work (and is low tech!)

 

Q: What exactly is a “collection”?

A: A collection is a very general term that means a grouping of images that relate to each other by theme, style and medium. When you work with a company, they may make the collection from your one jpg. That’s why you load it full of goodness. Sometimes they will ask for more related pieces. It really varies. To begin with you only need to show jpgs of your work so that you get in the door. You don’t know what will hit so rather than devote too much time to a batch of related pieces, work on a broad number of pieces, unless you’re excited about doing a whole similar grouping. There are no hard and fast rules! If you are loving watercolor florals, you might do a whole bunch of pieces that are all variations of dahlias, for example, or a whole bunch of pieces of camping items. Then, these can be considered “collections”.

Q) If you make art that is too large to scan (24″ x 24″ and bigger) that needs a professional photo in order to show digitally for licensing or can be sold as original wall art, does putting my name, date and the copyright symbol on the back allow me to sell the original to an individual and still sell digital images for licensing on products.

A) When you sell original art, typically you are not also selling the reproduction rights to the artwork. When I sold paintings, I did provide that information to the buyer of the art. When our big ad agency and corporate clients buy the original art from a commission job (when the artist works traditionally which is increasingly rare), we note in our Job Confirmation something like this: “No rights are transferred. The original art is for display only. Additional rights are available at an additional fee.”

 

Q) When it comes to self-promotion, if you sending out a monthly or bimonthly newsletter to an email list would you recommend simply showing/sharing all the new work that was created in that month, even if it includes a mix that crosses several markets?

A) Great question. I assume that you have a variety of clients on your list, so a variety of work is fine. It’s also fun to show your studio, or some cool craft project you’re doing. Anything that is visually exciting and gives a feel for what you’re up to. Since we have a huge variety of people on our large mailing list, we show a mix of artists and styles. Sometimes I like to do a theme, sometimes I focus on one of my artists, sometimes it’s about talking up our next show, or MATS, etc. So it’s a mix.

Short answer: Show your best work and only your best work. Several markets are fine because there is a great deal of overlap. Children’s book art might make great wall art, or children’s melamine plates. One thing leads to the next, as my mother always says.

 

Q: What are the most important tools to use on the internet to let others see your art? I hear a lot about FB, blogs, websites, Pinterest, Flickr, Twitter, Linked In, etc but there is only so much time in the day.

A) Right! There is only so much time in the day, and I always say the best promotion is great art. All the promoting in the world will not sell poor work, so most people pick a few of these and stick with that and focus on creating great art. Typically, people have a website as their home base, and then draw traffic to it using Facebook or Twitter. Blogs are fun to do, and are a way to keep interest and freshness going. Pinterest is a great vehicle. Lots of interest there. I’ve learned about several artists through Pinterest. LinkedIn is less used in our field. I rarely go there, although there are some good groups where people exchange information. Don’t overextend. Look at what some of your favorite artists do and see how they do it, and remember, Rome wasn’t built in a day.

 

If you want the chance to ask Lilla your own burning questions, sign up for Make Art That Sells (starting online on October 7). This is an industry first – a real opportunity to learn how to make great art that sells in the top ten hottest markets. Don’t miss it!

We’ll be back next week with ‘Q&A Friday with Lilla: On style’

 

PLUS: WIN A 1-1 PORTFOLIO REVIEW & CAREER CONSULTATION WITH LILLA!

Have you ever dreamt of having a portfolio and career consultation with a top art agent? Well this is your chance! For the first time ever Lilla Rogers is offering a private one hour portfolio review and career consultation (via Skype) to TWO lucky artists.

This is a rare, incredible opportunity to tap into three decades’ of experience from someone at the forefront of the art licensing industry. Lilla Rogers Studio has sold art for products worth over $100 million. Lilla knows what is hot, what is on the horizon and where your work fits in. Find out more here!

9/18/13

Win a 1-1 portfolio + career consultation with Lilla Rogers!

Examples of jobs we have gotten our artists

Have you ever dreamt of having a portfolio and career consultation with a top art agent? Well this is your chance! For the first time ever Lilla Rogers is offering a private one hour consultation (via Skype) to TWO lucky artists. For each of you (individually) this will involve:

  • A review of your online portfolio (or a selection of images you send in) and your general online presence
  • Constructive feedback on how to make your work and style more commercially viable, while staying true to yourself
  • Advice on which markets your work is best suited for, and tips on how to crack it
  • Career advice tailored to your particular experience and ambitions
  • The opportunity to ask Lilla anything you like!

This is a rare, incredible opportunity to tap into three decades’ of experience from someone at the forefront of the art licensing industry. Lilla Rogers Studio has sold art for products worth over $100 million. Lilla knows what is hot, what is on the horizon and where your work fits in.

TO ENTER: This prize will be offered to TWO lucky people who register Make Art That Sells (course begins October 7, 2013). In order to enter, you just have to sign up to either:

Part A (begins October 7, 2013) covering the bolt fabric, home décor, children’s picture books, wall art and gift markets

OR

Part B (begins October 7, 2013) covering the paper, baby apparel, scrapbooking, editorial and party paper markets

You must have signed up by midnight GMT on Sunday, October 6, 2013 in order to enter. The winners will be announced on Lilla’s blog shortly after that, and the consultations will take place via Skype at a mutually convenient time after the classes have finished. Want to be in with a chance of winning this amazing prize? SIGN UP TO THE COURSE HERE!

Please note if you are already registered for one of the above classes you will automatically be entered into the competition.

THE SMALL PRINT: There will be two winners who will be chosen at random from among all registrants who have signed up by the deadline for Make Art That Sells Part A or B (October 2013 classes). One winner will be chosen from each class. The competition is open to anyone over 18 anywhere in the world. There is no cash alternative and the prize is not transferable. If you have already registered and paid for Make Art That Sells Part A or B (October 2013 class) you will automatically be entered into the draw. Our decision on the winner is final and no correspondence will be entered into. By entering you agree for your email address to be added to the mailing lists of Do What You Love and Lilla Rogers Studio but you can unsubscribe at any time.

–Beth