Archive for the ‘art licensing’ Category

I first heard about passive income about three years ago when I was reading a lot about monetizing my blog and making money without having to do a whole lot of work. Sounds great, but not as easy in reality. I got turned down by a group to host ads, as I didn’t have enough traffic, and they didn’t see quilters as a big draw – despite the fact that I had done my research and talked about a 4 billion dollar industry.

Rather than spend the time trying to get everything up and running to make money, I was still stuck working in the classroom, and I just didn’t have the energy after work. I started doing what I could. And now…I find I actually am getting some passive income three years later, with more possibilities in the works.

First, I receive a commission when someone buys materials from licensing expert Tara Reed. I’ve bought a number of things from her, and I love her work – all the detail and information is exceptional. Every time I mention her in a blog post, I usually make a sale, and consequently I get a few pennies.

I just uploaded my first pattern to PatternSpot.com, and hopefully I will begin to sell patterns there, through Etsy, and on our website. Every little penny helps! I have digital marbling images on Fine Art America. The work there is to figure out the site and get the photos uploaded. Once work sells, they do everything else.

Amazon and Google Adsense are two other outlets for monies. At one time I was getting regular checks from Amazon for books I recommended, and I need to do more of that. Google Adsense is about to send a check, as the clicks on the site are getting up to the minimum for a payout.Part of my issue with Google Adsense is making sure the ads that show are applicable to the site – Jockey underwear isn’t going to exactly get click-through’s….

Surfing Amazon!

So, it takes a while, but getting notices from Paypal about money in your account are very nice. You just have to be patient!

Some nice marketing help from two of the gurus out there: Alyson Stanfield and Tara Reed. These four articles resonated with me, as their topics have been on my mind. First up, thinking about a catalog? Alyson has two articles on catalogs. “Peek Inside a Catalog of Your Art” has fabulous tips. This past spring I put together a “quickie” book from Shutterfly to showcase our work, but I would definitely do things differently next time. I lacked a good artist statement, credit lines, prices….oh so many mistakes. It did look gorgeous, all nice and big, but it could have been so much more. With the availability of print-on-demand and good software that makes designing books and catalogs easy, this is something we should all look at.

“Where to Distribute Catalogs of Your Art”  by Alyson follows up on your design and printing. Again, thanks to print-on-demand, pricing might now be so bad. Catalogs can be pricey, so think carefully about who gets a catalog. Optimize your audience.

I love this next: “Thirteen Truths About Marketing Your Art.” Oy, I need to review these every couple of weeks! Number 13 is my absolute weakness…..

Be sure to check out Alyson’s blog – loads of great advice!

 The last marketing gem is from Tara Reed of the Art Licensing Blog. Titled “The Rules of My Treehouse,” six great rules to help you continue creating art. I love “Don’t dwell on the negative.” Keep those folks out of your treehouse – and your life!

 If you are at all interested in checking out licensing your artwork, click below. I’ve used Tara’s books as I develop my own licensing plans, and they are really excellent. (Disclosure: I get a commission if you buy any of her materials off this website.) And…if you would rather be in the studio creating art, then check out Alyson’s book, I’d Rather Be in the Studio!

Make something happen this week! My newsletter is set to go out (almost written), so sign up at the top right if you’re not a subscriber – a chance to win free marbled fabric!

You know I am a fan of Tara Reed and her Art Licensing Blog. I own several of her ebooks, and she creates and delivers quality. She is having a DYNAMITE sale on her ebook “Goal Wheel for Artists.” It’s normally $57 and Tara is offering it for $27 until January 13.

View the video. If you need help with goal setting, this could be exactly what you need!

Learn more about “The Goal Wheel for Artists”

(FTC disclosure: I am an affiliate of Tara Reed Art Licensing Blog and receive a commission if you purchase an item.)

I think Tara Reed is pretty amazing. I bought two of her ebooks as I prepare my collections and look for a licensing agent. Yes, I’m an affiliate, and if you sign up or buy something, I will make a small commission. But as I have stated before, I only present to you  materials and people I have done business with and am completely satisfied with the product. You can’t go wrong with Tara.

Number 1, she has an extensive library of articles to read, free. Free. LOADS of information, and with the caveats that licensing is hard work and you need to do your homework.

Number 2, she’s got a great blog with lots of ideas in each. Again, free.

Number 3, her work is quality, all the way. Tara makes her living licensing her art. She’s learned the hard way, and she has a wealth of information.

Number 4, great products available. Her Repeat Patterns in Photoshop answered a lot of questions for me, as I stumbled through teaching myself a very complex program. My first repeat pattern as I worked through the ebook:

Browsing her site is well worth the time. And…if you are further along in developing your collections and ready to “get out there,” Tara, along with Maria Brophy (another master at licensing) has a new book out on understanding licensing contracts.   I have a different book that is pretty convoluted in understanding; not Tara and Maria.

Now, if you need help setting goals – and accomplishing them – something I’ve had trouble with in the past……check out her Goal Setting wheel. There is also a blog to go along with this – free – with Tara’s current goals. It’s always nice to go along with someone as they work through the same problems we artists have! It’s December 8, and I know while many of us are finishing up commitments for the year, a lot of us are thinking about next year’s goals. I just wanted to put a few things out there for you to think about…..