10 Tips For Finding Joy In Every Day

July 16, 2013

joy, find joy, daily blessings,

 

10 Tips For Finding Joy in Every Day

 

We all strive to live a joyful life. Some days are definitely easier than others. On the days joy doesn’t come knocking on our door, choose one of these 10 tips to create a more joyful day.

  1. SEARCH – Go for a walk and search for hearts in nature. Snap photos of the hearts you find. You will be surprised how many you find. When I see a heart-shaped leaf or a heart-shaped stone, it reminds me of the love God has for us. It’s as if He is sending us little love notes.
  2. PLAY – Take some time to play with your kids, your pet, your spouse or friend. With little kids, this is an easy way to find joy but if you don’t have kids, play with your cat or dog. Play a card game with your spouse or friend. Play golf, tennis, racquetball, croquet….the ideas are endless.
  3. ACCOMPLISH – Fix something or clean something that you have been putting off for a while. I know this sounds like work, but if you’re anything like me, when I have something I really need to do, but put it off, it wears on me. Then, when I finally do it, it feels terrific and I wonder why I waited so long!
  4. VOLUNTEER – Pull weeds at your church, help out at the local soup kitchen or women’s shelter. Help a neighbor hoe his/her garden. Here again, the ideas are endless. Helping others will make the giver and the receiver experience joy.
  5. LAUGH – Do you have a friend that you can just be silly with? You both make each other laugh? Pay them a visit. Watch your favorite sit-com or funny movie. Watch home movies of when your kids were little (this may make you laugh and cry). YouTube is a great source for laughter…..click here for tons of laughs!
  6. APPRECIATION – Find joy in the small stuff. Go for a walk in the woods. Stroll through a flower garden. Eat dinner outside. Go on a picnic. Set up a tent in the yard and "camp" with the kids. Have smores around a campfire. Watch the sunset. Lay on the yard on a blanket and look for objects in the clouds.
  7. LISTEN TO INSPIRING PEOPLE – While cooking dinner or driving home from work, put in an inspirational CD. Here are some good examples…Zig Ziglar, Napoleon Hill, Earl Nightingale, Rhonda Byrnes
  8. MAKE A HEALTHY MEAL – This may sound silly to some of you, but when I cook a healthy meal for my family and watch them enjoy it…knowing I am helping them to be healthy and strong, I find joy in that. Some days making dinner can feel like a chore…especially if you have nothing planned and at 5pm, you run to the store to get something you can quickly cook for dinner. Take time on Sunday to plan out your meals. Go to the grocery store once to get all that you need to make the meals. By being prepared every day, you will find cooking dinner for your family a joyful experience. This goes for anyone who is single as well.
  9. CREATE – Write in your journal, draw in your sketchbook, play with clay, make a necklace, pick flowers to make a bouquet. Find joy in creating something.
  10. GRATITUDE PRAYER – Many times when we pray we are asking for God’s help. Instead, find a quiet place, sit in a comfortable position, relax your body, close your eyes and thank God for everything you can think of for 15 minutes. This is the best way to find joy every day.

There are plenty more ways to find joy in every day. The above list is just the beginning. The more you seek joy, the more you will find it. Soon, It will be so ingrained in your mind that you will automatically find joy in every day.

How do you find joy? Share your ideas with me!

photo credit: Ant1_G via photopin cc

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The Importance of Registering Your Art for Copyright Protection

July 11, 2013

copyright, register copyright, art, artist

 

Why is it Important to Register My Art for Copyright Protection?

 

The answer is simple. So another person won’t use your art for monetary gain or take credit for your talent, creativity and hard work. With so much art marketing and sales being done online today, it’s more important than ever to protect your work from being copied by others.

What is a Copyright?

  • A copyright is an exclusive right granted to the copyright holder (you, the artist) regulating the use of an expression of an idea or other information. The most important thing to know about copyrights is that it regulates and protects only the form in which the idea or information is in, not the actual idea or information itself.
  • For example, the copyright that is held to protect the Daffy Duck cartoon prohibits unauthorized parties from distributing copies of the Daffy Duck cartoon or creating works which copy or very closely resemble the cartoon in any way. It does not, however, prohibit anyone from drawing or creating works that include cartoon ducks in general, so long as they are adequately different and not considered imitative of the original work.
  • Copyrights can protect a wide range of forms, including poems, plays, books, literary works, web copy, movies, dances, ballets, musical compositions, audio recordings, sculptures, paintings, drawings, photographs, software, radio and television broadcasts and other forms. Registering your works with the U.S. Copyright Office is basically like a copyright protection insurance policy. Most people don’t know that basic copyright protection automatically arises when the author first creates the work and fixes it in a tangible form, without having to do anything or registering a copyright.

So Why Register for Copyright if my Work is Already Protected?

  • Basic copyright protection may arise automatically when the author first creates the work, but there are many protections and insurance benefits that are not allotted without holding a registered copyright. Registering a copyright establishes a public record of your copyright and ensures that everyone is aware that you have claimed copyright protection for your work. Also, if you hold a copyright for your work, you have the ability to sue any entity or individual who infringes upon your copyright and distributes and/or copies your work and stop the infringement from happening.

How do I protect my art?

  • The first thing you do is sign your work. Signing your art is an integral part of the creative process. The instant you apply your name to a piece of your art, you declare that art officially finished and ready for public exposure. No matter what your signature looks like, what form it takes or where you put it, no work of your art is complete without one.

  • Put the date created on the back of your art as well

  • If you’re like me, you are excited about your creation and want to share it with others on your blog, Pinterest, Facebook and other platforms. If you do this, you need to put a ©(your name) watermark over the image in a place that isn’t easily removed by photoshop or any other program. Here is an example of what I do to my art when I post it online (doesn’t hurt to add your blog address at the bottom for some free advertising 😉

 

  • File for copyright registration within three months. Once you sign your work, it is protected to a degree but not if you need to take legal action against an infringer.

What to do if I find my art has been infringed upon?

  • The first thing to do is send a cease and desist letter. In the letter, state that you are the rightful owner of the art and you hold the certificate of copyright registration. Include a hard copy of the art that has been infringed upon. Keep track of all correspondence. If the person continues to use your art, you can take legal action.
  • Read this article "Art Copyright Infringement and Your Creative Health" at Artbusiness.com
  • Taking legal action can be expensive but if you have the art registered, you have documentation that you have asked the infringer to cease and desist and they are making money with YOUR art, then you have the right to sue.

How do I register my art for copyright protection?

  • Go to www.copyright.gov to file with the US Copyright Office
  • Download the US Copyright Office’s pdf guide which will walk you through the process step by step
  • If you get stuck, need to know how to organize your art before filing, or not sure what title to file your art under, get my Ebook here for only $5.99

I have had my art infringed upon a few times over the years. I have never went to court over it. Usually a cease and desist letter will do the trick as most people don’t want to be sued. You have to decide if it is worth suing someone over. If they are making a lot of money using your art and they won’t cease and desist, then, yes, it would be worth taking them to court. But what I have found in most cases, it’s just annoying that someone is taking credit for your creativity and they didn’t necessarily make any money from it.

My philosophy is this……keep moving forward. Leave them in the dust. Don’t let an infringer get you down and occupy your thoughts…it will crush your creative spirit. It is disheartening when you find your art infringed upon (and the initial shock leaves a pit in your stomach) but don’t dwell on it. I don’t mean to sound flippant but like I stated earlier, in most cases the infringer will cease and desist. God gave us a talent to share with the world so don’t become so nervous about the possibility of having your art infringed upon that you quit sharing your art. What is the point of creating art if nobody sees it?

The important message is to have COPYRIGHT REGISTRATION for all your art. It is like an insurance policy. Also take precautions when putting your art on the internet as stated above.

 

Have you ever had your art infringed upon? Do you know anyone who has? Share your stories of how they handled their situation.

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Break Your Routine & Become Marvelous

July 9, 2013

routine, god's call, marvelous life

 

Break Your Routine & Become Marvelous!

 

Are you on the path of something absolutely mediocre or something absolutely marvelous? Do you get up every morning excited to start the day? Do you strive to become the best version of yourself?


Or, do you wake up every morning and do the same ol’ routine? Do you wake up Saturday morning wandering aimlessly through the day only to go to bed and wake up Sunday morning wandering aimlessly through that day as well?

Or do you wake up Saturday morning with a list of chores that couldn’t possibly be done in two days, but you try?

 
It is easy to get caught up in a "routine". If you’ve seen the movie "Hope Springs", you know what a routine can do to person and/or relationship. it’s a very enlightening movie, especially for married couples. It opened my husband’s eyes as well as mine to what we DON’T want to happen to our marriage. Here is a brief overview of the movie without giving too much of the story away.
 
"Kay (Meryl Streep) and Arnold (Tommy Lee Jones) are a devoted couple, but decades of marriage have left Kay wanting to spice things up and reconnect with her husband. When she hears of a renowned couple’s specialist (Steve Carell) in the small town of Great Hope Springs, she attempts to persuade her skeptical husband, a steadfast man of routine, to get on a plane for a week of marriage therapy. Just convincing the stubborn Arnold to go on the retreat is hard enough – the real challenge for both of them comes as they shed their bedroom hang-ups and try to re-ignite the spark that caused them to fall for each other in the first place."
 
Now don’t get me wrong….I don’t want anyone to have the feeling of "never satisfied", "never happy with what I have and always wanting more" or "always looking to the future instead of living in the now". Those mindsets are destructive. However, we can live in the now, be grateful for what we already have but still work towards something marvelous!
 

God calls each of us to become the best version of ourselves. We are called to be great wives, husbands, Mothers, Fathers, daughters, sons, sisters, brothers and friends. We are called to serve. We are called to share our gifts. We are called to be marvelous. Whatever your calling is….remember, God is with you…..and with God, you cannot fail!

 

So whatever hopes and dreams you have for your life, break out of your routine. Plan your work, & work your plan. Set goals and strive to meet them……..dream big, pray hard, then do with great enthusiasm! Your marvelous life is waiting for you!

 

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Tips For Staying Healthy While You Work

July 4, 2013

walk, exercise, healthy, stay healthy at work,

How To Stay Healthy While You Work

 

If you have a job that requires you to sit for long periods of time, you may not realize how dangerous it is to your well-being. James A. Levine, M.D., Ph.D. from the Mayo Clinic, wrote:

"Researchers have linked sitting for long periods of time with a number of health concerns, including obesity and metabolic syndrome — a cluster of conditions that includes increased blood pressure, high blood sugar, excess body fat around the waist and abnormal cholesterol levels.

Any extended sitting — such as behind a desk at work or behind the wheel — can be harmful. What’s more, spending a few hours a week at the gym or otherwise engaged in moderate or vigorous activity doesn’t seem to significantly offset the risk.

Rather, the solution seems to be less sitting and more moving overall. You might start by simply standing rather than sitting whenever you have the chance."

And here I thought because I do rigorous exercise Monday through Friday, I was healthy! I needed to think differently and you may need to as well. Here are some suggestions that will get you up off your duff!

  • Park near the back of the parking lot.
  • Ask a question to your coworker by visiting them instead of emailing.
  • Set an alarm on your phone for every hour – when it goes off, stand at your desk and do squats for one minute. Obviously this doesn’t work for someone in an open office space.
  • If you can’t do the above, at least stand up or walk to the bathroom/kitchen.
  • Stand up and walk to your filing cabinet instead of rolling your chair.
  • Stand up and organize your desk the last 5-10 minutes of the day (win-win)
  • Request a sit-stand desk at work, or if you work at home purchase one.
  • On your break, go for a brisk walk.
  • Stand while eating lunch.
  • Stand while talking on the phone.
  • Take the scenic route to the bathroom.

As soon as I heard how unhealthy it is to sit for long periods of time, I immediately started looking for solutions. Whether you are an artist, accountant, blogger, designer, secretary, etc, I am sure you can incorporate one or more of the above suggestions into your work day in order to be more healthy. Give it a try!

Which suggestions will you try? OR do you have any other suggestions to add? Share your thoughts!

 

 

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Living a Life of Gratitude

July 2, 2013

How Do You Get More of What You Want?

 

By Showing Gratitude for What You Already Have.

 

Gratitude is one of the single most important and powerful virtues. We need to be grateful for what we already have in order to not only keep what we have but to obtain more of it.

It is really simple if you think about it. For example, let’s say you have a flower garden. If you are grateful for it’s beauty, you will take care of it by watering it and weeding it. If you are not grateful for your flower garden, you will ignore it and soon it will become filled with weeds which, over time, will kill the flowers.

Now, how do we apply that scenario into our personal and business relationships? The same theory applies really. Show your gratitude towards people and you will receive gratitude back. On the contrary, ignore your spouse day after day and see how long he/she sticks around. Same goes for business relationships.

Supportive People From Your Past

Whether you are just getting started in your business or you are a CEO of a fortune 500 company, I am sure there are people who have helped you get where you are today. Someone believed in you, encouraged you, reached out to inspire or help you. That act of kindness played a part in your achievements. Maybe it was your pastor, your parents, your spouse, a teacher, a friend, a colleague, coach or neighbor. Maybe they offered to loan you some money, equipment or supplies. Maybe they gave you some good advice or shared an experience they had in order to help you. Maybe it is as simple, yet powerful, as praying for you. Regardless of how big or small the gesture, you need to be grateful.

Employees

Don’t forget the glue that is holding your business together. Your employees also need to be appreciated. Be the kind of person you’d like to work for. Be kind and courteous and show them your grateful for the job they are doing. Not only will it make the work environment uplifted and positive but your employees will want to work hard for you and will care about your business.

Customers

What about the fuel that fires your business and keeps it running? Without customers, you have no business, so naturally, you are grateful. How do you show your gratitude? For regular paying customers, maybe throw in a freebie in their next order with a "thank you" note attached or offer them a discount on their next order.

People in Your Personal Life Now

The virtue of gratitude is also important in your personal life, maybe more so. As I mentioned earlier, there are people throughout your life who have encouraged or helped you in some way. What about the people in your life currently? Your spouse, children, family and friends also need to be shown gratitude.

God designed humans to connect and have relationships. Nobody can do everything on their own, nor do we want to. Therefore, showing gratitude is natural.

Ask yourself  "What if I woke up this morning with only the things I gave thanks for yesterday"…….that is powerful. I have a sign hanging in my studio where I can see it every day that reads, "What am I grateful for today?" Take a moment and think about it, do this every day for 3-5 minutes. If you practice gratitude every day it won’t take long before gratitude is your natural state of being, and when that happens you will have unlocked one of the greatest secrets to life.

Challenge for You

I’m sure as you were reading this article, people came to mind from your past and present time. My challenge for you is to write their name on a list and every Monday, take 30 minutes to hand write thank you notes. As more people come to mind, add them to the list. Be specific in your thank you note and tell them why you are thanking them. In this day of social media and email, people seem to have forgotten the art of letter writing. Who doesn’t LOVE receiving real mail?…..and something other than bills! Not only will sending thank you notes make you feel amazing and full of gratitude, but the recipient will feel loved and appreciated. "The deepest craving of human nature is the need to be appreciated." 
– WIlliam James

Gratitude Quotes

At times our own light goes out and is rekindled by a spark from another person. Each of us has cause to think with deep gratitude of those who have lighted the flame within us. — Albert Schweitzer

Let gratitude be the pillow upon which you kneel to say your nightly prayer. And let faith be the bridge you build to overcome evil and welcome good. — Maya Angelou

We must find time to stop and thank the people who make a difference in our lives. — John F. Kennedy

You pray in your distress and in your need; would that you might pray also in the fullness of your joy and in your days of abundance. — Kahlil Gibran

To be grateful is to recognize the Love of God in everything He has given us – and He has given us everything. Every breath we draw is a gift of His love, every moment of existence is a grace, for it brings with it immense graces from Him. Gratitude therefore takes nothing for granted, is never unresponsive, is constantly awakening to new wonder and to praise of the goodness of God. For the grateful person knows that God is good, not by hearsay but by experience. And that is what makes all the difference. — Thomas Merton

Some people grumble that roses have thorns; I am grateful that thorns have roses. — Alphonse Karr

Cultivate the habit of being grateful for every good thing that comes to you, and to give thanks continuously. And because all things have contributed to your advancement, you should include all things in your gratitude. — Ralph Waldo Emerson

Let us be grateful to people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom. — Marcel Proust

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures. — Thornton Wilder

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for. — Epicurus

Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough. 
– Oprah Winfrey

For bible verses about thanksgiving and gratitude, visit HubPages.

 

What are you grateful for?

 

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The New Social Media Search Tool – Hashtags

June 27, 2013

social media, hashtags, blog, keywords, keyword research, hashtag

The New Social Media Search Tool – Hashtags

 

Are you using hashtags on your social media platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Google+ and  Pinterest?  If not, you need to start today!

What are hashtags?

A hashtag is simply a phrase or keyword with a the pound sign (#) placed in front of it. I know, it seems so simple but don’t underestimate the power it contains.

Once you hashtag a word in social media, all account users can see it. It goes into the world of hashtags. This allows users who are not following you to see your tweets and content that you put out on various social media platforms. So to keep it simple, you are only one hash-tagged word away from possibly being seen by thousands, if not millions of people through social media.

How do I use hashtags?

There is definitely some hashtag courtesy that you need to be aware of.

  • It is recommended that you only use hashtags for 1-3 words per tweet or post. If possible, 1-2 words is better. You don’t want to flood your tweets and posts with hashed words that make your brand or business look like spam. You want your tweets and posts to be simple and filled with content to direct the user back to your blog or link that you are promoting.
  • The hashtags you use inside of a sentence should flow naturally and be words you want to be connected with. Here is a good example:
Considering #licensing your #art? Read this first! www.teresakogut.com/is-licensing-right-for-you/

and here is an example of what not to do:

#Learn about #art #licensing with Teresa #Kogut. Read her #articles for #insight into the #licensing #industry. www.teresakogut.com

  • You can type your hashtags after your post instead of inside the post, example:
Considering licensing your art? Read this first! www.teresakogut.com/is-licensing-right-for-you/ #art #licensing #artlicensing

  • Don’t use hashtags with every post or tweet. It really isn’t necessary. Save them for promoting your articles, webinars, and other news about your business.
  • Don’t do this #readmyarticlesaboutartlicensing. This will be unrecognizable in a search and won’t do you any good…..and it’s a little annoying to try and read.
  • Don’t be a spammer by using hashtags in comments on someone else’s page.
  • Research a hashtag before using it. Research your top 7 keywords to see if other people are using it and what they are saying. Do your keywords attract the attention and people you want to connect with?

How do I know what keywords to use with a hashtag?

Start with your own blog’s tag cloud. What words do you consistently use in your content. This will give you a jumping off point. Then research, research, research. Use the keywords you use in your blog and type them in Twitter’s built-in search tool. You can use their Advanced Search to look for anything you want and include or exclude things like retweets, etc. so you only see the data that is useful to you.

Dashboard Twitter tools like HootSuite also let you set up streams for particular keywords to help you continuously monitor the Twitter conversation on your topic.

Google+ has a great built-in search function, too. Use the search box at the top of any Google+ screen to run an initial search, then filter your results for groups of people or geographical location using the drop-down menus on the search results page.

To do a search on Facebook, run your search using the search box at the top of your personal Facebook page (your fan page won’t have a search box). You can use hashtags or not. After you type in a keyword, choose from the search filters in the left sidebar. Choose public posts to see who is talking about it or pages to see what your competitors are up to.

The time is now! Start posting on all your social media platforms using simple and relevant keywords with hashtags keeping in mind all the above dos and donts.

Sharing is Caring! Please share this post with others if you found it helpful to you

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Time Saving Tools for Artists & Designers

June 25, 2013

tools, artist, time-saving.tips

Time Saving Tools for Artists & Designers

 

Along my career path, I have discovered some tools that I couldn’t live without. They are simple, yet powerful. What artist or designer doesn’t want to save time in the uncreative part of the creative process? I can’t think of any. These tools are inexpensive, simple and easy to use. Maybe you already use them yourself, but if not, after this article I am sure you will adding these items to your tool box.

Light Box

I use a light box for transferring my drawings to watercolor paper. Before I purchased one, I used a window, but that gets old quick! After I enlarge my thumbnail sketch and re-draw onto graph paper, I tape the drawing to my watercolor paper and use the light box to trace the image. Simple and easy.

Proportion Scale

One of my favorite tools! Take the guess work out and save a ton of ink and paper by using this handy tool to enlarge your thumbnail sketches. Let’s say you want to enlarge a 3" x 2" thumbnail sketch to 12" x 8". Simple put the inner circle at 3" in alignment with the outer circle at 12". Then look at the amount you need to enlarge the image in the window…in this case 395%.

Before I discovered this tool, I would stand at the copier and guess what percentage to enlarge the sketch. It always took several copies to get it right. What a waste of time and resources! So this is a must-have for your tool box.

 

Graph Paper

I mentioned above how I use graph paper in my process of creating art. After I enlarge my thumbnail sketch to the size I need it using the proportion scale, I tape it to the back of the graph paper. The lines on the graph paper help to square up the image, especially handy if you are creating borders around the image. This is also the time to add more detail to the image.

Tracing Paper

 

If you need to add a quote or text to a drawing, tracing paper is the tool for you. Instead of guessing if it will fit, simply lay the tracing paper over the drawing and write your text. I also use it for mirroring. For example, draw half a heart on it, then fold the tracing paper to mirror the other half of the heart. It will save you many erasers over the year :)

I also use tracing paper when I am painting a face with acrylics. Sometimes an eye may look to low or one side of the face is more rounded than the other. Simply lay the tracing paper over the painting and trace the half of the face you like best using a pencil, then flip the tracing paper over and draw over the lines with the pencil. The pencil will transfer onto the painting so you can get the right proportions for the face.

Graphite Paper

I use graphite paper to transfer by drawing onto my canvas or wood when painting with acrylics. I enlarge my thumbnail sketch using my proportion scale. My acrylic paintings are usually large so I will have several pieces of paper to tape together like a puzzle. Then I lay my taped-together drawing over the substrate I am painting on and tape it securely at the top. I slide a piece of graphite paper between the two and trace over my lines. The graphite paper transfers to the substrate.

Where to Purchase?

All of these items are available at Dick Blick. If you click on the images, it will take you directly to the product on Dick Blick’s website. Check your local Micheals, JoAnn, or Hobby Lobby stores as they carry most of these tools.

These are very basic and simple tools that you may or may not already use in your creative process. Either way, I hope they help you as much as they’ve helped me!

Do you have any handy tools to share with us?  Comment below and let us know if you already use any of these tools or if you want to share your time-saving tools with us.

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Art Licensing: Self-Represent or Art Agency part 2

June 20, 2013

self-represent, artist, art agency, licensing, art licensing

 

Art Licensing: Self-Represent or Art Agency (Part 2)

 

Now that you’ve read through part 1 of this topic and you know what is involved in self-representation, let’s take a look at working with an art agency.

An art agency will take care of all the tasks listed in the previous article which would free you up to create. Having said that, it doesn’t mean you won’t have any paperwork or decisions to make. Every contract that comes across your desk needs to be read and you need to understand what the manufacturer wants of you. You are under no obligation to sign the contract as is. While your agent has your best interest at heart, you are still the one who makes the final decision. If you don’t like one or more of the terms, talk with your agent and they can go back to the manufacturer on your behalf until an agreement is reached.

How do I know which art agency is a good fit for me and my art?

Some research can be done via the internet before making contact with an agent/agency.

  • Is the potential agent passionate about your art?
  • How do they market their artists? Do they have a website, if so, how does it look?
  • How many other artists do they represent? You may be able to find this out on their website, otherwise ask them.
  • Do the other artists work align with your art? You want your art to be different, but you wouldn’t want to sign with an agency that represents artists that paint all florals/patterns if you paint whimsical characters.
  • Do you see their current artist’s work in the marketplace? Do a google search for some of the artists they currently represent to see if there are any products in the marketplace. If so, are they quality products?
  • Ask for referrals from their artists and manufacturers. Call them, talk to them, ask questions.

Questions to ask your potential agent.

  • How long have you been an agent?
  • What made you decide to become an art agent?
  • What did you do before becoming an agent?
  • What product categories do your artists license to?
  • Is there a product category that you focus your efforts on?
  • How do you see my art fitting into these categories?
  • How long have your current artists been with you?
  • How many agents work within the agency? If there is more than one, who would be working with me and how do you decide that? (then have a conversation with that agent too)
  • If I were to sign with you, how long is the contract for? (2-3 years is standard) Have them send you their artist/agent contract as well as a licensing agreement they use with manufacturers.
  • What is the royalty split? Generally it’s a 50/50 split.  The royalty payment is sent from the manufacturer to the agency, they keep their percentage and send you your percentage.
  • When do you send royalty payments? Get specific dates. Usually quarterly.
  • Will I get a copy of the manufacturers royalty report? This is a MUST! Make sure this is  stated clearly in your contract with the agency that you will receive copies of the manufactures royalty report.
  • Do you have a graphic artist on staff to make changes to digital files? If so, is there a fee for this service? Will I get to approve ALL changes made to my art before you send it out?
  • Do you have a booth at Surtex every year? Do you attend trade shows? How do you meet with manufacturers?
  • How will you keep my new art in front of licensees? Do you send a monthly newsletter? Do you advertise in trade publications?
  • Do you have a password-protected database so licensees can look through all of my art?
  • Do you allow your artists to work directly with the manufacturer when designing product lines?
  • Have you ever had one of your artist’s copyrights infringed upon? If so, do you send a cease & desist letter or is that something you let your artists handle?

It’s kind of like courting. Your conversations should feel comfortable, not awkward or forced. The relationship between artist and agent has to be built on trust. If something doesn’t feel right, move on.

An artist friend recently made the remark that she and her current agent interviewed each other with questions back and forth through email after their initial verbal conversation. The agent should want to make sure you are a good fit as well, so you both benefit from the relationship. Take your time in making your decision, there is no rush. Don’t just interview one agent/agency, choose a few and find the one that fits you the best. If none of those few do, start again, find a few more. It’s a huge decision, don’t take it lightly.

Below is an excerpt from All Art Licensing Blog as to what should be in an artist/agent contract.

Art Licensing Agent Agreements should include:

  • Complete contact Information—for both the agency and artist
  • Grant of Rights—Also sometimes called the Appointment, it spells out what are you giving the agent the right to do, such as license, market and distribute your copyrighted artwork to manufacturers in certain product categories.
  • Here you also define your “Works”, which describes the art pieces or collections included under the agreement. This is one of the most important areas, especially if you have multiple styles or prior collections/assets.
  • This section is where the contract should note any restrictions to the general ‘Grant of Rights’ such as excluded product categories or existing deals with different conditions.
  • Term— List how long the term is with the starting and ending dates, plus the renewal terms and conditions (automatic, benchmarks or renegotiated renewal).
  • Territory—Most agencies will want worldwide rights for several reasons, which might include: the ability for manufacturers to include  internet sales, or because their marketing efforts may attract deals in other countries and the agent would prefer to handle those deals. Make your own judgment call as to what rights to give your agent based on their needs and reach; be sure to reserve any rights you can that won’t be actively used.
  • Scope of Agency—Specify here whether the rights are exclusive or non-exclusive and describe in detail the agent obligations. Make sure you describe the process in which the artist (licensor) will be presented the License Agreements and will approve them.  For example, will you be required to agree to any terms the agency negotiates or can you turn down deals you don’t find acceptable. And what would the definition of ‘acceptable’ be? I also like to see a good description of the marketing and sales process in the Agreement, so there are no questions as to how the agency will be spending their time on your behalf.
  • Artist Obligations – Now the tables are turned and there needs to be a very specific description of your obligations, such as what type of art you will provide to manufacturers and how often you will create and provide new collections for the agent to market.
  • Credit/Copyright Notice—Make sure the contract states that you continue to own all copyrights and that credit will be provided on all products; then include exactly what the copyright notice will read, such as Š___Artist’s name_____. (example ŠTeresa Kogut)
  • Commissions—This simply defines who receives what percentage of the royalty revenue generated.
  • Billing and Collection—Though agents are usually responsible for the billing and collection of payments and royalties generated by the License Agreements, put it in writing.  In addition, make sure to describe what will happen if money is not collected from a Licensee.
  • Payments—Clarify exactly when payments received by agent will be paid to the artist.  I wouldn’t expect less than 30 days, nor accept more than 90 days.
  • Expenses—Clearly spell out what expenses are the responsibility of the agent and of the artist.  I suggest you pay close attention to trade shows, travel, legal fees, and production of sales materials, where there may be additional fees and expenses charged.
  • Inspection of the Books and Records—The industry standard is that the agent keeps the books and records and the artist can inspect them with reasonable notice to the agent.
  • Representations and Warranties—Here is where the artist guarantees that you are/will be the sole and original author/owner of the artwork.
  • Indemnification—It is common for the artist to indemnify the agent and its employees, to hold them harmless against certain loss, damage, liability or expenses; reasonable and mutual indemnification is preferred.
  • Default and Termination—There are three important areas you need to make sure are addressed in this section:
  • Language about what happens in case of bankruptcy,
  • Breach of Contract, so that if either party fails to perform any of its obligations  the other party will have the right to terminate the Agreement upon thirty days written notice if the breach cannot be corrected within the time frame,
  • and the Effect of Termination, which specifically describes what happens when the contract ends (who gets paid what and when and for how long…this is also known as the tail of the contract).
  • Assignment—I recommend this state that the Agreement shall not be assigned by either of the parties without prior written approval  from the other party. This is an important clause because it protects you if an agency gets sold, or is taken over by another company, and prevents your art from being considered an asset of the agency.

I would highly recommend hiring an attorney to read over the contract between you and the agency AND the licensing agreement the agency uses with manufacturers. You won’t have to do this for every licensing agreement. Once you have one approved by the attorney, you can compare all future agreements to it.

 

What are your thoughts? Are you determining whether to self-represent or go with an art agent? Comment below and let’s keep the conversation open.

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Art Licensing: Self-Represent or Art Agency part 1

June 18, 2013

art licensing, licensing your art, self-represent, art, art agency

Art Licensing: Self-Represent or Art Agency (Part 1)

 

Once you have made the decision to move forward into the art licensing industry and have your portfolio chock full of great art, you need to decide whether you will self-represent or work with an art agency. Below are some questions to ask and points to consider when making your decision.

Self-Representation

  • Are you good at negotiating?

The terms for every licensing agreement has to be negotiated. And, no two deals are exactly the same. Some manufacturers/licensees  will have their own licensing agreement that they use while others may want you to supply a licensing agreement. The terms that will need to be discussed and agreed upon are as follows:

  • Whether or not a non-refundable advance against royalties will be paid at the time the contract is signed.
  • Determine which images will be licensed. Include image number and name. Inserting a jpg of the image into the document is a good idea if you have the capability.
  • Whether or not to allow exclusivity. For example, a manufacturer wants exclusivity on stationery products (you would also agree on exactly what stationery products) meaning you can’t license to any other manufacturer for those same products even if they only choose to use a few images. This can be a big mistake as it ties up all your other images and they are not obligated to feature a specific number of your images on their products. Most manufacturers do not require exclusivity and I would avoid it because it can limit your earning ability until the contract expires. Typically an agreement is for specific images for specific products, which frees up all your other images to be licensed to other manufacturers.
  • Length of licensing agreement. Most contracts last 2-3 years.
  • A period of time, usually a year, that the manufacturer is allowed to get the product to market. If that time expires and they still have not produced any products featuring your art, their licensing rights are revoked and the agreement is automatically terminated.
  • How will you get paid; flat-fee or royalty. In art licensing, flat fee means a one time payment in a licensing agreement. A licensing flat-fee gives the artist all the benefits in a licensing agreement but instead of getting royalties the artist gets a one time upfront fee that can be $500 and up per SKU. (The only flat-fee licensing agreement I have ever done has been for non-profit organizations.)

Receiving royalties is usually the choice of payment for most artists (licensor) because the most revenue may potentially be made with this type of payment method. You will negotiate the specific royalty percentage to be paid to you on a quarterly basis, and the requirement that each royalty check be accompanied by a clear report of how they calculated the royalty amount.

  • The royalty rate. Royalty payments are computed by multiplying the royalty rate against net sales. Royalty rates for licensing vary depending on the category of products. Below are some royalty estimates:
    • Greeting cards and gift wrap: 2% to 5%
    • Household items such as cups, sheets, towels: 3% to 8%
    • Fabrics, apparel (T-shirts, caps, decals): 2% to 10%
    • Posters and prints: 10% or more
    • Toys and dolls: 3% to 8%
  • Product Samples and Approval. In most cases the manufacturer will agree to give the artist free of charge 3-6 of each product they manufacture and sell. Sample approval by the artist before the products are mass produced and sold to retailers is not always possible for some licensees because of tight scheduling in producing the products and shipping to retailers, however, many manufacturers will send pdfs or jpgs for your approval. It is important to do some research and be familiar with the manufacturer’s quality of products. By doing your research you can rest assured that you will be satisfied with what they have produced in the case where you don’t have the opportunity to approve the products before they go into production.
  • An "indemnification clause" which states that the company will protect you from any lawsuits that might arise from any of their business activities which in any way relate to products featuring your art.
  • Territory…where will the products be sold? The territory of the contract is usually United States or North America with additional countries listed separately. You can also agree to world-wide territory.
  • Design credit. You want to make sure your name remains on the artwork. If cropping is involved in order to make the art fit the product, your name can be added in photoshop. You should insist your "©(your name)" will be printed on all publications, catalogs, brochures, promotional and sales literature. Also, all packaging and product tags should have your copyright and name.

  • Below are some definite don’ts:

    • don’t let the manufacturer gain the copyright for any of your pieces of art

    • don’t let them gain the right to sub-license your art to other companies

    • don’t let them gain ownership of your original works of art as part of the licensing agreement

These are the terms that you will be negotiating with the licensee/manufacturer. However, there are many other standard legalese that need to be included into the licensing agreement. It is a good idea to have an attorney review your contract before you sign it. If you do not want to spend the money to hire an attorney to look over a contract, think again. Contracts can be complicated. Ideally the contract should benefit both artist and manufacturer. But missing terms, placement and incorrect use of words can make a big difference in the contract and ultimately benefit the licensee (manufacturer) and not the licensor (artist). Don’t risk losing revenue or even your art by failing to hire a reputable art licensing IP attorney.

  •  Will you be able to promote you and your art?

Do you have the confidence to "sell yourself"? Will you be able to set up meetings and attend trade shows to meet with manufacturers? Will you be able to travel to meeting with manufacturers at their office? With today’s technology, it is possible to have online meetings using Skype in order to cut down on travel time and expense.

  • Are you organized?

You will need a good and reliable system in place for tracking your licensees, contract renewals, products and images. For example, let’s say you have a licensing agreement with Company A for 2 years using image numbers 1219 – 1222 for greeting cards. You could still license your art to Company B for greeting cards but they couldn’t use images 1219-1222. (unless you signed an exclusivity agreement with Company A for greeting cards, if so, you can’t license any of your art for greeting cards other than with Company A) Then at the end of the two year contract with Company A, if they decided not to renew the contract, images 1219-1222 would then become available for licensing to other greeting card companies.

Again, I wouldn’t sign exclusivity agreements that tie up an entire product category. Contracts should be signed on a per image basis.

You will need a spreadsheet that will keep track of Who licensed Which images for What products and for How long. It is also a good idea to have a google alert one month before a contract expires in order to open up conversation with them to determine whether you are going to renew the contract or terminate it.

  • Do you have an online database?

You will need to have a password protected website that shows all of your art available for licensing. (This can be done with wordpress.org) You will be able to send your licensees there to see what you have available for licensing. You can create categories, such as, Christmas, Winter, Easter, Floral, Angels, etc. to make it easier for them to find what they need. You will also want to change the password every so often. This will help you to monitor who is looking at your art. If a licensee hasn’t been to your database in a while and in the meantime, you change the password. They will have to contact you for the new password which can open up conversation. It will also keep people from "lurking" that maybe you had given permission to look through your images in the hopes of signing a licensing agreement with them.

  •  Do you have time to sell and create?

Will you be able to do all the tasks  listed above and still have time to create your art? Creating art IS the most important task (and the most fun) for you to be successful and grow your business, so be realistic. If you will be working full-time (and then some) on your licensing business and you have the skills and confidence to sell and negotiate, then I say go for it!

Some artists are in the position to have their spouses join them as the business grows. Your spouse could keep all the paperwork and promoting rolling while you focus on the art. They make good travel partners as well!

As with anything else, there are ups and downs with self-representing and it may not be for you. That’s OK. There are a host of good art agencies that you can approach about representing you. In my next article, we will dive into the topic of working with an art agency.

I hope this article helped to answer some questions you may have had regarding self-representation in the art licensing industry. Comment below if you have any questions that I may have missed or want to add something from your experience.

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You Can Create the Life You Deserve

June 13, 2013

Be Determined to Create the Life You Deserve

 

Do you feel stuck in a dead end job? Do you look forward to going to work every day or do you dread it? Do you feel there is something more to life but you don’t know where to start? Start living the life you deserve! I will show you how.

 

I believe through prayer God will reveal His plan for you. His plan may be that you are a school teacher and you inspire kids to love learning. You may have a full-time job but are called to work with the youth at your church on the weekends. Maybe God wants you to start your own business so you can offer jobs to others and inspire them in their work. Maybe you are an artist and God wants you to spread His word in your paintings. Whatever it may be, it will be revealed to you little by little through prayer; doors will open to opportunity, you will meet people that play a part in God’s plan, "things" will just fall into place.

Ask, and it shall be given you;

seek, and ye shall find;

knock, and it shall be opened unto you.

Matthew 7:7

God gave everyone special gifts and talents, yes, everyone! That gift is from God and you are called to use that gift for the benefit of others. When you are following God’s plan, you will make connections with other people and play a part in their quest to follow God’s plan. It works harmoniously. Once you believe you have discerned, through prayer, what path you should take in this amazing life of yours, never give up, don’t let anyone or anything get in the way of success.

A note about "once you believe you have discerned"……be patient, be faithful in prayer, but don’t miss the signs either….the quiet whispers…..the pull on your heart. If you believe God’s calling you down a path, start now, start today setting goals and working towards achievement. As you move towards your goals, you may be led in a different way than you originally thought. It will unfold as you go. Don’t think you will know the entire plan up front. The important thing it to start!

Here are some tips to get you moving toward the life you deserve.

  1. Pray Everyday – ask for guidance, ask God to reveal His plan one day at a time, ask for direction and always, always give thanks.
  2. Attitude of Servanthood – Don’t focus on your gifts and talents only as a tool to create wealth. Use them to help others along the way. Inspire and encourage others to create the life they deserve as well. Have the attitude of servanthood and you will find reward.
  3. Stay Positive – You are built for greatness! Listen to what you are saying and thinking about yourself. It’s not a coincidence that our behavior and actions follow what we believe to be true. If you believe you can, you probably will. On the other hand, if you believe you can’t, you probably won’t. You create your own reality based on your self-image. Start and end your day with positive self-talk. Zig Ziglar has helped me with this. Print this self-talk card  and read it every morning and just before bed. Also, throughout the day, if a negative thought about yourself (or anything else for that matter) surfaces, stop yourself and replace it with two positive thoughts.
  4. Mistakes & Failures – We are bound to make mistakes. Nobody’s perfect. It is how we respond to mistakes that is the key to success. Failure only exists when we allow a mistake to cripple us and keep us from moving forward. Look at your mistakes as stepping stones to success, learn from them and move on. The fact is, the most successful people have more mistakes in their lives than average people do. Failure is only permanent if we quit and give up. Build and learn from your mistakes. "The call is higher than the fall." – John L Mason
  5. Physical Health – It is equally important to take care of your physical health as well as your mental and spiritual health. Here are some basic and easy-to-implement tips to keep you strong and healthy.
  • Cut out processed foods and eat mostly whole foods.

The more processing that a food goes through, the more additives and less nutrients it contains. Processing removes a great deal (if not all) of the vitamins, minerals and fiber in most foods. To make matters worse, processing then adds in unhealthy fats, a ton of sugar or sugar substitute and synthetic vitamins and minerals.

Most of these ingredients, including artificial sweeteners, artificial colors, hydrogenated oils and high fructose corn syrup, are not even recognized as edible by your body. Think about that. You wouldn’t eat a bowl of paper clips, so why would you eat something else that wasn’t actually food? These non-food ingredients are considered toxins and most will end up languishing in your system, often stored with fat.

  • Cut out drugs and alcohol.

    For obvious reasons, you want to steer clear of these mind altering and personality altering stimulants. They are not only harmful to your physical body but to to your mind and spirit as well. One will have regrets, make bad choices and ultimately grow distant from God and His plans by indulging in drugs and alcohol.

  •  Drink water!

I know you’ve heard this over and over and over. And why have you heard it so often? Because it’s TRUE! You need water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to your organs and tissues. It also helps transport oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs. Hello?!??! It’s that basic! How much water do you need a day? At least 8- 8oz glasses a day. Take a 24oz water container with you to work. Drink two at work and one when you get home and voila, you’re done for the day and you even got a little extra, which never hurt anyone.

  • Monitor Calorie Intake.

Most people over eat, plain and simple. Check here to see how many calories you need a day to maintain your weight. I have a secret weapon that helps me to know how many calories I am eating each day. It’s an app called My Fitness Pal. I have it on my droid and can also access it on the computer. You can save meals that you repeat often and add in your exercise as well. It is a must have!

  • Work out!

No excuses!! You should to be doing cardio as well as some weight training. Get some DVDs so you can do it at home. It’s less expensive and convenient, too. For starters, walk like you are late for 45 minutes 4 days a week. Exercise is not only about losing weight, it gets the blood pumping for a healthier heart, lungs, brain, joints, etc. It will give you more energy throughout the day. No excuses! Everyone can find 30-60 minutes – 4 times a week to get moving!

  • Adequate sleep.

7-8 hours a night is adequate. Some nights are less, but try for at least 7. Eat dinner at least 3 hours before you retire, don’t drink fluids before bed, turn off the tv, put earplugs in your ears, use lavender essential oil to relax you…whatever it takes! But you need rest!

Follow these tips every day and you will become the best version of yourself which will in turn give you the confidence, courage, strength and momentum to create the life you not only deserve but the life God designed for YOU!

_________________________________________

 

I recently found yoga_girl on Instagram and was intrigued by her story and determination. I wanted to share her story with you in the hopes that she might inspire you as she has inspired me.

Rachel Brathen aka yoga_girl

I was born with scoliosis, and after a car accident in my teens my back was nothing short of a mess. I was in serious pain every day for years. It wasn’t until three years ago or so that I got serious about the physical aspect of yoga. Everything was painful, and I had such a fear of backbending that even the thought of Wheel Pose made me shiver. I had never done a handstand in my life until two years ago. Ever! Yoga healed me.

 

 She didn’t accept her situation. She was determined. She took steps every day to overcome……and she did!

 

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