Art Licensing industry veteran Michael Woodward, joins Erin Sparler this week to educate listeners on the subject of licensing in the art publishing world. Michael has been in this industry for over forty years! He was the first-ever agent to license art to manufacturers. He is the author of Licensing Art & Photography 101 and the President of a specialist Art Licensing Agency, Out of the Blue Licensing LLC, as well as being a consultant who has a passion for educating others.
Many Artists and Photographers understand the importance and significance of licensing but rarely do they identify the many opportunities of what products their work can be licensed for. There is no degree or college training for Art licensing, so this platform is often overlooked. However, it is a beneficial and necessary part of the art publishing world. In this episode, Erin and Michael discuss many details about the art licensing industry such as trends, creating art, including the use of new amazing software as well as the evolution of licensing, the need to be versatile, how to control your rights and much more. We get to discover Michael’s background, current work environment, and methods he uses to keep his business up to speed in this ever-changing world. This episode is a perfect introduction for those interested in pursuing art licensing to create additional income, and who understand the need for education in all the aspects of licensing which will benefit their career.
In this episode you’ll hear:
[2:45] All About Michael’s Company and Background
[6:30] Transparency, Art and Photography
[8:25] He Became the Father of Art Licensing
[9:08] How the Internet Resulted in Product Change and How it was Managed
[15:03] How to Stand Out in a Saturated World by Eliminating Wasted Time
[20:00] What Publishers Seek
[21:40] Educating Trend Forecasting, Pleasing Retailers and Importance of Colors
[25:27] Systems for Handling Overwhelm
[33:30] Older Computer System VS. Today’s Systems for Volume
[35:00] Managing Staff, Properly Executing and Expansion
[37:00] Simplified System and Protocols for Artwork and Artists
[42:38] The Importance of Unique Titling and Metatags
[45:47] What You Must Know About Licensing and Copyright
[48:00] Educating on How to Take Control of Your Art and Rights
[52:56] Where Art and Licensing Success is Headed
[54:40] Pros and Cons of Creating Uniquely
[57:00] How to Educate Students and Find Artistic Style (the 7 Elements)
[1:02:38] Expand Ideas by Attending Shows
Links Mentioned:
Michael Woodward’s LinkedIn
Software Mentioned:
Books Mentioned:
Licensing Art and Photography 101 Michael Woodward
Connect With Your Host Erin Sparler:
Buy Original Artwork by Erin Sparler
Join Erin LIVE in the studio on the Facebook Page: What is Fine Art?!
