And So We Begin!

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This is the first posting on a blog site that I’m starting in order to continue a project that I began many  years ago.

Abuse of Artists Was Rampant

Back then, I came upon instance after instance of abuses of artists at the hands of unscrupulous companies, and so I began to realize how little most artists know about the business of art.

It isn’t taught in most art schools and BFA programs.

It should be, but it isn’t, and the result for artists, whether they studied art formally or never had a lesson in their lives, was that they just didn’t have any understanding of their rights as artists or how to market their artwork successfully and avoid the traps that some companies lay for the unsuspecting, the unknowing, the naive, the ill-informed and uninformed.

Outrageous Abuses That Can Be Avoided

Some of the abuses were simply outrageous.

I learned of artists signing away all rights to their artwork for next to nothing.

Losing the right to reproduce their own artistic creations.

Finding themselves in unusually-restrictive and exclusive contracts which made it impossible legally to license their artwork anywhere else, to work for anyone else, and to make an income in any other artistic endeavor, all because they were wrapped up in an abusive contractual relationship that seemed to have no exit, and allowed them no way out.

The Do’s and Don’t’s of Art Licensing

So I began to write articles on the Do’s and Don’t’s of Art Licensing, telling artists about some of these abuses and how to avoid them.

I recommend that every artist who wants to learn his or her way in art licensing, read this and every article about the business of art licensing on this blog and on our main Porterfield’s Fine Art Licensing site.

I wrote about the basics of commercial art, about what companies are seeking for their products, and about how to create a contractual relationship with a licensee, in which both sides win.

I published a number of these articles in places like The Artist’s and Graphic Design Market, the Art Calendar, and several licensing publications here and abroad.

Then as Porterfield’s really began to take off as a licensing agency, my writing slowed down and I published less and less for artists, and about our industry.

The More You Know, The Farther You Can Go!

Now that the market seems to have stabilized and now that Porterfield’s is stable as well, I’m in the mood to begin writing about art and art licensing and commercial art and the business of art once again.  Hence this blog.

We’ll see where it takes us!

I want to use this blog to continue to write pieces on art licensing, but I also want to use it to showcase terrific new artwork by Porterfield’s artists.

That gives it a dual purpose – to help artists along in this business, as well as helping out companies that depend upon a stable source of compelling new art for their products.

After all, one end of the equation is for companies to find the art they need so that they can create ever more beautiful and compelling products, to increase their sales, bottom line and profitability, grow their companies, and come back for even more.

We’ll see how it goes – I’m optimistic!

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(c) Lance J. Klass.  All Rights Reserved.  This article may not be reproduced with the expressed written permission of the author. 

For information about copying all or part of this article, contact the author atart@porterfieldsfineart.com.

Be sure to check out our main site at www.porterfieldsfineart.com.  

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