frequently asked questions
art licensing
what is art licensing?
in a nut shell, art licensing means you can purchase the rights to use an artists work on your products for a certain period of time. it means you have the right to use + reproduce the designs onto a specific product, for a specific amount of time. once the licensing term is over, you can either choose to renew it or let it lapse.
depending on what your needs are, art licensing is often a great way to access beautiful artwork without the bigger price tag of buying the complete copyright to an artists work.
what types of licenses are there?
many artists + studios will have their own variations of industry standard licenses. here are the most common types of art licenses:
non-exclusive license - allows you to license the artwork; concurrently other parties may too. minor adjustments to the artworks colour palette is negotiable, but may incur a design fee. the artist retains full copyright to the artwork.
industry exclusive license - allows you to licence the artwork exclusively for the industry you work in, for example greeting cards. crissie can however licence the same design to other parties, but only in a different industry, such as puzzles or stationery. custom adjustments to the artwork are negotiable, but may incur a design fee. the artist retains full copyright to the artwork.
exclusive license - allows you to licence the artwork exclusively. crissie cannot licence the same design to other parties for the duration of your license. custom adjustments to the artwork are negotiable, but may incur a design fee. the artist retains full copyright to the artwork.
how long does a license typically go for?
12 month is usually a minimum standard for art licenses. longer licensing periods / terms are absolutely negotiable, depending on your requirements.
once the license term comes to an end, as the licensor, you will hold the first option to renew the license. if you choose not to renew, the artwork involved will the become available again for licensing to other parties.
how much do art licenses cost?
the cost of an art license (licensing fee) is dictated by the types of usage required + is customised according to clients needs. this includes (but is not limited to), the term of the license, the territory, the number of ways in the artwork is being used (product / website / social media / murals / packaging etc. the basic rule of thumb is; the more rights you want, the higher the license fee will be.
what is the difference between an art license + a buyout?
art license - the client purchases the rights to use an artwork on a specifc product or for specific parts of their business, for a specific time frame. the artist retains full copyright to the artwork at all times.
buyout - the client purchases the artwork in its entirity, including full copyright. the client is able to use the artwork on what ever they want to, wherever they want to, for as long as they want to. because the artist is reliquishing all their rights to the artwork, the cost of a buyout is considerably more expensive than an art license.
i’ve found a piece of art that is perfect for my project - now what?
many artists have their own individual art licensing processes, but here's a general guideline of what to expect:
step one - let the artist or artists agent know which piece of artwork you are interested in. most of the artwork on crissie's website + social media accounts are available to license. she also has a beautiful online licensing portfolio of available artwork, which you can request access to here.
step two - the artist or artists agent will work with you to establish which type of license will suit your needs best.
step three - the artist or artists agent will then provide you with a custom licensing estimate for your project.
step four - once the paper work is taken care of, work will begin to prepare the artwork for your requirements.
step five - the artist or artists agent will send through a digital proof of the final artwork, along with the art licensing agreement + invoice.
step six - once the final artwork has been approved + payment has been received in full, artist or artists agent will send through the final high res artwork files, as per your requirements.
step seven - towards the end of your licensing term, artist or artists agent will get in touch to see if you would like to renew your license or let it lapse.
can i make changes to the artwork i want to license?
minor custom adjustments to the artwork such as changing colour palettes etc are negotiable, but may incur a design fee.
i love your style, but i can’t quite find what i’m looking for in your current portfolio - can you create custom artwork for me?
absolutely! crissie creates custom artwork for companies, brands + creative individuals from all over the world. her agents will work with you using a design brief to help understand your specific needs + vision for your custom piece.
things you may want to consider before reaching out include what you budget is, your timeframe, the number of pieces you require, colour palettes you like or need + where the artwork will be used.
custom artwork
how do i commission custom artwork?
it’s as easy as sending crissie or her agents an email outlining what you need + what you like about crissie's artwork.
her agents will then work with you using a design brief to help understand your specific needs + vision for your custom piece.
things you may want to consider before reaching out include what you budget is, your timeframe, the number of pieces that you require, colour palettes you like or need + where the artwork will be used.
how much does custom artwork cost?
the cost of custom artwork varies depending on the complexity of the artwork you require, the number of pieces you want, as well where + how the artwork will be used.
once crissie or her agents have established what your vision + requirements are, she will provide you with an obligation free design estimate. sometimes a clients wants + budget are not on the same page + some adjustments are needed. this friendly, professional back + forth is all part of the process + nothing to feel anxious about :)
a note about copyright
as the artist, crissie maintains full copyright of all custom artwork. clients will receive a usage license outlining the rights they have, for the period of their license. requests for a full copyright buyout must be made directly to crissie in writing + the buyout fee will be in addition to the design fee.
where can i buy your work?
crissie is currently developing a new online store which she hopes have open to the public in early 2025. goods will include art prints, original embroidered illustration pieces + limited edition textiles.
in the meantime you can purchase crissie's artwork on the following products:
greeting cards + notebooks - halfpenny postage
beach towels - one hour north / tikitibu