The contract stated that the Co. would keep the rights to the artwork, “in perpetuity” and that all rights are transferred to Coors, etc. etc. Now as a rule 100% of the time, Drew never signs away his copyrights.

Perplexed, I called them and said look, you don’t need the rights because all you’re doing is giving the surfboard away to charity.

That’s when their real intent came out - they were planning to use Drew’s art for 50 surfboards (mass produced) for POP in-store displays and for t-shirts!

Wow, that really changed the deal. Imagine signing your rights away, then walking into a liquor store 6 months later and finding YOUR ART and YOUR NAME plastered on beer POP displays without your knowledge!?

We were okay with doing a LICENSING deal, which is where they PAY you for the usage (and you have right to approve everything before it’s produced), but we couldn’t come to an agreement on price.

They ended up hiring some other artist who was willing to sign their contract do the art – which by the way, it never made it on POP displays or anything else because being an amateur, he didn’t deliver what they needed.

MORAL OF THE STORY: Never sign anything unless you know what it is and you are 100% comfortable with it.

If you want your name to be known as an artist, and you are a career artist, you have to have control over your art, 100% of the time.

If you give control of it over to someone else, (even just one image) they can make you look bad when you find it all over Wal-Mart or on a Porn site, and now your value has decreased!

I want you to be successful! To learn more about contracts and art & pricing, get yourself the Graphic Artists Guild Handbook: Pricing & Ethical Guidelines. You may even want to join the Graphic Artists Guild – you get the book free if you join.

Now, go make good choices!

(For more articles like this, follow me on Twitter!)

Related posts:

1. The Hostile Client – Art Biz Tip #601
2. Art Biz Coach – For Professional or Aspiring Artists
3. The Deadlock Contract – Avoiding a stalemate deal

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.

This is one biz card you won't throw away!

The Business Card…..

This is so basic, but I’m amazed at how many artists will walk into my office, ask me to refer them for this and that, and when I ask for their business card they say, “oh, I don’t have one.” And I promptly smack them on the head for being absurd…..and give them the following lecture:

Never go anywhere without your business cards in your pocket or wallet.  Place them in a spot that’s easy to get to (like a front pocket, coat pocket, whatever), that every time you meet someone and they say “what do you do” you’ll pull out a business card in 007 fashion, hand it to them and say, “I’m an artist.”

I find that when you tell someone you’re an artist, they get a picture in their head of what you do which is usually inaccurate. That’s why having a photo of your work printed on your card is essential. That way you don’t have to say “well, I do these really imaginative sculptures that…blah blah blah….” With a photo on the card, it makes what you do very clear.

ART SHOWS & EVENTS: Have your cards out in large quantity for people to pick up and take. Take it one step further and buy one of those nice little cardholders to put your cards in and place them in clear view at all events that you are involved in. You’ll look cool, too.

If you don’t have a business card, you are not taking your profession as an artist seriously. Business cards are your single most important tool (next to a website) and they are a cheap way of showing people what you do.

Your business card should be designed with the intention of making sure that it is so interesting that no one will ever throw it away!  This is usually easy to do with art….. I feel for all those attorneys and accountants that can’t help but have BORING cards!

An ideal business card will be one that is printed on both sides – one side a photo of what you do, or your best or most popular sample of work. The other side should clearly state what you do (Joe Crazy, Muralist), your phone number, address (optional), website and your e-mail address.

I want you to be successful. Now go, get yerself a business card!

Maria “Spunk” Brophy xxoo

PS: Here’s a great book on promoting yourself: 101 Ways to Promote Yourself: Tricks Of The Trade For Taking Charge Of Your Own Successby Raleigh Pinskey. Check it out!

DISCLAIMER: The views and advice given on this blog are not necessarily shared by drewbrophy.com. Drewbrophy.com accepts no liability for the views, rants and raves printed herewith.

Related posts:

1. Art Business News – August 2008 – Article on Sports Artists
2. How do I get Sponsored by Art Supply Companies?
3. Top 5 New Year Resolutions for Artists

Related posts brought to you by Yet Another Related Posts Plugin.