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Episode 23 – Basic Photoshop Tutorial – Adding Borders

Tue, 05 Aug 2014 19:09:38 +0000

Episode 23 – Basic Photoshop Tutorial – Adding Borders

This video is a basic Photoshop exercise showing how to add a border to a painting. I know Photoshop can be intimidating at first, but learning a few techniques will save you a ton of time during your licensing career. If you are new to licensing your art, you will find it a real benefit to create several borders in different color palettes using different patterns, then saving them in a file on your computer titled "borders". If you are creating a plaid or stripe, you could simply paint one strip approx 16" long by 2" wide (depending on what size you usually paint) and use that one strip to create all four sides of the border. You could also paint a toss or all-over pattern in the same fashion.

If you don’t have time to spend creating borders, no worries, after you’ve been licensing your art for a while you’ll have a large inventory of paintings with borders and can re-use those borders for new art. Either way you slice it, you will be glad to know how to use Photoshop to add borders and help save time.

Enjoy the video!

Is there a Photoshop tutorial you would like to see? If so, contact me and I will see if it’s something I know how to do and, if so, I would be glad to share it with you!

Episode 21 – Feeling Grateful

Fri, 16 May 2014 21:45:00 +0000

Episode 21 - Feeling Grateful

Episode 21 – Thank you from Teresa Kogut on Vimeo.

Today’s video is about you and for you! I am grateful for everyone who has inspired and encouraged me throughout my career. I am grateful for all of you who have supported me by purchasing my work whether it’s an original painting, print, pattern or licensing product. Without you, I couldn’t continue to do what I do….creating for a living!

Many thanks and gratitude also for those of you who have taken the time to drop me an note, email me or message me to say how my art has touched your life. Sometimes I get so caught up in my day to day business and family life that I forget the real purpose behind what I create….hopefully bringing joy and peace into the home and maybe even inspiring others through the word of God. If my art can lift your spirits or be a reminder of the good in every day life then I have accomplished something that simply overwhelms when I think about it.

I feel God gives each one of us a talent and we give it back to God by sharing that talent with others. I am so grateful He chose me to be an artist and that I am able to share it with you. Full of gratitude for you today!

Episode 20 – Art Licensing Is A Business

Wed, 22 Jan 2014 20:20:44 +0000

Episode 20 - Art Licensing Is A Business

Rule number one, art licensing is a business.

Throughout your licensing career, you will meet some amazing people. You will connect and build relationships with them. You will build trust. However, remember, art licensing is a business. As long as your art is selling products for them, they will keep working with you, but if the sales of your licensed products decline, don’t be surprised if they stop working with you. The key is to not take it personal.

There must be trust on the part of both licensee and licensor. They trust you to provide them art in a timely manner and you trust them to sell the product and pay your royalty on time. You are business partners in a sense so there has to be trust.

Over the past 18 years of licensing my art, I have made a few mistakes…..ok, more than a few, but from each one I gained knowledge and experience. In this video, I share my experience with my first licensee and how that relationship taught me a valuable lesson about business.

Thinking back on this experience, I almost laugh at my naivety. There are many glaring signs that point to my licensee as the infringers upon my rights as an artist. At the time, had I taken my feelings and emotions out of the equation and looked at this logically from a business point of view, I would have seen it.

Lesson learned, my friends. I hope you can learn from my mistake.

Episode #4 – Designing Collections vs Spec Work

Mon, 01 Jul 2013 13:38:20 +0000

Episode #4 – Designing Collections vs Spec Work

Have you ever created speck work? Maybe you’re just starting out in the licensing industry and haven’t yet encountered spec work. I’d like to share with you my experience with in order to help you avoid the pitfalls that can happen concerning spec work.

Designing collections comes from the heart. It is YOUR creation. You chose the theme and design coordinating images to create a unified collection. Read my article "Designing Collections" on my blog for more information. Spec work is creating art to a manufacturer’s or company’s product specifications. You are designing artwork based on their request for a specific theme, color, size and lyaout.

It can be lucrative if your art is chosen for the project, but it can also take over your business if YOU let it.

In this video, I share my experience of creating spec work. Keep in mind this is my experience, yours could be different. It may be a great way for you to run your licensing business. So, by all means, at least give it a try and see what happens. However, if you find you are constantly creating spec work and your business isn’t moving forward, remember YOU are in control. YOU can choose to do or not to do spec work.

Run your business, don’t let your business run you!

What is your experience with spec work? Let me know by commenting below, if this was helpful to you. I appreciate your input!