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Licensing & Usage Rights Primer

When you commission an illustration, you pay a creative development fee and you also buy a limited license to use it – you are not buying ownership of the illustration itself. This ensures that you only pay for what you need without buying the artwork outright. This is called a licensing agreement.

When an artist creates artwork, regardless of whether it was commissioned, they automatically own the copyright to that image. This means the artist controls the reproduction of that artwork and can then license that work to others to reproduce for a specific amount of time.

A license can be exclusive, meaning no one else can use it for the duration of the license in a particular sector, industry, or country. For example, if an artist draws a Santa character for a big retailer, and that retailer wants to ensure none of their competitors will be able to use the same image – they opt for exclusive use.

Or, it can be non-exclusive, meaning that other brands can also license the artwork from the artist at any time. For example, an artist may draw a Santa character for a retailer to use on a gift bag, and then license it to a stationery company for their holiday party supplies line.

The artist always owns the illustration and it cannot be altered or changed without a written agreement. If a client wishes to buy and own an illustration, this is possible and copyright can be transferred for a fee.

What factors determine the usage fee? Scroll down:

Factors That Determine Usage Fees

  • LOCATIONS: Where will it be seen?

    List all of the cities, countries, continents it will be seen in whether global or local:

    For example:
    Europe
    USA
    Canada
    Worldwide

  • TIME: Duration of Usage

    How long do you intend to use the illustrations?

    • 6 months
    • 1 year
    • 2 years
    • 3 years
    • In perpetuity
    • Do you want to buy them outright instead?

  • WHERE: Where will it be used?

    On what media will the illustrations be used and seen?

    List all that apply:
    TV
    Billboards
    Newspaper / Magazines
    Website
    Collateral
    Social Media
    On products

Need a Quote?

We just need to answer a few more questions first before we can determine that.
On this page, you will find a list of questions and considerations for you to answer to kick-off the process.