Character Licensing - Part II: Artist Marty Qatani

© alex colombo

Happy Easter! And, in honor of the day and this two-part series on character licensing, here's one of my own experimental characters, Linnette the Silly Bunny! I published part I of this collaborative editorial on character licensing at the beginning of the week that featured artist Bill Abbott.

My next guest is artist Marty Qatani: "What can I say, I can't remember a time when I didn't enjoy cartoons" – Marty says. "I'm a big fan of the 60's Saturday morning cartoons from Hanna Barbera (yes, I'm old enough to have watched them when they originally aired :) ). As I got older, I would sit in front of the TV with a pad of paper or sketchbook and try to draw the various characters as shows played. Even later in life, I discovered the vintage Popeye cartoons from the Fleischer Studios... absolutely one of my favorite cartoon series."

As for a description of Marty's art and style, as he mentioned above, Hanna Barbera was a big influence on him, as well as "legendary Mad magazine cartoonist Don Martin, Berke Brethed, Rick Griffin... the influences are many, and just as varied in style," Marty adds.

© Marty Qatani - Spider Mickey

Marty's main overall theme can be described as fun, colorful, whimsical, and at times, satirical. Marty says: "Expressing some positive-ity is important to me. Too much art, especially cartoon art, has a negative feel to it." His technique: "100% of the time, I start with a hand drawn sketch, which is then scanned and brought into Adobe Illustrator or Photoshop where it is colored. Currently I am working on a design that started as a sketch, then traced in Illustrator with the brush tool (I like the various line widths and styles I get this way) and then brought into Photoshop to add color. I recently started experimenting with textures in Photoshop, which is why I'm not leaving the design in Illustrator for coloring."

© Marty Qatani - GhoulCrewTorn

What's exciting about your creative work, I asked Marty. "Exciting is an objective term. What's exciting for me may not be exciting for others, and it's hard to explain...but when something comes together, I just get a rush and it's hard to stop, even if I'm blurry eyed and know I should be going to bed. I can't stop until that rush goes away." He then adds: "My inspiration is everywhere, old posters, other cartoonist's work, old cartoon shows, music, concert posters from the 60's, color patterns I see when I'm out...it literally is everywhere."

Marty is currently working on 3-4 individual designs with no relation to each other, but each hopefully presents numerous licensing opportunities, he says. "Licensing is a hard field to get established in. I first discovered the concept of licensing years ago. I immediately wanted to get involved and it's been a learning process ever since, including exhibiting twice at the International Licensing Show when it was held in NYC. That was an expensive learning experience. In hindsight, I would have done quite a few things differently, but I'm focusing on moving forward, not looking back. Just recently I've been fortunate to sign a contract with an agent in the UK for representation for several of my designs, and for several designs they've come up with but want me to illustrate."

© Marty Qatani - Polar Bear Beach

Marty concludes saying, "Be original and don't copy what's already out there, nobody likes an imitation. Research, read the trade journals, (licensing mags, etc), join the various Character/Art Licensing groups on LinkedIn, get involved and get noticed. But most importantly, do what you love, don't fake it.

His main goal, he says, is to establish several original character based properties he's created as licensed character brands.

Find more of Marty's work here: 

http://www.martytoons.com

http://www.facebook.com/martystoons

http://www.twitter.com/martytoons

http://www.martytoons.blogspot.com

Character Licensing - Part I: Artist Bill Abbott

Last week was a happy week for me as I completed a few more collections to add to my Surtex debut binder and also discovered that I had been featured on the Print & Pattern blog - marketing through networking and social media is also a new adventure for me but it's been fun so far!

And speaking of fun, this week I'd like to start a special editorial in two parts about character licensing - I have been pondering about this branch of licensing for some time but have not looked into it too deeply yet. It's actually rather exciting to learn more about it from two fun and humorous artists like Bill Abbott and Marty Qatani.

Bill in Iraq - Bill in Virginia

I'll start this week with Bill Abbott - he was born and raised in upstate New York and had a pretty eclectic career path, Bill says. "I've been a stockbroker, followed by nearly 20 years in the military in Naval Special Warfare with the Special Boat Teams (I'm a Navy SWCC), and now I draw funny little pictures featuring people with absurdly large glasses."

Bill also adds that "my style is your pretty common single panel gag cartoon format, with a bit more emphasis on quality coloring." Amazing cartoonists like Charles Schulz, Mischa Richter, Jim Unger, and so many others have had an influence on his work and provided the inspiration to always try to improve, says Bill.

"As far as a theme or overall effect I try to create, it's pretty simple – I hope to get a chuckle out of the people who view my work. The process I use is really straight forward: I first pencil my work on Strathmore Bristol board, then use an antique Pelikan fountain pen for the inking. After that, I scan it with an Epson something-or-other scanner, then import it into Photoshop for the color. I'm not a believer in hiding techniques or methods – either an artists work stands on its own creative merits or it doesn’t. We are better as a community if we encourage and assist others who are trying to achieve success for themselves."

© Bill Abbott

Bill says that he's not sure there's anything particularly exciting about his work, other than he looks forward to working on it – "thinking of goofy scenarios for my characters is pretty enjoyable process." I think Bill's work is really fun!

Along with the cartoonists he mentioned above, there are so many people, artists of all stripes, that inspire him, like illustrator Brian Despain. Bill says his work is brilliant. Since humor is the cornerstone of effective cartoons, he also love reading H.L Mencken – "his dry wit transcends time," Bill adds.

"There's a few things I'm working on now that I'm pretty excited about. I've had the extreme good fortune to have my work licensed by Hallmark, which has just happened, so I anticipate creating the collateral artwork for that. Mead Westvaco will be releasing 2 wall calendars and a Year In A Box calendar in 2013 featuring my "Spectickles" characters. I've recently been syndicated by Ink Bottle Syndicate who will carry Spectickles in their Funnies Extra. Additionally, I'm collaborating with the Funnies Extra publisher, Richard Cross, on a new comic we call "Karma Café" – also syndicated in the Funnies Extra. There's a few more irons in the fire, and we'll see what happens!"

© Bill Abbott

Bill returned from the Middle East in 2008, and says he was fortunate to have his work picked up by licensing agent Suzanne Cruise. "We secured several deals, including greeting cards, figurines, cocktail napkins, and calendars. I then began working with agent Grahame Allan in Australia, followed most recently by MGL Licensing in the UK; they were the talented group who brought about the Hallmark UK deal."

Character licensing is very competitive, Bill comments - "It can also be massively lucrative, such as the case of Jim Benton's Happy Bunny and the Hello Kitty brand. For those seeking to enter this arena, I would strongly recommend knowing precisely which audience you’re targeting. For instance, while children's markets are by far the most sought-after, I know my work is entirely inappropriate – it connects best with older adults. As we seek licensing opportunities for Spectickles, it would be a waste of a potential licensee's time to present this brand to a company who produces products for teenagers or children – it won't make the connection required for it to be successful. Of critical importance is understanding the contracts you sign. Know what rights you're giving away, what territories are covered, contract durations, and everything that could potentially impact the future use of your art."

© Bill Abbott

To conclude Bill says: "It's becoming increasingly apparent that my wife won't let me rule the world, so my future aspirations are to increase the visibility of Spectickles, to enjoy new licensing opportunities and, when appropriate, introduce the Karma Café brand, and very importantly, to help others achieve their goals as well."

Bill started drawing when he was very young, as his curtains and bedspread were Peanuts, he began with Snoopy and Charlie Brown. He continued on and off till he started with the military at which time he gave it up. Bill began drawing again in 2001 and between deployments started sending them out to magazines to get published. He didn't really ramp things up till he returned from his last deployment in mid 2008 when he'd read about licensing and contacted Suzanne Cruise, who then became his art licensing agent.

Bill Abbott's Links:

Spectickles: http://billabbott.weebly.com/spectickles.html

Spectickles on Zazzle: http://www.zazzle.com/billcartoons

My Blog: http://billabbottcartoons.com

Karma Cafe: http://karma-cafe.net/

Brief Tips & Tricks in Art Licensing

There have been a series of articles and discussions in regards to the agent vs. no-agent artist relationship. I picked a couple of comments that I felt clearly stated a balanced opinion of the two worlds and I am republishing them below. 

Here is the link to an interesting Linkedin thread on this topic (you'll need to access the site before reading it); another good editorial to read is here: Do's and Don'ts of Art Licensing; you can also find additional views about why agents won't represent an artist here.

Your comments are always welcome.

As a note regarding my blog policy – you're welcome to comment on this posting if you wish to contribute to it; please keep in mind two important criteria: 1. constructive criticism and 2. respectful dialogue. Inclusion in my blog is not an endorsement of a particular point of view but only a recognition that we can learn from open conversation among a diversity of perspectives.

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Jackie Von Tobel - "I researched the industry for two years before making my debut at Surtex last year and it was obvious that for me having an agent was the way for me to go. What I have found having been represented by an agent for almost a year now is that working with an agent is very beneficial but it really doesn't change the amount of work and effort on your part as far as generating leads and finding appropriate manufactures for your work. Of course an agent will bring contacts, deals and opportunities your way but if you want to be successful you still need to do a lot of work yourself. Having an agent is not a ticket to success.

An agent does bring a wealth of knowledge regarding contracts and the nuts and bolts of the biz and their contacts but you still need to participate in your own success. I attend all of the shows that I can and work in tandem with my agent. I walk the shows, hand out promo packages and try to start a conversation with manufacturers that might like my work. I direct them to my agent's booth to see my portfolio. It is a huge cost savings not having a booth of your own but I am beginning to think that even that is something that I should consider doing again. Your agent is busy and is promoting all of the other artists on their roster as well as you. No one can promote your work with the same passion and enthusiasm as you can. 

The bottom line is that this is not an easy business and you need to have realistic expectations of what your agent can do for you and still be willing to put in the necessary work yourself as well as find time to generate new and fresh art."

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Jonathan Klase - "I'm coming at this question from the manufacturer's side of the table as a marketing director. The biggest challenge I see in representing yourself is that the more time you invest in making contacts, the less time you have to create new work. I look at portfolios all the time that are stale because the artist hasn't spent enough time on their craft and researching the market to see what's going to sell. With the right agent, you can do what you're good at and they can hopefully do what they're good at. A good agent should know where your art fits and help you to avoid the rejections as well as guide you in how to prepare you for making the right fit. This of course is contingent on having the right agent for you, and it does take time. But the right agent can make all the difference. If you're going at it on your own, there's no harm in asking questions. I try to be as honest as possible with people but no one likes rejection and I certainly try to be as tactful as possible. I'm sure others handle it differently and may be more blunt. 

To sum it up...unless I'm working with a seasoned, licensed artist, I prefer working with an agent as I don't have time to train someone in the licensing business that come in with talent but no experience."

Fun, Inspirational, Trendy - Artist Jane Foster

This is the first of a new series of short editorials about artists and their fun, inspirational and trendy work.

Artist Jane Foster started her handmade business as she wanted to have a career change from teaching to spend time with her daughter. She loves creating designs to then print onto fabric which is then made into something, whether it be a toy or cushion. She does everything from home. She gets inspired by Scandinavian designs from the 60s and 70s, such as early Marimekko or the ceramic designs of Marianne Westmann." My style is bold, happy and hopefully fun! My images are mostly flowers and animals - I've been lucky to have been spotted by a few companies who I then sold the license to use and publish my work. These were The Art Group and Clothkits, both of whom I still work for."

"My tip to other artists would be - it's important to always produce work you like yourself without trying to guess at what might sell or what others might like!"

In the future, she'd love to design fabric and home wares for Ikea and Marimekko, such as mugs, trays, storage jars, and so on. Jane has also a great Etsy store!

Style, Theme and Technique in Art Licensing - Artist Matteo Grilli

First of all I want to thank all of the artists who have been sharing their wonderful stories and art on my blog, as well as all my followers. It has been a fun journey so far, and per the many emails I receive, the articles have been a source of inspiration to many. So this is great!

Starting in April I will also publish a series of new editorials, including blog hops and short articles featuring artists and their fun, inspirational and trendy work. I will also continue to publish one or possibly two interviews per month. This will give me more time to work on my own art in preparation for my debut at Surtex this year - here is my promotional postcard for the occasion!

But meanwhile this week I want to introduce to the licensing community the lovely work of another Italian artist, Matteo Grilli. He was born in Italy and showed a deep fascination for animals and art from an early age. Matteo says, "I didn't follow any art school, college or art course so I am completely self taught. I started working as a featured artist at the Russell Gallery in Ireland in 2009. That trip to Ireland was my springboard to start my own art career." Life events eventually brought him to Brisbane, Australia, where he is currently based and is finding his way as an emerging artist.

Artist Matteo Grilli

"My ultimate goal," Matteo says "is to draw attention to the beauty of nature, to its fleeting essence, to inspire its contemplation, discovery and enjoyment, and therefore its understanding and care. Birds are my favorite subjects but any aspect of the natural world attracts my attention. I pursue precision, detail and realism derived from what I see. I belive that less is more and that what is left out of a work of art is as important as what is included, so I tend to leave space for the viewer, not paying much attention to the surroundings, focusing on the very subject of a painting." 

He also adds that this may lead his artwork to look rather unfinished, sketchy or more like studies. "My watercolour technique is rather traditional, mostly wet on dry and wet on wet as well." The tools Matteo uses are traditional too, high quality watercolour paints, paper and brushes, a pencil and sometimes an ink pen. 

"I see things with the same curiosity and excitement I had as a child. What I think is exciting about my creative work is to be able to share an experience derived from a contact with an animal in its natural environment. After witnessing the beauty and truth of nature I feel an urgency to portray it and a responsibilty to share it. I want to give the viewer one more chance to enjoy the overlooked beauty of the small things, of all the amazing creatures we, more or less unwittingly, share our lives with. I see all of this as very exciting."

His primary source of inspiration comes from the amazingly rich and varied wildlife living in suburban Brisbane. After nature itself, he been inspired by many other things, from the nature books of Marjolein Bastin - "after which I decided to focus on watercolor," Matteo says - to Louis Agassiz Fuertes and John Busby, to cave art, Chinese and Japanese artwork, and his childhood's cartoons like 'The Animals of Farthing Wood' and 'Watership Down.' "I also like the artwork of the many British watercolour artists of the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries, natural history art, botanical art and early topographical tradition. Looking at all these things over the years still today puts me in the right state of mind to create."

At the moment Matteo just started a new series of artworks called Avian Faces, which focuses on exploring the different fleeting face expressions of birds. He says, "I'm also getting ready to start my art business in Australia which is very exciting and I'm looking forward to it."

Matteo concludes saying, "I do not have any experience in art licensing but it is a path I am certainly very interested to follow and it is on my list of things to achieve. A future aspiration is to be able to allow people to contemplate and meditate upon nature's beauty through my work. Also, I want my artwork to be seen as a good means of inspiring nature's protection, consideration and enjoyment. And last but not least, of course, I hope to be able to support my projects with my art business."

           Matteo's blog: matteogrilli.blogspot.com