What are Art Collections and Why Create Them?

An art collection is a series of pattens, icons, and borders that are created to compliment a painting(s) so that it can be used in a variety of ways on numerous products. Artist / art director Joanne Fink of Lakeside Design may not be the first to create art collections but she sure has been the most vocal in embracing the concept. Joanne has given many talks at art licensing conferences spreading the word to artists about the advantages of creating collections around a painting (central image). Art collections can be created anyway you wish on any size paper. The example above shows a two page (8-1/2 by 11 inches each) spread of one of my own art collections. Read the following article for more information about art (themed) collections by Joanne Fink.

Themed Collections

by Joanne Fink of Lakeside Design

I think in terms of what I call ‘themed collections.' The purpose of a themed collection is to create a body of work that is formatted in enough different ways that manufacturers in different product categories will have all the parts and pieces they need to develop whatever shape and any type of product they want to make. By developing a themed collection in this manner, you can license the same collection to a tabletop manufacturer (who will need circular frames for plates), to a scrapbook manufacturer (who will be interested in backgrounds for scrapbooking papers and icons for stickers), and to a puzzle manufacturer (who will most likely only want a central image).

I define a collection as coordinated group of images containing most (if not all of the following):

1. Central image(s): 1 to 4

2. Frames: rectangular, circular, oval, square (preferably at least one of each; the rectangular and circular are the most important)

3. Borders: at least three (preferably in different widths – i.e. ½ inch, 1 inch, 2 inch)

4. Backgrounds: at least three (preferably created at 12 x 12 so they can be used as scrapbook papers).

5. Supplemental icons: at least 6 - more is always better. You can use the icons to build some of the backgrounds and borders.

6. Text: if appropriate

For detailed verbal information (sorry no visuals) on building themed collections listen to Joanne Fink's seminar that she gave at the 2006 CHA Winter Show. Session # 356 -D501: 2006 "Effective Marketing Strategies for the Art Licensing Business". The cost is $12.50.

To see pictures of themed collections created by Lakeside Design, go to their website. Note: Lakeside Design website was generated in flash so there is no direct link to the example pages. Use the following directions to locate the collection examples. After the website is open, click on services, then click on services for artists, then click on artwork development, and then click on see examples of themed collections click here.