Licensing Art to the Decorative Tile Industry

Ceramic decorative tiles are used in kitchen backsplashes; murals and accent pieces in kitchens, bathrooms, living rooms, and on floors; as wall art; and as trivets for hot dishes. Making tiles and placing art on them are relatively easy to do. Thus, the manufacturing of them is not usually outsourced to foreign companies but done locally and ideal to be customized to individual needs.

There are many artists that sell tiles in POD (print on demand) internet stores and on their own websites. And, art is licensed by some internet tile companies. These companies tend to sell their tiles via POD to individual consumers and not to retail stores. Therefore, the licensing revenue may be very small because the tiles are not sold in mass quantities. Note: Not all artists license their art just for the money.  The aim of some artists is to also see their art on products. They are willing to do POD deals even though the revenue may not be a large amount.

As when submitting art to any manufacturer, artists must research what art theme and style each manufacturer use on their tiles. Many use fine art scenes, floral, and coastal designs but some use a variety of other art styles such as abstracts. Also, some tile manufacturers want to showcase artists work with the same theme. So be prepared to have collections of art that can be mixed and matched such as different flower designs.

Tile manufacturers generally want art that:
1. has themes that work well on tile for the home. Look at the manufacturer's websites to see the art themes they use on their tiles.
2. is formatted in squares or can be divided into squares for murals. Look at the manufacturer's website to see if they specify the tile size. Note: This may not be necessary but it is always advisable to make it easy for the manufacturer so they will license the art.
3. can be used for single tiles or murals. Show the art as collections of vertical, horizontal, and square motifs (from the painting or created separately). The manufacturer may only be interested in square motifs for accent pieces or only the painting (either horizontal or vertical) for a mural. But, having a collection increases licensing opportunities.
4. the artist is willing to edit (change colors, remove icons, reformat) to their specifications.

Tile Manufacturers:
• Artwork on Tile

• Cape Cod Treasure Chest

• My Backsplash

• Pacifica Tile Art Studio

• The Tile Mural Store

• Tile by Design

Read more articles about other manufacturers under the word Manufacturers in the Topics section on the side bar.

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