The Business of Patterns: Art Licensing & Pricing

Stop guessing your worth and start building a sustainable design career.

Do you love creating art & patterns but feel paralysed the moment a client asks, "What’s your rate?" Many talented designers leave thousands of dollars on the table because the "business side" of art feels like a foreign language. If you’ve ever been confused by contract jargon, worried about undercharging, or felt unsure how to pitch your work, this class was built for you.

I've had over 12 years of experience licensing for international brands in stationery, fabric, and home decor. In this fluff-free, actionable course, I pull back the curtain on the industry to show you exactly how to value your work and protect your creative rights.

What You’ll Learn:

The Language of Licensing: Master the roles of Licensor vs. Licensee and understand the difference between Flat Fees, Royalties, and Advances.
The 4 Levers of Pricing: Learn the secret formula for calculating any deal based on Term, Territory, Usage and Units
Building a Pitch-Perfect Portfolio: Shift from a "gallery" mindset to a "sales" mindset by creating professional Sales Sheets that Art Directors love.
The Sustainability Factor: Discover how to factor in your cost of living and overhead to ensure your business is actually profitable.
Calculating Your MVP: Define your "Minimum Viable Price" so you never say "yes" to a bad deal again.
Tiered Pricing Strategies: Learn how to present "Low, Mid, and High" value options to give your clients choices while keeping you in control.

The Project: Your Business Blueprint

You won't just watch videos - you’ll build your business. By the end of this class, you will have a ready-to-use Business Blueprint including:

An Ideal Partner Analysis: A strategic deep-dive into a brand you want to work with.
A Personalised Pricing Calculator: A custom spreadsheet that tells you exactly what to charge for every scenario.

Who This Class Is For:

Whether you are a student looking to make your first sale, a freelancer tired of low-paying "buyouts," or an established artist or surface pattern designer looking to streamline your professional process, this course will give you the confidence to sign contracts with total peace of mind.

Resources:

There are a number of PDF downloads with this class including a 30 day Licensing Action Plan which you can implement after you complete the class. I also highly recommend The Graphic Artists Guild Handbook Pricing and Ethical Guidelines*, which I proudly was an advisor for for the Surface Pattern Design sections on pricing.

Turn your passion for patterns into a professional powerhouse.

Stay Connected:

*This is an affiliate link, so I will earn a small commission if you go on to purchase it. I only recommend products that I love and use myself.

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Big Jay

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