How to license your art for royalties
To license your art for royalties, you grant a company the right to use your designs on their products in exchange for a percentage of every sale — typically 5 to 15%. You keep the copyright; they manufacture, sell, and distribute. Realform matches your existing work to the right products and partners, then tracks and pays your royalties.
What an art licence actually is
A licence is permission, not a sale. You let a partner reproduce your artwork on specific products, in a specific market, for a set time — and you keep ownership of the work. They handle manufacturing, sales, and distribution; you collect a royalty on what sells. It's the most hands-off way to earn from art you've already made.
How the royalty is calculated
- Rate: commonly 5–15%, applied to either wholesale or retail revenue — check which, because it changes your real earnings significantly.
- Advance: some deals pay an upfront sum recouped against future royalties.
- Term & territory: how long the licence lasts and where it applies (e.g. UK only, or worldwide).
- Exclusivity: an exclusive licence pays more but stops you licensing that design elsewhere; non-exclusive keeps your options open.
What makes work licensable
Partners look for a recognisable style, work that fits a product category (greeting cards, gift wrap, homeware, stationery), and designs that suit ranges and seasons rather than one-offs. A coherent body of work — a collection with a through-line — is far easier to license than a scattering of unrelated pieces.
Licensing vs selling direct
Licensing is passive reach: a partner's retail network can put your art on shelves you couldn't reach alone, but they set pricing and how hard they push. Selling direct pays more per sale and keeps you in control, but the demand is yours to generate. You don't have to choose — many artists license some pieces and sell others.
How Realform licenses your work
From the same uploaded portfolio, Realform identifies which pieces suit licensing, composes them to each partner's product specs, places them with the right ranges, and tracks and pays the royalties — while you sell other pieces direct for margin. You set the mix and keep your copyright on both.
One portfolio, two income streams — licensing for reach, direct sales for margin, your rights intact on both.
FAQ
Do I lose my copyright when I license my art?
No. A licence grants specific, time-limited usage rights while you retain ownership of the work. Avoid any agreement that asks you to assign or transfer the copyright itself, and always read the terms.
Can I license the same design to more than one company?
Yes, if the licences are non-exclusive. Exclusive deals pay more but restrict you to a single partner for that design, often within a defined product category or territory.
Bring the work. Realform runs the business.
Apply as a creator