My Sparkling Emporium uses a mix of art created by me(Amanda!), and commercially licensed graphics/fonts. Below is a short list of artists I am fond of using- be sure to follow the link to check out their site/socials!
*Amanda is not affiliated with, or compensated by any of the artists or marketplaces in this article. She has personally purchased/used ALL of these services, and stands behind her experiences.
What is commercial licensing?
Artists can sell their work to be used by brands and companies. Commercial licensing gives artists the opportunity to be compensated for their time and effort, and state clear guidelines for how their work is used. Think of any printed item in your home- like a bedding set, towel set or sheets. If they have a print of any kind, it was developed by someone. They may be an artist or designer who works for the company/brand the item is from- or the company/brand may have purchased the pattern or print from an artist.
Tips for Use:
- Read the details carefully. Amanda tracks all of the licensed graphics she uses. Many of the basic licenses have limits on how many products you can sell before you need to upgrade your license, or take your item offline.
- Consider the theme. If you are purchasing a graphic that has ties to Indigenous art, ensure you are purchasing from an Indigenous artist.
- Make it your own! Often the artist will share mock ups of products. It's not a bad thing to use these presets, but it's also great to play with the graphics and find your unique take on them!
Other Resources:
- Creative Market: Part of why I love CM is because they do a very clear job at setting out guidelines for use. Keep in mind that marketplaces may have different guidelines, and the onus is on you to be on top of this.
- Etsy: buyer be ware. Etsy is amazing for finding hidden gems. However. copyright infringement is rampant on Etsy. Carefully vet the graphics- it's very easy for them to be stolen designs, or lifted from places like Canva, where you can find a whole host of graphics for free.
- Canva & PicMonkey: these are great places to start if you are looking to expand your font libraries/graphics. Keep in mind that they run on subscription services, and once you are no longer paying for a subscription, you don't have licensing to sell art that contain them. I have used both, and found them to be super helpful!
I am on TikTok, where I have some video series about different steps to my projects, and on topics like this. You can join TikTok or follow along with a browser instead. I have started using banner labels that make it easier for you to see what each video is about.
Wondering how to display your new digital print? Head over here!