Commercial Commissions
I’m so excited to get to help you create something amazing!! Typically, commercial commissions are for things like books, stickers, t-shirts, cards, or posters.
The key difference between a regular commission and a commercial commission is that you’ll be granted a license to use these images for your project that you intend to sell or distribute.
I create original works of art, as you’ll see at my “Art By Julie” page, and more affordable AI-generated art under the Ridge Light Ranch umbrella. Sometimes I will take on a project as a direct order as well (Instead of purchasing a commercial license, you purchase end product at wholesale prices to resell. When you run out, you simply purchase more from me. I sell the same products directly from my website, etc.)
When you’re ready, let’s sit down and discuss your whole project! You may already know exactly what you want or you may need to bounce some ideas off me and work out what you’d like- Either way is ok!
When We Talk…
Here are some of the things we’ll be discussing (you’re always allowed to say, “I don’t know, you decide!”:
- Tell me about your project!
- What kind of images are you looking for?
- What sort of mood/feel do you want them to have?
- Do you have specific characters? Tell me everything you can about them!
- What media are you looking for (eg: Black & White? Watercolor? AI-generated?)
- What size do you need to image/illustration to be?
- Do you already know how many of what size images you want, or do you want help working that out?
- If this is a book, think about what you want the finished book size to be and then order the illustration 125%-150% bigger. (Children’s books often have page dimensions around 8.5” x 11” or 9” x 12”.)
- If this is for a 3″ sticker, you probably want a 5×7 image so there’s remove to trim the edge and shrink the image.
- Will you need blank space left in the image/illustration for text (or maybe the text will be on a blank page instead)?
- Do you need more than a non-exclusive license for these images? (more info on licenses below)
- How long do you want your license to last? (5, 10, 20 years? Forever?)
- Where will you be using these images (a book, merch, marketing, etc…)
- What is your timeline for this project?
Sample Watercolor Pricing (Non-Exclusive 5-Year License- Standard Commercial Commission)
Every project is unique and will have special situations, but I know budgeting is hard when you can’t even find a ballpark estimate. Typically a non-exclusive license commercial commission is about double the price of a standard commission with no commercial options. So, here are some sample prices for a non-exclusive license with an imaginary example 32-page children’s picture book with watercolor illustrations:
| Image/Illustration size | Dimensions | Price per image | Number Needed | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Full page spread | 11×15 | $200 | 6 | $1200 |
| Two-page spread | 2, 11×15 | $400 | 4 | $1600 |
| Half Page | 8×10 | $100 | 10 | $1000 |
| Spot, sticker, magnet… | 5×7 | $60 | 8 | $480 |
| Cover art | varies | ~$300 (varies!) | 1 | $300 |
| Other (e.g., chapter headers, backgrounds) | varies | 2 | $60 | |
| Total | 31 | $4,640 |
Revisions
- 2 rounds of revisions will be included.
- Revisions must be conveyed in writing via email (in-person and phone conversations are ok, but the author is responsible for summarizing the changes in writing via email afterward)
- Extra revisions will be available at an hourly rate of $40/hr
*Keep in mind that if this is for a book, you’ll still need to employ a formatter to lay out the text and images on the pages so it’s ready to print.
Licenses and Copyright
When you’re paying for a commercial license, it’s important to know what both you and the other party to your contract can and can not do with the images. Here’s a run-down of the typical licenses I write into my contracts.
Keep in mind that in all these cases, I retain the right to include the images in my digital (online) and physical portfolio of work for self-promotion. I also retain the originals and can sell them at any time but not replicate them in any way.
1. Non-Exclusive License (Standard License)
- The artist retains the copyright but grants the buyer (author or publisher) non-exclusive rights to use the illustrations for specific purposes (eg. one ISBN book, website, marketing materials…) for a specific period of time (usually 5 years, but can be negotiated higher, up to forever). This means the artist can ALSO license the images to others during that time.
- This is the least expensive option because the artist can continue to profit from the images if the opportunity arises. This license is my base rate (shown in the example above) for commercial projects (which is about double the price for personal use projects).
2. Exclusive License for Specific Uses & Time
- The artist retains the copyright but grants the buyer (author or publisher) exclusive rights to use the illustrations for specific purposes (e.g., (eg. one ISBN book, marketing materials…) for a specific period of time. Neither party can license the illustrations to third parties without permission.
- This is a moderately priced option because the artist is giving up the opportunity to sell the rights to them again during that time period. I charge 1.5x the base price (shown in the example above) for this license.
3. Full Copyright Transfer (aka: Work for Hire)
- The artist transfers ALL rights to the buyer (author or publisher), and the buyer owns the digital illustrations outright, forever. They can use the illustrations in any way, including reprints, merchandise, adaptations, and more, without further compensation to the artist. The buyers can even license the images to a third party.
- This is typically the most expensive option because the artist is giving up all future rights and earning potential for the work. I charge 2x the base price (shown in the example above) for this license.
I hope all this information has you excited about your project!
Contact me so we can get started working together!