What is Art Licensing vs. Surface Pattern Design
While art licensing and surface pattern design have both been around for a very long time, they have only recently has become more widely known terms. I have to assume that social media has played a large part in that, with many artists sharing their work, processes and what their lives look like in these careers. Heck, there is even a Hallmark Christmas movie now where the leading lady is a surface pattern designer! But, I also know that sometimes artists who are new to this world might not fully understand what each of these terms means, and how they are related. So, today I want to talk about that!
What art licensing is (for artists licensing art to companies)
Art licensing is when an artist grants a company permission to use their artwork on specific products.
The artist keeps the copyright to their work — they are not selling the art outright.
The company uses the art on things like stationery, home décor, textiles, gifts, apparel, packaging, etc.
How the company is allowed to use the art is determined by a license agreement, which spells out:
What artwork is being used
What products it can appear on
Where it can be sold (region or worldwide)
How long the license lasts (often 1–3 years)
The artist gets paid for this usage, typically in one of two ways:
How pricing works in art licensing
Royalty-based licensing
The artist earns a percentage of sales (commonly 3–10% depending on category and brand).
Royalties are paid quarterly or biannually.
Sometimes the artist is paid an upfront advance against their future royalties
This creates ongoing, passive income as long as the product sells.
Flat-fee licensing
The artist is paid a one-time fee for use of the artwork.
No future royalties are earned.
Often used for short-term projects, small runs, or marketing use.
Some agreements include both:
A flat fee plus royalties
Or a guaranteed minimum royalty
Pricing is influenced by:
Product type and retail price
Brand size and distribution
Length of license and exclusivity
How many designs are being licensed
What a surface pattern designer does
A surface pattern designer creates artwork specifically intended to be applied to physical products.
Their work is designed to live on surfaces such as:
Fabric and wallpaper
Stationery and gift wrap
Home goods (bedding, towels, rugs, ceramics)
Designs are often:
Repeating patterns
Coordinated collections
Built with colorways and variations in mind
Surface pattern designers must consider things like:
Scale and repeat structure
How art looks across an entire product, not just once
Trends, seasons, and target markets
Their work is usually created with manufacturing and production in mind, even if they never manufacture products themselves.
How art licensing and surface pattern design are connected
Surface pattern design is one of the most common and effective disciplines used in art licensing.
Many companies license art specifically because:
Patterns translate easily across multiple products
One design can be used on many SKUs
A surface pattern designer often:
Creates collections intentionally for licensing
Pitches their work to manufacturers and retailers
Builds a portfolio tailored to licensing categories
Art licensing allows surface pattern designers to:
Focus on creating artwork (not manufacturing)
See their designs on products in stores
Earn income without handling inventory, shipping, or customer service
Not all licensed artists are surface pattern designers, but most surface pattern designers use art licensing as a core business model.
I hope that this helps clear up some questions that you might have about Art Licensing and Surface Pattern Design! If you found this helpful, have questions, or just want to say hi, please send me an email krissy@krissymast.com - I love hearing from you!
