Hey First name / friends!

 

Want a peek into what my day-to-day life looks like as a professional artist? Here's a little behind-the-scenes look at one of my latest collabs.

 

Over the summer, I got an email from a prospective licensee who was interested in some of the cocktail artwork I had in my portfolio. However, they had some specific trendy cocktails in mind that they wanted for this upcoming collab – an Aperol Spritz and Espresso Martini. They asked me if I'd be willing to paint some new pieces in the style of the cocktail illustrations I already had in my portfolio. 

 

Here's the actual email request I got from them!👇🏼

Even though this involved creating new artwork, it was an immediate win for me for a couple reasons.

 

1) The artwork they were requesting is super trendy right now, so adding these cocktails to my portfolio is not only going to be beneficial for this collaboration, but for future ones as well!

 

2) They were interested in my style and were able to recognize that I was consistent throughout my portfolio. My hope is that my distinct style helped me stand out and that they'll keep it in mind when they have other collaboration opportunities in the future!

 

And as a bonus, I'm super comfortable creating artwork in this illustration style, so I was easily able to whip these up in the timeframe they needed.

 

Quick note: I titled the Aperol Spritz illustration, “Orange Fizz”. Why? Avoiding trademark infringement, baby! 😎 Aperol owns the trademark to Aperol Spritz, so I want to steer clear of any potential issues there. 

 

When I sent the client the new artwork, I also included other existing work from my portfolio that aligned with the same theme. It never hurts to send coordinating artwork and full collections. After all, more artwork licensed = more sales for me!

 

I kept the new illustrations very similar to the originals in my portfolio, so the client was happy with them when I sent them back. Sometimes these things go through a couple rounds of revisions, but in this case, we wrapped it up right away! 

 

Overall, I was really pleased with how this went. I love hearing what clients are looking for. It gives me great insight into what's selling well right now. 

 

My lips are sealed about the details of this collab other than this. 🤐 But I'll share more when I can!

 

I thought it would be fun to share how these kinds of exchanges go down so that you could feel a little less intimidated on your own art biz journey. Art directors, buyers, and agents are all people just like you! I know it can feel scary to think about pitching and negotiating with clients when you're first starting out, but the more practice you get, the more comfortable you'll be! 

 

Espresso Martinis and Aperol Spritz are both having a big moment right now, but they're just two examples of trendy cocktails that you can illustrate. 

 

Remember the “Negroni Spagliato with Prosecco in it" sound that was everywhere back in 2022?

 

Or how rosé exploded in popularity in 2014–2016?

 

Martinis are also growing in popularity these days! You've got lots of options for this challenge, so get creative! And feel free to illustrate your favorite drink even if it's not trending!

Quick reminder that my 12-month mentorship program, The Art of Collections is opening for enrollment again next week! 

 

This is a one-of-a-kind group program where you'll learn how to:

 

✓ Build a show-stopping portfolio

✓ Pitch your work with confidence

✓ Market yourself & get your work noticed

✓ Land licensing collabs with dream clients

 

All while connecting with our tight-knit community of driven artists. 🥰 

 

Ready to make 2025 the year you become a full-time artist? Click the button below to learn more and get on the waitlist!

Have a fabulous week!