GREETING CARDS, GIFTS & PRODUCTS

The companies listed in this section contain some great potential clients for you. Although greeting card publishers make up the bulk of the listings, you’ll also find many businesses that need images for all kinds of other products. We’ve included manufacturers of everyday items such as paper plates, napkins, banners, shopping bags, T-shirts, school supplies, personal checks, and calendars, as well as companies looking for fine art for limited edition collectibles.

TIPS FOR GETTING STARTED

Use the following tips as you prepare your greeting card or product submissions:

1. Read the listings carefully to learn exactly what products each company makes and the specific styles and subject matter they use.

2. Browse store shelves to see what’s out there. Take a notebook and jot down the types of cards and products you see. If you want to illustrate greeting cards, familiarize yourself with the various categories of cards and note which images tend to appear again and again in each category.

3. Pay attention to the larger trends in society, such as diversity, patriotism, and the need to feel connected to others. Fads such as reality TV and scrapbooking, as well as popular celebrities, often show up in images on cards and gifts. Trends can also be spotted in movies and on websites.

GUIDELINES FOR SUBMISSION

• Do not send originals. Companies want to see photographs, photocopies, printed samples, computer printouts, tearsheets, or slides. Many also accept digital files on disk or via e-mail.

• Artwork should be upbeat, brightly colored, and appropriate to one of the major categories or niches popular in the industry.

• Make sure each sample is labeled with your name, address, phone number, e-mail address, and website.

• Send three to five appropriate samples of your work to the contact person named in the listing. Include a brief cover letter with your initial mailing.

• Enclose a self-addressed, stamped envelope (SASE) if you need your samples back.

• Within six months, follow up with another mailing to the same listings and additional card and gift companies you have researched.

Don’t overlook the collectibles market

Limited edition collectibles, such as ornaments, figurines, and collector plates, appeal to a wide audience and are a lucrative niche for artists. To do well in this field, you have to be flexible enough to take suggestions. Companies test-market products to find out which images will sell the best, so they will guide you in the creative process. For a collectible plate, for example, your work must fit into a circular format or you’ll be asked to extend the painting out to the edge of the plate.

Popular themes for collectibles include animals (especially kittens and puppies), children, dolls, TV nostalgia, patriotic, Native American, wildlife, religious (including madonnas and angels), gardening, culinary, and sports images.

E-cards

Electronic greeting cards are very popular. Many can be sent for free, but they drive people to websites and can, therefore, be a smart marketing tool. The most popular e-cards are animated, and there is an increasing need for artists who can animate their own designs for the Internet, using Flash animation. Search the Internet and visit sites such as www.hallmark.com, www.bluemountain.com, and www.americangreetings.com to get an idea of the variety of images that appear on e-cards. Companies often post their design needs on their websites.

PAYMENT AND ROYALTIES

Most card and product companies pay set fees or royalty rates for design and illustration. Card companies almost always purchase full rights to work, but some are willing to negotiate for other arrangements, such as greeting card rights only. If the company has ancillary plans in mind for your work (calendars, stationery, party supplies, or toys), they will probably want to buy all rights. In such cases, you may be able to bargain for higher payment. For more tips, see Copyright Basics in the Business Basics section.

KURT S. ADLER, INC.

7 W. 34th St., New York NY 10001. (212)924-0900. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.kurtadler.com. Contact: Howard Adler, president. Estab. 1946. Manufacturer and importer of Christmas ornaments and giftware products. Produces collectible figurines, decorations, gifts, ornaments.

NEEDS Prefers freelancers with experience in giftware. Considers all media. Will consider all styles appropriate for Christmas ornaments and giftware. Produces material for Christmas, Halloween.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with brochure, photocopies, photographs. Responds within 1 month. Will contact for portfolio review if interested. Payment negotiable.

TIPS “We rely on freelance designers to give our line a fresh, new approach and innovative new ideas.”

ALEF JUDAICA, INC.

13310 S. Figueroa St., Los Angeles CA 90061. (310)630-0024; (800)262-2533. Fax: (310)808-0940. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.alefjudaica.com. Estab. 1979. Manufacturer and distributor of a full line of Judaica, including menorahs, Kiddush cups, greeting cards, giftwrap, tableware, etc.

NEEDS Approached by 15 freelancers/year. Works with 10 freelancers/year. Buys 75-100 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Prefers local freelancers with experience. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers for new designs in Judaica gifts (menorahs, etc.) and ceramic Judaica. Also for calligraphy, pasteup and mechanicals. All designs should be upper scale Judaica.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Mail brochure, photographs of final art samples. Art director will contact artist for portfolio review if interested, or portfolios may be dropped off every Friday. Sometimes requests work on spec before assigning a job. Pays $300 for illustration/design; pays royalties of 10%. Considers buying second rights (reprint rights) to previously published work.

ALLPORT EDITIONS

2337 NW York St., Portland OR 97210. (503)223-7268. Fax: (503)223-9182. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.allport.com/artists_commitment.aspx. Produces greeting cards. Specializes in regional designs (American cities and states). Currently only working with hand-rendered art (pen & ink, watercolor, acrylic, etc.). Does not use any photography. Art guidelines available on website.

NEEDS Approached by 200 freelancers/year. Works with 2-3 freelancers/year. Licenses 60 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Prefers art scaleable to card size. Produces material for holidays, birthdays and everyday. Submit seasonal material 1 year in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with photocopies and SASE. Accepts submissions on disk compatible with PC-formatted TIFF or JPEG files. Samples are filed or returned by SASE. Responds in 4-5 months if response is requested. Rights purchased vary according to project. All contracts on royalty basis.

TIPS “Submit just enough samples for us to get a feel for your style/collection. Two is probably too few; 40 is far too many.”

AMCAL, INC.

4751 Hempstead Station Dr., Kettering OH 45429. (937)495-6323; (800)958-4785. Fax: (937)495-3192. Website: www.amcalart.com; www.meadwestvaco.com. Publishes calendars, note cards, Christmas cards and other stationery items and books. Markets to a broad distribution channel, including better gifts, books, department stores and larger chains throughout U.S. Some sales to Europe, Canada and Japan. “We look for illustration and design that can be used in many ways: calendars, note cards, address books and more, so we can develop a collection. We license art that appeals to a widely female audience.”

NEEDS Prefers work in horizontal format. No gag humor or cartoons. Art guidelines available for SASE with first-class postage or online.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with brochure, résumé, photographs, slides, tearsheets and transparencies. Include a SASE for return of material. Responds within 6 weeks. Will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Pays for illustration by the project, advance against royalty.

TIPS “Research what is selling and what’s not. Go to gift shows and visit lots of stationery stores. Read all the trade magazines. Talk to store owners.”

AMERICAN GREETINGS CORPORATION

One American Rd., Cleveland OH 44144-2398. (216)252-7300, ext. 4931. Fax: (216)252-6778. Website: www.corporate.americangreetings.com. Estab. 1906. Produces greeting cards, stationery, calendars, paper tableware products, giftwrap and ornaments. Also recruiting for AG Interactive.

NEEDS Prefers designers with experience in illustration, graphic design, surface design and calligraphy. Also looking for skills in motion graphics, Photoshop, animation and strong drawing skills. Usually works from a list of 100 active freelancers.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Apply online. Submission guidelines available online.

TIPS “Get a BFA in graphic design with a strong emphasis on typography.”

ANW/CREATIVITY WORKS

510 Ryerson Rd., Lincoln Park NJ 07035. (973)406-5000. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.anwcrestwood.com. Contact: Katey Franceschini, creative department. Estab. 1901. Produces stationery, scrapbook and paper crafting. Specializes in stationery, patterned papers, stickers and related paper products.

NEEDS Approached by 100 freelancers/year. Works with 20 freelancers/year. Buys or licenses 150 freelance illustrations and design pieces/year. Prefers freelancers with experience in illustration/fine art, stationery design/surface design. Works on assignment only. Considers any medium that can be scanned.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Mail or e-mail nonreturnable color samples. Company will call if there is a current or future project that is relative. Accepts Mac-compatible disk and e-mail submissions. Samples are filed for future projects. Will contact artist for more samples and to discuss project. Pays for illustration by the project, $100 and up. Also considers licensing for complete product collections. Finds freelancers through trade shows and Artist’s & Graphic Designer’s Market Book.

TIPS “Research the craft and stationery market and send only appropriate samples for scrapbooking, cardcrafting and stationery applications. Send lots of samples, showing your best, neatest and cleanest work with a clear concept.”

AR-EN PARTY PRINTERS, INC.

8225 N. Christiana Ave., Skokie IL 60076. (847)673-7390. Fax: (847)673-7379. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]. Website: www.ar-en.com. Estab. 1978. Produces stationery and paper tableware products. Makes personalized party accessories for weddings and all other affairs and special events.

NEEDS Works with 1-2 freelancers/year. Buys 10 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for new designs; also for calligraphy. Looking for contemporary and stylish designs, especially b&w line art (no grayscale) to use for hot stamping dyes. Prefers small (2×2) format.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with brochure, résumé and SASE. Samples are filed or returned by SASE if requested by artist. Responds in 2 weeks. Will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Rights purchased vary according to project.

TIPS “My best new ideas always evolve from something I see that turns me on. Do you have an idea/style that you love? Market it. Someone out there needs it.”

ARTFUL GREETINGS

2104 Riddle Rd., Durham NC 27713. (919)598-7599. Fax: (919)598-1381. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.artfulgreetings.com. Estab. 1990. Produces bookmarks, greeting cards, T-shirts and magnetic notepads. Specializes in multicultural subject matter, all ages.

NEEDS Approached by 200 freelancers/year. Works with 10 freelancers/year. Buys 20 freelance designs and illustrations/year. No b&w art. Uses freelancers mainly for cards. Considers bright color art, no photographs. Looking for art depicting people of all races. Prefers a multiple of 2 sizes: 5×7 and 5½×8. Produces material for Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduation, Kwanzaa, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, everyday, sympathy, get well, romantic, thank you, woman-to-woman and multicultural. Submit seasonal material 1 year in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Designers: Send photocopies, SASE, slides, transparencies (call first). Illustrators: Send photocopies (call first). May send samples and queries by e-mail. Samples are filed. Artist should follow up with call or letter after initial query. Will contact for portfolio review of color slides and transparencies if interested. Negotiates rights purchased. Pays for illustration by the project, $50-100. Finds freelancers through word of mouth, NY Stationery Show.

ARTISTS TO WATCH

1766 E. Highway 36, Studio B, Maplewood MN 55109. (651)222-8102. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.artiststowatch.com. “Manufacturer of high-quality greeting cards featuring the work of contemporary international artists. We have national and international distribution—great exposure for accomplished artists.”

NEEDS Art submission guidelines available on the website. We encourage printmakers of all kind to submit, but also considers all types of media.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS “E-mail small JPEG files or website URL. If you prefer, you may mail 10 samples of work. No originals please, include SASE if you’d like your work returned. We will respond within 12 weeks. We will contact you if we’d like to see more. Use of artwork is compensated with royalty payments.”

ART LICENSING

450 Applejack Rd., Manchester Center VT 05255. (802)362-3662. Fax: (802)362-3286. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.artlicensing.com. Licenses art for bookmarks, calendars, collectible figurines, decorative housewares, decorations, games, giftbags, gifts, giftwrap, greeting cards, limited edition plates, mugs, ornaments, paper tableware, party supplies, personal checks, posters, prints, school supplies, stationery, T-shirts, textiles, toys, wallpaper, etc.

NEEDS Seeking extensive artwork for use on posters and a wide cross section of product categories. Looking for variety of styles and subject matter. Art guidelines free for SASE with first-class postage. Considers all media and all styles. Produces material for all holidays.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send color photocopies, photographs, tearsheets, CD. No e-mail submissions. Accepts disk submissions compatible with Mac. Samples are filed or returned by SASE only. Responds in 1 month. Will contact artist for portfolio review if interested.

ARTVISIONS™: FINE ART LICENSING

12117 SE 26th St., Bellevue WA 98005-4118. E-mail: See website for contact form. Website: www.artvisions.com. Contact: Neil Miller, president. Estab. 1993. Licenses fine art and professional photography. Fine art and professional photography licensing only. Review guidelines on website. “Not currently seeking new talent. However, we are always willing to view the work of top-notch established artists. If you fit this category, please contact ArtVisions via the website contact form and include a link to a website where your art can be seen.”

“To gain an idea of the type of art we license, please view our website. Artist MUST be able to provide high-res, professionally made digital files of artwork on DVD. We are firmly entrenched in the digital world, if you are not, then we cannot represent you.”

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Written contract provided.

TIPS “If you need advice about marketing your art, please visit: www.artistsconsult.com.”

BARTON-COTTON, INC.

3030 Waterview Ave., Baltimore MD 21230. (800)348-1102. Fax: (410)565-5011. E-mail: [email protected]. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.bartoncotton.com. Produces religious greeting cards, commercial all-occasion, Christmas cards, wildlife designs and spring note cards. Licenses wildlife art, photography, traditional Christmas art for note cards, Christmas cards, calendars and all-occasion cards.

NEEDS Buys 150-200 freelance illustrations/year. Please submit no more then 15-20 pieces of your work in a neat and orderly format. When reviewing the artwork we are looking for concept, style, drawing skill, and color usage. Submit seasonal work any time. Free art guidelines for SASE with first-class postage and sample cards; specify area of interest (religious, Christmas, spring, etc.).

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with résumé, tearsheets, photocopies or slides. Submit full-color work only (watercolor, gouache, pastel, oil and acrylic). Previously published work and simultaneous submissions accepted. Responds in 1 month. Pays by the project. Pays on acceptance.

TIPS “Spend some time studying current market trends in the greeting card industry. There is an increased need for creative ways to paint traditional Christmas scenes with up-to-date styles and techniques.” See website for more guidelines.

BEISTLE COMPANY

1 Beistle Plaza, Shippensburg PA 17257-9623. (717)532-2131. Fax: (717)532-7789. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.beistle.com. Contact: Rick Buterbaugh, art director. Estab. 1900. Manufacturer of paper and plastic decorations, party goods, gift items, tableware and greeting cards. Targets general public, home consumers through point of purchase (P-O-P) displays, specialty advertising, school market and other party good suppliers.

NEEDS Approached by 250-300 freelancers/year. Works with 50 freelancers/year. Prefers artists with experience in designer gouache illustration. Also needs digital art (Mac platform or compatible). Art guidelines available. Looks for full-color, camera-ready artwork for separation and offset reproduction. Works on assignment only. Uses freelance artists mainly for product rendering and brochure design and layout. Prefers digital art using various styles and techniques. 50% of freelance design and 50% of illustration demand knowledge of QuarkXPress, Illustrator, Photoshop or Painter.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with résumé and color reproductions with SASE. Samples are filed or returned by SASE. Art director will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Sometimes requests work on spec before assigning a job. Pays by the project. Considers buying second rights (reprint rights) to previously published work. Finds artists through word of mouth, magazines, submissions/self-promotions, sourcebooks, agents, visiting artists’ exhibitions, art fairs and artists’ reps.

TIPS “Our primary interest is in illustration; often we receive freelance propositions for graphic design brochures, logos, catalogs, etc. These are not of interest to us as we are manufacturers of printed decorations. Send color samples rather than b&w.”

BELLAMUSE

71 Nassau St., 2nd Floor, New York NY 10038. (212)727-0102;. Fax: (212)727-2102. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.bellamuse.com. Estab. 2003. “BellaMuse was established in 2003 by artist and typographer Alicia Peck. Alicia’s work draws upon a love of writing, whimsy, humor, and antique illustrations. Little luxuries from BellaMuse are sold in upscale home stores and boutiques throughout the U.S.”

NEEDS Produces conventional, formal, counter humor, alternative and cute cards and gifts. Categories include: Mother’s Day, Christmas, Thanksgiving, graduation, birthday, Father’s Day, Easter, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, congratulations, wedding/anniversary, get-well/sympathy and everyday. Artists should be familiar with Adobe Illustrator, InDesign and Photoshop. Could use freelance Web design; designers should be familiar with Dreamweaver, Flash, GoLive and HTML. Submitted samples are kept on file. Seasonal material should be submitted 10 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send a query letter, e-mail or postcard sample including artist’s URL, résumé, tearsheets and photographs. Follow up every 3 months.

BERGQUIST IMPORTS, INC.

1412 Hwy. 33 S., Cloquet MN 55720. (800)328-0853. Fax: (218)879-0010. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.bergquistimports.com. Estab. 1948. Produces paper napkins, mugs and tile. Wholesaler of mugs, decorator tile, plates and dinnerware.

NEEDS Approached by 25 freelancers/year. Works with 5 freelancers/year. Buys 50 designs and illustrations/year. Prefers freelancers with experience in Scandinavian designs. Works on assignment only. Also uses freelancers for calligraphy. Produces material for Christmas, Valentine’s Day and everyday. Submit seasonal material 6-8 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with brochure, tearsheets and photographs. Samples are returned, not filed. Responds in 2 months. Request portfolio review in original query. Artist should follow up with a letter after initial query. Portfolio should include roughs, color tearsheets and photographs. Rights purchased vary according to project. Originals are returned at job’s completion. Requests work on spec before assigning a job. Pays by the project, $50-300; average flat fee of $100 for illustration/design; or royalties of 5%. Finds artists through word of mouth, submissions/self-promotions and art fairs.

BERWICK OFFRAY

350 Clark Dr., Budd Lake NJ 07828. (973)527-6137. Contact: Patti Jo Smith, director of creative and design. Estab. 1900. Produces ribbons, gift bags, wrapping paper, tissues and more. “We’re mainly a ribbon company. For ribbon designs we look to the textile design studios and textile-oriented people; children’s designs, craft motifs, fabric trend designs, floral designs, Christmas designs, bridal ideas, etc. Our range of needs is wide, so we need various looks.”

NEEDS Looking for artists able to translate a trend or design idea into a 1½" to 2½ width ribbon. Produce ribbons for Fall/Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, bridal and everyday.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send postcard sample or query letter with résumé or call.

GENE BLILEY STATIONERY

100 N. Park Ave., Peru IN 46970. (800)277-5458. Fax: (800)329-1669. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.chatsworthcollection.com. Contact: Art director. Estab. 1967. Produces stationery, family-oriented birth announcements and invitations for most events and Christmas cards.

This company also owns Editions Limited and Frederick Beck Originals. One submission will be seen by both companies. See listing for Editions Limited/Frederick Beck.

BLOOMIN’ FLOWER CARDS

4734 Pearl St., Boulder CO 80301. (800)894-9185, ext. 2. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: bloomin.com. Estab. 1995. Produces greeting cards, stationery and gift tags—all embedded with seeds.

NEEDS Approached by 100 freelancers/year. Works with 5-8 freelancers/year. Buys 5-8 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Art guidelines available. Uses freelancers mainly for card images. Considers all media. Looking for florals, garden scenes, holiday florals, birds, and butterflies—bright colors, no photography. Produces material for Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Earth Day, birthdays, everyday, get well, romantic and thank you. Submit seasonal material 8 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Accepts digital submissions only—show us samples of your work. Responds if interested. Finds freelancers through word of mouth, submissions, and local artists’ guild.

TIPS “All submissions must be relevant to flowers and gardening.”

BLUE MOUNTAIN ARTS, INC.

P.O. Box 4549, Boulder CO 80306. (303)449-0536; (800)525-0642. Fax: (800)545-8573. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.sps.com. Estab. 1970. Produces books, bookmarks, calendars, greeting cards, mugs and prints. Specializes in handmade-looking greeting cards, calendars and books with inspirational or whimsical messages accompanied by colorful hand-painted illustrations.

NEEDS Art guidelines via e-mail. Uses freelancers mainly for hand-painted illustrations. Considers all media. Product categories include alternative cards, alternative/humor, conventional, cute, inspirational and teen. Submit seasonal material 10 months in advance. Art size should be 5×7 vertical format for greeting cards.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with photocopies, photographs, SASE and tearsheets. Send no more than 5 illustrations initially. Or e-mail with subject line “Greeting Card Submission.” No phone calls or faxes. Samples are filed or are returned by SASE. Responds in 2 months. Portfolio not required. Buys all rights. Pays freelancers flat rate: $150-250/illustration if chosen. Finds freelancers through submissions and word of mouth.

TIPS “We are an innovative company, always looking for fresh and unique art styles to accompany our sensitive or whimsical messages. We also welcome illustrated cards accompanied with your own editorial content. We strive for a handmade look. We love color! We don’t want photography! We don’t want slick computer art! Do in-store research to get a feel for the look and content of our products. We want illustrations for printed cards, not e-cards! We want to see illustrations that fit with our existing looks, and we also want fresh, new and exciting styles and concepts. Remember that people buy cards for what they say. The illustration is a beautiful backdrop for the message.”

BLUE MOUNTAIN WALLCOVERINGS

15 Akron Rd., Toronto M8W 1T3, Canada. (800)219-2424. Fax: (800)741-2083. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.blmtn.com. Produces wallpaper.

NEEDS Works with 20-50 freelancers/year. Prefers local designers/illustrators with experience in wallpaper. Art guidelines available. Product categories include conventional, country, juvenile and teen. 5% of freelance work demands knowledge of Photoshop.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send brochure, photocopies and photographs. Samples are filed. Responds only if interested. Company will contact artist for portfolio review of color, finished art, original art, photographs, transparencies if interested. Buys rights for wallpaper or all rights. Pays freelancers by the project. Finds freelancers through agents, artist submissions and word of mouth.

BON ARTIQUE.COM/ART RESOURCES INTERNATIONAL, LTD.

Bon Art, 66 Fort Point St., Norwalk CT 06855. (203)845-8888. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.bonartique.com. Contact: Brett Bennist, art coordinator. Estab. 1980. Art publisher, poster company, licensing and design studio. Publishes/distributes fine art prints, canvas transfers, unlimited editions, offset reproductions and posters. Clients: Internet purveyors of art, picture frame manufacturers, catalog companies, distributors.

NEEDS Seeking decorative and fashionable art for the commercial and designer markets. Considers oil, acrylic, pastel, watercolor and mixed media. Artists represented include Eric Yang, Tom Butler, Mid Gordon, Martin Wiscombe, Julia Hawkins, Gloria Ericksen, Janet Stever, Louise Montillio, Maxwell Hutchinson, Bennie Diaz and Tina Chaden. Editions are created by collaborating with the artist or by working from an existing painting. Approached by 500 artists/year. Publishes/distributes the work of 30 emerging artists/year.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS E-mail or send query letter with brochure, samples, photographs, URL. Accepts e-mail submissions with image files or link to website. Prefers JPEG or TIFF files. Samples are kept on file or returned by SASE if requested. Responds only if interested. Will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Portfolio should include b&w, color, finished art, roughs, photographs. Pays flat fee or royalties. Offers advance when appropriate. Rights purchased vary according to project; negotiated. Requires exclusive representation. Provides insurance while work is at firm, shipping from firm, promotion and written contract. Finds artists through agents/reps, submissions, portfolio reviews, art fairs/exhibits, word of mouth, referrals by other artists, magazines, sourcebooks, Internet.

TIPS “We welcome submissions from a wide range of international artists. As leaders in the field of fine art publishing for the past 30 years, we believe in sharing our knowledge of the trends, categories and styles with our artists. Although interested in working with veterans of our industry, we actively recruit and encourage all accomplished artists to submit their portfolios—preferably by e-mail with links to images.”

ASHLEIGH BRILLIANT ENTERPRISES

117 W. Valerio St., Santa Barbara CA 93101. (805)682-0531. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]. Website: www.ashleighbrilliant.com. Contact: Ashleigh Brilliant, president. Publishes postcards.

Prefers single-panel. Maximum size of artwork: 5½×3½, horizontal only. Samples are returned by SASE if requested by artist. Responds in 2 weeks. Pays on acceptance: minimum flat fee of $60. Buys all rights. Syndicate owns original art. “Our product is so unusual that freelancers will be wasting their time and ours unless they first carefully study our catalog. Our product is so unusual that freelancers will be wasting their time and ours unless they first carefully study our catalog.”

NEEDS Buys up to 300 designs/year. Freelancers may submit designs for word-and-picture postcards, illustrated with line drawings.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Submit 5½×3½ horizontal b&w line drawings and SASE. Responds in 2 weeks. Buys all rights. Pays $60 minimum.

BRISTOL GIFT CO., INC.

6 North St., P.O. Box 425, Washingtonville NY 10992. (845)496-2821; (800)225-8234. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.bristolgift.net. Estab. 1988. Specializes in framed pictures for inspiration and religious markets. Art guidelines available for SASE.

NEEDS Approached by 5-10 freelancers/year. Works with 2 freelancers/year. Buys 15-30 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for design; also for calligraphy, P-O-P displays, Web design and mechanicals. Prefers 16×20 or smaller. 10% of design and 60% of illustration require knowledge of PageMaker or Illustrator. Produces material for Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and graduation. Submit seasonal material 6 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with brochure and photocopies. Samples are filed or returned. Responds in 2 weeks. Will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Portfolio should include roughs. Requests work on spec before assigning a job. Originals are not returned. Pays by the project, $30-50 or royalties of 5-10%. Rights purchased vary according to project. Interested in buying second rights (reprint rights) to previously published artwork.

BRUSH DANCE, INC.

165 N. Redwood Dr., Suite 200, San Rafael CA 94903. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.brushdance.com. Contact: April Welches-Greenhill. Estab. 1989. Produces greeting cards, stationery, blank journals, illustrated journals, boxed notes, calendars, holiday cards and magnets. The line of Brush Dance products is inspired by the interplay of art and words. “We develop products that combine powerful and playful words and images that act as daily reminders to inspire, connect, challenge and support.”

NEEDS Approached by 200 freelancers/year. Works with 3-5 freelancers/year. Uses freelancers for illustration, photography and calligraphy. Looking for nontraditional work conveying emotion or message. “We are also interested in artists who are using both images and original words in their work.”

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Submission guidelines available online. Please limit custom formats to no larger than 11×14. Please do not send original artwork as we are unable to return your submissions.

TIPS “Please do your research, and look at our website to be sure your work will fit into our line of products.”

CALYPSO CARDS

DamonMill Square, Suite 6B, Concord MA 01640. (978)287-5900. Fax: (978)287-5902. E-mail: [email protected]. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.calypsocards.com. Estab. 2004. Produces greeting cards and fridge magnets. Specializes in greeting cards for all occasions and ages, with contemporary design.

NEEDS Works with 50-100 freelancers/year. Buys 200+ freelance design and illustrations/year. Art submission guidelines free on website. Product categories include alternative, counter humor, alternative/humor, inspirational, juvenile. Produces material for all holidays and seasons. Submit seasonal material one year in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS E-mail query letter. Samples kept on file or returned with SASE. Responds only if interested. Portfolio not required. Buys rights for cards. Freelancers paid royalties of 8%. Finds freelancers through agents/reps, submissions, word-of-mouth and online.

TIPS “Send examples of work via e-mail. We will contact you within 3-4 months if interested.”

CANETTI DESIGN GROUP, INC.

P.O. Box 57, Pleasantville NY 10570. (914)238-1359. Fax: (914)238-0106. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.canettidesigngroup.com. Estab. 1982. Produces photo frames, writing instruments, kitchen accessories and product design.

NEEDS Approached by 50 freelancers/year. Works with 10 freelancers/year. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for illustration/computer. Also for calligraphy and mechanicals. Considers all media. Looking for contemporary style. Needs computer-literate freelancers for illustration and production. 80% of freelance work demands knowledge of Illustrator, Photoshop, Quark.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send postcard-size sample of work and query letter with brochure. Samples are not filed. Portfolio review not required. Buys all rights. Originals are not returned. Pays by the hour. Finds artists through agents, sourcebooks, magazines, word of mouth and artists’ submissions.

CAPE SHORE, INC.

86 Downeast Dr., Yarmouth ME 04096. (800)343-2424. Fax: (800)457-7087. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.downeastconcepts.com. Contact: Creative Director. Estab. 1947. “Cape Shore is concerned with seeking, manufacturing and distributing a quality line of gifts and stationery for the souvenir and gift market.” Licenses art by noted illustrators with a track record for paper products and giftware. Guidelines available online.

NEEDS Approached by 100 freelancers/year. Works with 50 freelancers/year. Buys 400 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Prefers artists and product designers with experience in gift product, hanging ornament and stationery markets. Art guidelines available free for SASE. Uses freelance illustration for boxed note cards, Christmas cards, ornaments, home accessories, ceramics and other paper products. Considers all media. Looking for skilled wood carvers with a warm, endearing folk art style for holiday gift products.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS “Do not call; no exceptions.” Send query letter with color copies. Samples are filed or are returned by SASE. Art director will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Portfolio should include finished samples, printed samples. Pays for design by the project, advance on royalties or negotiable flat fee. Buys varying rights according to project.

TIPS “Cape Shore is looking for realistic detail, good technique, and traditional themes or very high quality contemporary looks for coastal as well as inland markets. We will sometimes buy art for a full line of products, or we may buy art for a single note or gift item. Proven success in the giftware field a plus, but will consider new talent and exceptional unpublished illustrators.”

CARDMAKERS

424 Fore St., Portland ME 04101. (207)761-4279. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.cardmakers.com. Contact: James A. Meserve. Estab. 1978. “We produce cards for special interests and greeting cards for businesses—primarily Christmas-themed. We also publish everyday cards for stockbrokers and boaters.”

NEEDS Approached by more than 300 freelancers/year. Works with 5-10 freelancers/year. Buys 20-40 designs and illustrations/year. Prefers professional-caliber artists. Art guidelines available on website only. “Please do not e-mail us for same.” Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for greeting card design and calligraphy. Considers all media. “We market 5×7 cards designed to appeal to individual’s specific interest-boating, building, cycling, stocks and bonds, etc.” Prefers an upscale look. Submit seasonal ideas 6-9 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Submit via online submission form. Artists may submit 6-8 JPEGs at 72 dpi.

TIPS “We like to see new work in the early part of the year. Getting published and gaining experience should be the main objective of freelancers entering the field. We favor fresh talent (but do also feature seasoned talent). PLEASE be patient waiting to hear from us! Make sure your work is equal to or better than that which is commonly found in use presently. Go to a large greeting card store. If you think you’re as good or better than the artists there, continue!”

CENTRIC CORP.

6712 Melrose Ave., Los Angeles CA 90038. (323)936-2100. Fax: (323)936-2101. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.centriccorp.com. Estab. 1986. Produces products such as watches, pens, T-shirts, pillows, clocks, and mugs. Specializes in products that feature nostalgic, humorous, thought-provoking images or sayings on them and some classic licensed celebrities.

NEEDS Looking for freelancers who know Photoshop, QuarkXPress and Illustrator well.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send examples of your work. Pays when project is completed.

TIPS “Research the demographics of buyers who purchase Elvis, Lucy, Marilyn Monroe, James Dean, Betty Boop and Bettie Page products to know how to ‘communicate a message’ to the buyer.”

CITY MERCHANDISE, INC.

228 40th St., Brooklyn NY 11232. (718)832-2931. Fax: (718)832-2939. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.citymerchandise.com. Produces calendars, collectible figurines, gifts, mugs, souvenirs of New York.

NEEDS Works with 6-10 freelancers/year. Buys 50-100 freelance designs and illustrations/year. “We buy sculptures for our casting business.” Prefers freelancers with experience in graphic design. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers for most projects. Considers all media. 50% of design and 80% of illustration demand knowledge of Photoshop, Quark­XPress, Illustrator. Does not produce holiday material.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Designers: Send query letter with brochure, photocopies, résumé. Illustrators or cartoonists: Send postcard sample of work only. Sculptors: Send résumé and slides, photos or photocopies of their work. Samples are filed. Include SASE for return of samples. Responds in 2 weeks. Portfolios required for sculptors only if interested in artist’s work. Buys all rights. Pays by project.

CLAY ART

389 Oyster Point Blvd., Suite 6, South San Francisco CA 94080. (800)252-9555. Fax: (650)238-1100. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.clayart.net. Contact: Art director. Estab. 1979. Produces giftware and home accessory products cookie jars, salt & peppers, mugs, pitchers, platters and canisters. Line features innovative, contemporary or European tableware and hand-painted designs.

NEEDS Approached by 70 freelancers/year. Prefers freelancers with experience in 3D design of giftware and home accessory items. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for illustrations and 3D design. Seeks humorous, whimsical, innovative work.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with résumé, SASE, tearsheets and photocopies. Samples are filed. Responds only if interested. Call for appointment to show portfolio of thumbnails, roughs, final art, color photostats, tearsheets, slides and dummies. Negotiates rights purchased. Originals are returned at job’s completion. Pays by project. Prefers buying artwork outright.

COMSTOCK CARDS

600 S. Rock Blvd., Suite 15, Reno NV 89502. (775)856-9400 or (800)326-7825. Fax: (775)856-9406 or (888)266-2610. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.comstockcards.com. Estab. 1986. Produces greeting cards, giftbags and invitations. Styles include alternative and adult humor, outrageous and shocking themes. Art guidelines available for SASE with first-class postage.

NEEDS Approached by 250-350 freelancers/year. Works with 30-35 freelancers/year. “Especially seeking artists able to produce outrageous adult-oriented cartoons.” Uses freelancers mainly for cartoon greeting cards. No verse or prose. Gaglines must be brief. Prefers 5×7 final art. Produces material for all occasions. Submit holiday concepts 6 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with SASE, tearsheets or photocopies. Samples are not usually filed and are returned by SASE if requested. Responds only if interested. Portfolio review not required. Originals are not returned. Pays royalties of 5%. Pays by the project, $50-150 minimum; may negotiate other arrangements. Buys all rights.

TIPS “Submit with SASE if you want material returned.”

COURAGE CARDS

3915 Golden Valley Rd., Minneapolis MN 55422. (763)520-0239 or (888)413-3323. Fax: (763)520-0299. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.couragecards.org. Estab. 1959. “Courage Cards is a greeting card company that produces a holiday card collection to support the programs of Courage Center, a nonprofit rehabilitation and resource center advancing the lives of people with disabilities.”

NEEDS Seeking colorful holiday artwork that is appropriate for greeting cards, including traditional Christmas, city scenes, winter landscape, peace, international and fall seasonal images. Courage Cards supports the works of artists with a disability, but all artists are encouraged to enter the annual Courage Card Art Search.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Submit online, or call or e-mail name and address to receive Art Search guidelines, which are mailed in September for the November 30 entry deadline. Do not send original artwork! Responds within 5 months. Submissions returned with an SASE. Courage Cards pays a licensing fee of $400 per selected image chosen, which secures reprint rights for Courage Cards for 5 years. Artist retains ownership of their artwork. Artists are recognized through a nationwide distribution of more than 900,000 catalogs and promotional pieces, Internet, radio, TV and print advertising.

CREATIF LICENSING

31 Old Town Crossing, Mt. Kisco NY 10549. (914)241-6211. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.creatifusa.com. Estab. 1975. “Creatif is a licensing agency that represents artists and brands.” Licensing art for commercial applications on consumer products in the gift, stationery and home furnishings industries.

NEEDS Looking for unique art styles or concepts that are applicable to multiple products and categories.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with photocopies, photographs, SASE or tearsheets. Does not accept e-mail attachments but will review website links. Responds in 2 months. Samples are returned with SASE. Creatif will obtain licensing agreements on behalf of the artists, negotiate and manage the licensing programs and pay royalties. Artists are responsible for filing all copyright and trademark. Requires exclusive representation of artists. Also, the exclusivity is for “core” artists, meaning artists we work with day in day out. We will represent artists on a non-exclusive basis if their art has limited but specialized licensing application.

TIPS “We are looking to license talented and committed artists. It is important to understand current trends, and design with specific products in mind.”

SUZANNE CRUISE CREATIVE SERVICES, INC.

7199 W. 98th Ter., #110, Overland Park KS 66212. (913)648-2190. Fax: (913)648-2110. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.cruisecreative.com. Contact: Suzanne Cruise, president. Estab. 1990.

NEEDS Seeks established and emerging artists, as well as product designers, with distinctive styles suitable for the ever-changing consumer market. Looking for artists that manufacturers cannot find, or artists who are looking for a well-established licensing agency to fully represent their work. We represent established licensing artists as well as artists whose work has the potential to become a classic license. “We work with artists who offer a variety of styles, and we license their work to manufacturers of goods that include, but are not limited to: gifts, home decor, greeting cards, gift wrap and bags, paper party ware and textiles. We look for work that has popular appeal and we prefer that portfolio contain both seasonal as well as everyday images. It can be traditional, whimsical, floral, juvenile, cute or contemporary in style.”

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with color copies, a low-res disk with color copies, samples or low-res JPEGs. Please don’t send original art. Samples are returned only if accompanied by SASE. Responds only if interested. Portfolio required. Request portfolio review in original query.

CSI CHICAGO, INC.

4353 N. Lincoln Ave., Chicago IL 60618. (773)665-2226. Fax: (773)665-2228. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.custom-studios.com. Estab. 1966. We specialize in designing and screen printed custom T-shirts, coffee mugs, bumper stickers, balloons and over 1,000 other products for schools, business promotions, fund-raising and for our own line of stock designs for retail sale.

NEEDS Works with 4 freelance illustrators/year. Assigns 9 freelance jobs/year. Needs b&w illustrations (some original and some from customer’s sketch). Uses artists for direct mail and brochures/fliers, but mostly for custom and stock T-shirt designs. We are open to new stock design ideas the artist may have.”

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS “Send query letter with résumé, e-mail black & white and color PDF, TIFF or EPS art files to be kept on file. We will not return mails originals or samples.” Responds in 1 week–1 month. Pays for design and illustration by the hour, $20-35; by the project, $40-100. Considers turnaround time and rights purchased when establishing payment. For designs submitted to be used as stock T-shirt designs, pays 5-10% royalty. Stock designs should be something that the general public would buy and especially Chicago type designs for souvenir shirts. Rights purchased vary according to project.

TIPS “Send 5-10 good copies of your best work. We would like to see more PDF illustrations or copies, not originals. Do not get discouraged if your first designs sent are not accepted.”

DALOIA DESIGN

100 Norwich E., West Palm Beach FL 33417. (561)452-4150. E-mail: [email protected]. Estab. 1983. Produces art for stationery and gift products such as magnets, photo frames, coasters, bookmarks, home decor, etc.

NEEDS Approached by 20-30 freelancers/year. Uses freelancers for original and innovative product art. Freelancers must know software appropriate for project, including InDesign, Photoshop, QuarkXPress, Illustrator or “whatever is necessary.”

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send samples of your work. Samples are filed and are not returned. Responds only if interested. Payment “depends on project and use.” Negotiates rights purchased.

TIPS “Keep an open mind, strive for excellence, push limitations.”

DELJOU ART GROUP

1616 Huber St., Atlanta GA 30318. (404)350-7190 or (800)237-4638. Fax: (404)350-7195. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.deljouartgroup.com. Estab. 1980. Art publisher, distributor and gallery of limited editions (maximum 250 prints), hand-pulled originals, monoprints/monotypes, sculpture, fine art photography, fine art prints and paintings on paper and canvas. Clients: galleries, designers, corporate buyers and architects. Previous and current clients include Coca Cola, Xerox, Exxon, Marriott Hotels, General Electric, Charter Hospitals, AT&T and more than 3,000 galleries worldwide, “forming a strong network throughout the world.”

NEEDS Seeking creative, fine and decorative art for the designer market and serious collectors. Considers oil, acrylic, pastel, sculpture and mixed media and photography. Artists represented include Yunessi, T.L. Lange, Michael Emani, Vincent George, Nela Soloman, Alterra, Ivan Reyes, Mindeli, Sanford Wakeman, Niro Vessali, Lee White, Alexa Kelemen, Bika, Kamy, Craig Alan, Roya Azim, Jian Chang, Elya DeChino, Antonio Dojer, Emanuel Mattini and Mia Stone. Editions are created by collaborating with the artist. Approached by 300 artists/year. Publishes the work of 10 emerging, 20 mid-career and 20 established artists/year.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with photographs, slides, brochure, photocopies, tearsheets, SASE and transparencies. Prefers contact and samples via e-mail. Samples not filed are returned only by SASE. Responds in 6 months. Will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Payment method is negotiated. Offers an advance when appropriate. Negotiates rights purchased. Requires exclusive representation. Provides promotion, a written contract and advertising. Finds artists through visiting galleries, art fairs, word of mouth, Internet, art reps, submissions, art competitions and sourcebooks. Pays highest royalties in the industry.

TIPS “We need landscape artists, 3D wall art (any media), strong figurative artists, sophisticated abstracts and soft-edge abstracts. We are also beginning to publish sculptures and are interested in seeing slides of such. We also have the largest gallery in the country. We have added a poster division and need images in different categories for our poster catalog as well.”

DELTA CREATIVE, INC.

2690 Pellisier Place, City of Industry CA 90601-1507. (800)423-4135. Fax: (562)695-4227. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.deltacreative.com. Estab. 1978. Produces art and novelty rubber stamps, kits, glitter pens, ink pads, papers, stickers, scrapbooking products.

NEEDS Approached by 30 freelance artists/year. Works with 10-20 freelance artists/year. Buys 200-300 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Uses freelance artists for calligraphy, P-O-P displays, and original art for rubber stamps. Considers pen & ink. Looks for whimsical, feminine style and fashion trends. Produces seasonal material Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Easter, Hanukkah, Thanksgiving, Halloween, birthdays and everyday (includes wedding, baby, travel, and other life events). Submit seasonal material 9 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send nonreturnable samples. Samples are filed. Responds only if interested. Rights purchased vary according to project. Originals are not returned.

DESIGN DESIGN, INC.

P.O. Box 2266, Grand Rapids MI 49501. (616)771-8359. Fax: (616)774-4020. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.designdesign.us. Estab. 1986. Specializes in greeting cards and paper-related product development.

NEEDS Uses freelancers for all of the above products. Considers most media. Produces cards for everyday and all holidays. Submit seasonal material 1 year in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with appropriate samples and SASE. Samples are not filed and are returned by SASE if requested by artist. To show portfolio, send color copies, photographs or slides. Do not send originals. Pays various royalties per product development.

DESIGNER GREETINGS

11 Executive Ave., Edison NJ 08817. (732)662-6700. Fax: (732)662-6701. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.designergreetings.com. Contact: Andy Epstein, creative director. Estab. 1982. Designer Greetings produces greeting cards for all ages for every occasion and holiday.

NEEDS Art/graphic design illustration, card design submissions: Purchases 250-500 freelance designs/illustrations per year. Considers all traditional and digital media. Seasonal materials should be submitted 9 months in advance. Prints for all holidays and occasions. Prefer 5×7 final submissions. Buys reprint rights for cards. Freelancers paid $200/project. Guidelines available online.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS E-mail samples in JPEG format, 150 dpi. Does not accept submissions via mail. Responds only if interested. Pays on acceptance.

DLM STUDIO

4700 Lakeside Ave., 3rd Floor, Cleveland OH 44114. (216)881-8888. Fax: (216)274-9308. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.dlmstudio.com. Contact: Pat Walker, vice president. Estab. 1984. Produces fabrics/peel and stick accents/wallpaper/borders. Specializes in wallcovering, border and mural design, self-adhesive accents, also ultra-wide “mural” borders.

NEEDS Approached by 40-80 freelancers/year. Works with 20-40 freelancers/year. Buys hundreds of freelance designs and illustrations/year. Art guidelines free for SASE with first-class postage. Works on assignment and some licensing. Uses freelancers mainly for designs, color work. Looking for traditional, country, floral, texture, woven, menswear, children’s and novelty styles. 50% of freelance design work demands computer skills. Wallcovering CAD experience a plus. Produces material for everyday.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Illustrators: Send query letter with photocopies, examples of work, résumé and SASE. Accepts disk submissions compatible with Illustrator or Photoshop files (Mac), also accepts digital files on CD or DVD. Samples are filed or returned by SASE on request. Responds in 1 month. Request portfolio review of color photographs and slides in original query, follow-up with letter after initial query. Rights purchased vary according to project. Pays by the project, $500-1,500, “but it varies.” Finds freelancers through agents and local ads, word of mouth.

TIPS “Send great samples, especially children’s and novelty patterns, and also modern, organic textures and bold contemporary graphic work and digital files are very helpful. Study the market closely; do very detailed artwork.”

DODO GRAPHICS, INC.

P.O. Box 585, Plattsburgh NY 12901. (518)561-7294. Fax: (518)561-6720. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.dodographicsinc.com. Contact: Frank How, president. Estab. 1979. Art publisher of offset reproductions, posters and etchings for galleries and frame shops.

NEEDS Considers pastel, watercolor, tempera, mixed media, airbrush and photographs. Prefers contemporary themes and styles. Prefers individual works of art, 16×20 maximum. Publishes the work of 5 artists/year.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with brochure showing art style or photographs, slides or CD. Samples are filed or are returned by SASE. Responds in 3 months. Write for appointment to show portfolio of original/final art and slides. Payment method is negotiated. Offers an advance when appropriate. Buys all rights. Requires exclusive representation of the artist. Provides written contract.

TIPS “Do not send any originals unless agreed upon by publisher.”

EMERY-BURTON FINE CARDS & GIFTS

P.O. Box 31130, Seattle WA 98103. (866)617-1259. Fax: (866)617-8424. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.emery-burton.com. Produces greeting cards.

NEEDS Product categories include conventional, counter humor and cute. Produces material for Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, birthday, cards for pets, congratulations, baby congrats, woman-to-woman, wedding/anniversary, get-well/sympathy and everyday. Seasonal material should be submitted 6 months in advance. Final art should be 5×7. 100% of freelance work demands computer skills; artists should be familiar with Illustrator, Photoshop and InDesign. No need for freelance Web design.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with SASE, or e-mail digital images (TIFF at 300 dpi). Samples not kept on file; returned by SASE.

ENESCO GROUP, INC.

225 Windsor Dr., Itasca IL 60143. (630)875-5300. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.enesco.com. Producer and importer of fine gifts, home decor and collectibles, such as resin, porcelain bisque and earthenware figurines, plates, hanging ornaments, bells, picture frames, decorative housewares. Clients gift stores, card shops and department stores.

NEEDS Works with multiple freelance artists/year. Prefers artists with experience in gift product and packaging development. Uses freelancers for rendering, illustration and sculpture. 50% of freelance work demands knowledge of Photoshop, QuarkXPress or Illustrator.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Submit via “product idea and artist submissions” form on website. Accepts .bmp, .flv, .gif, .jpg, .mov, .mpeg, .mpg, .png, .ppt, .rm, .tif or .wmv formats.

TIPS “All will be reviewed by our senior creative director, executive vice president and licensing director. If your talent is a good match to Enesco’s product development, we will contact you to discuss further arrangements. Please do not send slides. Have a well-thought-out concept that relates to gift products before mailing your submissions.”

EPIC PRODUCTS, INC.

2801 S. Yale St., Santa Ana CA 92704. (800)548-9791. Fax: (714)641-8217. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.epicproductsinc.com. Estab. 1978. Produces paper tableware products and wine and spirits accessories. “We manufacture products for the gourmet/housewares market; specifically products that are wine-related. Many have a design printed on them.”

NEEDS Approached by 50-75 freelance artists/year. Works with 10-15 freelancers/year. Buys 25-50 designs and illustrations/year. Prefers artists with experience in gourmet/housewares, wine and spirits, gift and stationery.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with résumé and photocopies. Samples are filed. Write for appointment to show portfolio. Portfolio should include thumbnails, roughs, final art, b&w and color. Buys all rights. Originals are not returned. Pays by the project.

FENTON ART GLASS COMPANY

700 Elizabeth St., Williamstown WV 26187. (304)375-6122. Fax: (304)375-7833. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.fentonartglass.com. Estab. 1905. Produces collectible figurines, gifts. Largest manufacturer of handmade colored glass in the U.S.

Design director Nancy Fenton says this company rarely uses freelancers because they have their own staff of artisans. “Glass molds aren’t very forgiving,” says Fenton. Consequently it’s a difficult medium to work with. There have been exceptions. “We were really taken with Linda Higdon’s work,” says Fenton, who worked with Higdon on a line of historical dresses.

NEEDS Uses freelancers mainly for sculpture and ceramic projects that can be translated into glass collectibles. Considers clay, ceramics, porcelain figurines. Looking for traditional artwork appealing to collectibles market.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with brochure, photocopies, photographs, résumé and SASE. Samples are filed. Responds only if interested. Negotiates rights purchased. Pays for design by the project; negotiable.

FIDDLER’S ELBOW

101 Fiddler’s Elbow Rd., Middle Falls NY 12848. (518)692-9665. Fax: (518)692-9186. E-mail: [email protected]. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.fiddlerselbow.com. Estab. 1974. Produces decorative doormats, pillows, totes, soft sculpture, kitchen textiles, mouse pads, mugs.

NEEDS Introduces 100+ new products/year. Currently uses freelance designs and illustrations. Looking for adult contemporary, traditional, dog, cat, horse, botanical, inspirational, humorous, nature and beach themes. Main images with supporting art helpful in producing collections.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send digital or hardcopy submissions by mail. Samples are filed or returned by SASE. Responds generally within 4 months if interested. “Please, no phone calls.”

TIPS “Please visit website first to see if art is applicable to current lines and products.”

FISHER-PRICE

636 Girard Ave., E. Aurora NY 14052. (716)687-3000. Fax: (716)687-3636. Website: www.fisher-price.com. Estab. 1931. Manufacturer of toys and other children’s products.

NEEDS Approached by 10-15 freelance artists/year. Works with 25-30 freelance illustrators and sculptors and 15-20 freelance graphic designers/year. Assigns 100-150 jobs to freelancers/year. Prefers artists with experience in children’s style illustration and graphics. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for product decoration (label art). Prefers all media and styles except loose watercolor. Also uses sculptors. 25% of work demands knowledge of FreeHand, Illustrator, Photoshop and FreeForm (sculptors).

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with nonreturnable samples showing art style or photographs. Samples are filed. Responds only if interested. Call to schedule an appointment to show a portfolio. Portfolio should include original, final art and color photographs and transparencies. Pays for design and illustration by the hour, $25-50. Buys all rights.

FOTOFOLIO, INC.

561 Broadway, New York NY 10012. (212)226-0923. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]. Website: www.fotofolio.com. Contact: Submissions Department. Estab. 1976. Publishes art and photographic postcards, greeting cards, notecards, books, t-shirts and postcards books.

NEEDS Buys 60-120 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Reproduces existing works. Primarily interested in photography and contemporary art. Produces material for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, birthday and everyday. Submit seasonal material 8 months in advance. Art guidelines for SASE with first-class postage.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS “Fotofolio, Inc. reviews color and b&w photography for publication in postcard, notecard, poster and t-shirt formats. To submit your work, please make a well-edited selection of no more than 40 images, attn: Submissions. Fotofolio will accept photocopies, laser copies and promotional pieces only. Do not send original materials; no material will be returned. We will accept materials by mail only. Fotofolio will not accept digital images via e-mail to be downloaded or digital files submitted on disk. You may e-mail a website address where your work may be viewed. You’ll be contacted if we are interested in seeing further work. Please note that Fotofolio, Inc. is not responsible for any lost or damaged submissions.”

TIPS “When submitting materials, present a variety of your work (no more than 40 images) rather than one subject/genre.”

THE FUNNY APRON COMPANY

P.O. Box 1780, Lake Dallas TX 75065-1780. (940)498-3308. Fax: (940)498-1596. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.funnyaproncompany.com. Contact: Ellice Lovelady, creative director. Estab. 1992. “Our primary focus is now on our subdivision, The Funny Apron Company, that manufactures humorous culinary-themed aprons and T-shirts for the gourmet marketplace. Do not send greeting card submissions!”

NEEDS Works with 6 freelancers/year. Artists must be fax/e-mail accessible and able to work on fast turnaround. Check website to determine if your style fits our art direction. 100% of freelance work Required knowledge of Illustrator, CorelDraw, or programs with ability to electronically send vector-based artwork for screenprinting. Do not submit text or concepts. (Photoshop alone is not sufficient.) Currently not accepting text or concepts.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with brochure, photographs, SASE and photocopies. E-mail inquiries must include a link to a website to view artwork. Do not send unsolicited attachments; they are automatically deleted. Samples are filed or returned by SASE if requested by artist. Company will contact artist if interested. Negotiates rights and payment terms. Finds artists via word of mouth from other freelancers or referrals from publishers.

GALISON/MUDPUPPY PRESS

28 W. 44th St., New York NY 10036. (212)354-8840. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]. Website: www.galison.com. Contact: Julia Hecomovich, art director (for Galison and Holiday); Cynthia Matthews, creative director (children’s illustration). Estab. 1978. Produces boxed greeting cards, stationery, puzzles, address books, specialty journals and fine paper gifts. Many projects are done in collaboration with museums around the world.

NEEDS Works with 10-15 freelancers/year. Buys 20 designs and illustrations/year. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for illustration. Considers all media. Also produces material for holidays (Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year). Submit seasonal material 1 year in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send postcard sample, photocopies, résumé, tearsheets (no unsolicited original artwork) and SASE. Accepts submissions on disk compatible with Photoshop, Illustrator or Quark­XPress (but not preferred). Samples are filed. Responds only if interested. Request portfolio review in original query. Art director will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Portfolio should include color photostats, slides, tearsheets and dummies. Originals are returned at job’s completion. Pays by project. Rights purchased vary according to project. Finds artists through word of mouth, magazines and artists’ reps.

TIPS “Looking for great presentation and artwork we think will sell and be competitive within the gift market. Please visit our website to see if your style is compatible with our design aesthetic.”

GALLERY GRAPHICS, INC.

20136 State Hwy. 59, P.O. Box 502, Noel MO 64854. (417)475-6191; (800)367-4370. Fax: (417)475-6494. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.gallerygraphics.com. Estab. 1979. Produces calendars, gifts, greeting cards, stationery, prints, notepads, notecards. Gift company specializing primarily in nostalgic, country and other traditional designs.

NEEDS Approached by 100 freelancers/year. Works with 10 freelancers/year. Buys 100 freelance illustrations/year. Art guidelines free for SASE with first-class postage. Uses freelancers mainly for illustration. Considers any 2-dimensional media. Looking for country, teddy bears, florals, traditional. Prefers 16×20 maximum. Produces material for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, sympathy, get well, thank you. Submit seasonal material 8 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Accepts printed samples or Photoshop files. Send TIFF or EPS files. Samples are filed or returned by SASE. Will contact artist for portfolio review of color photographs, photostats, slides, tearsheets, transparencies if interested. Payment negotiable. Finds freelancers through submissions and word of mouth.

TIPS “Be flexible and open to suggestions.”

C.R. GIBSON

404 BNA Dr., Building 200, Suite 600, Nashville TN 37217. (615)724-2900. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.crgibson.com. Producer of stationery and gift products, baby, kitchen and wedding collections. Specializes in baby, children, feminine, floral, wedding and kitchen-related subjects, as well as holiday designs. 80% require freelance illustration; 15% require freelance design. Gift catalog free by request.

NEEDS Approached by 200-300 freelance artists/year. Works with 30-50 illustrators and 10-30 designers/year. Assigns 30-50 design and 30-50 illustration jobs/year. Uses freelancers mainly for covers, borders and cards. 50% of freelance work demands knowledge of QuarkXPress, FreeHand and Illustrator. Works on assignment only.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with brochure, résumé, tearsheets and photocopies. Samples are filed or are returned. Responds only if interested. Request portfolio review in original query. Portfolio should include thumbnails, finished art samples, color tearsheets and photographs. Return of original artwork contingent on contract. Sometimes requests work on spec before assigning a job. Interested in buying second rights (reprint rights) to previously published work. “Payment varies due to complexity and deadlines.” Finds artists through word of mouth, magazines, artists’ submissions/self-promotion, sourcebooks, agents, visiting artist’s exhibitions, art fairs and artists’ reps.

TIPS “The majority of our mechanical art is executed on the computer with discs and laser runouts given to the engraver. Please give a professional presentation of your work.”

GLITTERWRAP, INC.

11 Executive Ave., Edison NJ 08817. (732)622-6700, ext. 741. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.glitterwrap.com. Contact: Andy Epstein, creative director. Estab. 1987. Produces giftwrap, gift totes, allied accessories, photo albums, diaries and stationery items for all ages—party and special occasion market.

NEEDS Art/graphic designer submissions: Works with 10-15 artists/year. Buys 10-30 designs and illustrations/year. Art guidelines available online. Prefers artists with experience in textile design who are knowledgeable in repeat patterns or surface, or designers who have experience with the gift industry. Considers many styles and mediums. Style varies with season and year. Consider trends and designs already in line, as well as up-and-coming motifs in gift market. Produces material for baby, wedding and shower, florals, masculine, Christmas, graduation, birthdays, Valentine’s Day, Hanukkah and everyday. Submit seasonal material 9 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send an e-mail with samples in JPEG format at 150 dpi. Responds only if interested. Does not accept submissions via mail. Rights purchased vary according to project. Freelancers paid $200/project.

GOES LITHOGRAPHING COMPANY

111 Hallberg St., Delavan WI 53115. (800)348-6700. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.goeslitho.com. Contact: Eric Goes. Estab. 1879. Produces stationery/letterheads, custom calendars to sell to printers and office product stores.

NEEDS Approached by 5-10 freelance artists/year. Works with 2-3 freelance artists/year. Buys 4-30 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Art guidelines for SASE with first-class postage. Uses freelance artists mainly for designing holiday letterheads. Considers pen & ink, color, acrylic, watercolor. Prefers final art 17×22, CMYK color compatible. Produces material for Christmas, Halloween and Thanksgiving.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS “Send non-returnable examples for your ideas.” Responds in 1-2 months if interested. Pays $100-200 on final acceptance. Buys first rights and reprint rights.

TIPS “Keep your art fresh and be aggressive with submissions.”

GRAHAM & BROWN

3 Corporate Dr., Cranbury NJ 08512. (609)395-9200. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]. Website: www.grahambrown.com. Estab. 1946. Produces residential wall coverings and home decor products.

NEEDS Prefers freelancers for designs. Also for artwork. Produces material for everyday.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Designers: Send query letter with photographs. Illustrators: Send postcard sample of work only to the attention of Nicole Caucino. Samples are filed or returned. Responds only if interested. Buys all rights. For illustration pays a variable flat fee.

GREAT AMERICAN PUZZLE FACTORY

Fundex Games, Ltd., P.O. Box 421309, Indianapolis IN 46242. (800)486-9787. Fax: (317)248-1086. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.greatamericanpuzzle.com. Contact: Tracey Haman. Estab. 1986. Produces jigsaw puzzles and games for adults and children. Licenses various illustrations for puzzles (children’s and adults’).

NEEDS Approached by 200 freelancers/year. Works with 80 freelancers/year. Buys 70 designs and illustrations/year. Uses freelancers mainly for puzzle material. Looking for “fun, busy and colorful” work. 100% of graphic design requires knowledge of QuarkXPress, Illustrator or Photoshop.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send postcard sample or 3 representative samples via e-mail. Do not send seasonal material. Also accepts e-mail submissions. Do not send originals or transparencies. Samples are filed or are returned. Art director will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Original artwork is returned at job’s completion. Pays flat fee of $600-1,000, work for hire. Royalties of 5-6% for licensed art (existing art only). Interested in buying second rights (reprint rights) to previously published work.

TIPS “All artwork should be bright, cheerful and eye-catching. ‘Subtle’ is not an appropriate look for our market. Decorative motifs not appropriate. Visit stores and websites for appropriateness of your art. No black and white. Looking for color, detail, and emotion.”

GREAT ARROW GRAPHICS

2495 Main St., Suite #457, Buffalo NY 14214. (716)836-0408. E-mail: [email protected]. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.greatarrow.com. Contact: Art director. Estab. 1981. Produces greeting cards and stationery. “We produce silkscreened greeting cards—seasonal and everyday—to a high-end design-conscious market.”

NEEDS Approached by 150 freelancers/year. Works with 75 freelancers/year. Buys 350-500 images/year. Art guidelines can be downloaded at www.greatarrow.com/pdfs/guidelines.pdf. Prefers freelancers with experience in silkscreen printing process. Uses freelancers for greeting card design only. Considers all 2D media. Looking for sophisticated, classic, contemporary or cutting edge styles. Requires knowledge of Illustrator or Photoshop. Produces material for all holidays and seasons. Submit seasonal material 1 year in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with photocopies. Accepts submissions on disk compatible with Illustrator or Photoshop or e-mail JPEGs at 72 dpi. Samples will not be returned, do not send originals until the images are accepted. Limit e-mail attachment size to 5MB. Responds in 6 weeks if we are interested. Art director will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Portfolio should include color roughs, final art, photographs and transparencies. Originals are returned at job’s completion. Pays royalties of 5% of net sales. Rights purchased vary according to project.

TIPS “We are interested in artists familiar with the assets and limitations of screenprinting, but we are always looking for fun new ideas and are willing to give help and guidance in the silkscreen process. Be original, be complete with ideas. Don’t be afraid to be different ... forget the trends ... do what you want. Make your work as complete as possible at first submission. The National Stationery Show in New York City is a great place to make contacts.”

HAMPSHIRE PEWTER COMPANY

43 Mill St., Box 1570, Wolfeboro NH 03894-1570. (603)569-4944; (800)639-7704. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.hampshirepewter.com. Estab. 1974. Manufacturer of handcast pewter tableware, accessories and Christmas ornaments. Clients jewelry stores, department stores, executive gift buyers, tabletop and pewter specialty stores, churches and private consumers.

NEEDS Works with 3-4 freelance artists/year. “Prefers New England-based artists.” Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for illustration and models. Also for brochure and catalog design, product design, illustration on product and model-making.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with photocopies. Samples are not filed and are returned only if requested. Call for appointment to show portfolio, or mail b&w roughs and photographs. Pays for design and sculpture by the hour or project. Considers complexity of project, client’s budget and rights purchased when determining payment. Buys all rights.

TIPS “Inform us of your capabilities. For artists who are seeking a manufacturing source, we will be happy to bid on manufacturing of designs under private license to the artists, all of whose design rights are protected. If we commission a project, we intend to have exclusive rights to the designs by contract as defined in the Copyright Law, and we intend to protect those rights.”

HARLAND CLARKE

10931 Laureate Dr., San Antonio TX 78249. (210)694-1473. Website: www.clarkeamerican.com. Estab. 1874. Produces checks and other products and services sold through financial institutions. “We’re a national printer seeking original works for check series, consisting of 1, 3 or 5 scenes. Looking for a variety of themes, media and subjects for a wide market appeal.”

NEEDS Uses freelancers mainly for illustration and design of personal checks. Considers all media and a range of styles. Prefers to see art at twice the size of a standard check.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send postcard sample or query letter with résumé and brochure (or website if work is online). “Indicate whether the work is available; do not send original art.” Samples are filed and are not returned. Responds only if interested. Rights purchased vary according to project. Payment for illustration varies by the project.

TIPS “Keep red and black in the illustration to a minimum for image processing.”

HEART STEPS, INC.

P.O. Box 307, King WI 54946. (715)258-8141. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.heartsteps.com. Estab. 1993. Produces greeting cards, marble and bronze plaques, photo frames, gift boxes, framed art, scrapbooking items and stationery. Specializes in inspirational items.

NEEDS Prefers freelancers with experience in watercolor. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for completing the final watercolor images. Considers original art. Looking for watercolor fine art, floral, juvenile and still life. Prefers 10×14. Produces material for Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduation, birthday, everyday, inspirational, encouragement, woman-to-woman. Submit seasonal material 8 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Designers: Send query letter with brochure, photocopies, photographs, résumé and SASE. Illustrators: Send query letter with photocopies and résumé. Samples are filed. Responds in 2 months. Request portfolio review in original query. Rights purchased vary according to project. Finds freelancers through gift shows and word of mouth.

TIPS “Don’t overlook opportunities with new, small companies!”

MARIAN HEATH GREETING CARDS

9 Kendrick Rd., Wareham MA 02571. (800)688-9998. Fax: (877)736-4738. E-mail: [email protected]. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.marianheath.com. Contact: Diane Reposa. Estab. 1950. Greeting card company supporting independent card and gift shop retailers. Produces greeting cards, giftbags, giftwrap, stationary and ancillary products.

NEEDS Approached by 100 freelancers/year. Works with 35-45 freelancers/year. Buys 500 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Prefers freelancers with experience in social expression. Art guidelines free for SASE with first-class postage or e-mail requesting guidelines. Uses freelancers mainly for greeting cards. Considers all media and styles. Generally 5 1/4×7 1/4 unless otherwise directed. Will accept various sizes due to digital production/manipulation. 30% of freelance design and illustration work demands knowledge of Photoshop, Illustrator, QuarkXPress. Produces material for all holidays and seasons and everyday. Submit seasonal material 1 year in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Submission guidelines available online.

HIGH RANGE DESIGNS

P.O. Box 346, Victor ID 83455-0346. (208)787-2277. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.highrangedesigns.com. Contact: Hondo Miller, president. Estab. 1989. Produces T-shirts. “We produce screen-printed garments for recreational sport-oriented markets and resort markets, which includes national parks. Subject matter includes, but is not limited to, skiing, climbing, hiking, biking, fly fishing, mountains, out-of-doors, nature, canoeing and river rafting, Native American, wildlife and humorous sayings that are text only or a combination of text and art. Our resort market customers are men, women and kids looking to buy a souvenir of their vacation experience or activity. People want to identify with the message or art on the T-shirt.”

The art guidelines for this company are detailed and include suggestions on where to place design on the garment. It is easiest to break into HRD with designs related to fly fishing, downhill skiing, snowboarding or river rafting.

NEEDS Approached by 20 freelancers/year. Works with 3-8 freelancers/year. Buys 10-20 designs and illustration/year. Prefers artists with experience in screen printing. Uses freelancers mainly for T-shirt ideas, artwork and color separations.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with résumé, SASE and photocopies. Accepts submissions on disk compatible with FreeHand 8.0 and Illustrator 8.0. Samples are filed or are returned by SASE if requested by artist. Responds in 6 months. Company will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Portfolio should include b&w thumbnails, roughs and final art. Originals are returned at job’s completion. Pays by the project, royalties of 5% based on actual sales. Buys garment rights.

TIPS “Familiarize yourself with screen printing and T-shirt art that sells. Must have knowledge of color separations process. We look for creative design styles and interesting color applications. Artists need to be able to incorporate the colors of the garments as part of their design thinking, as well as utilize the screen-printing medium to produce interesting effects and textures. However, sometimes simple is best. Four-color process will be considered if highly marketable. Be willing to work with us on design changes to get the most marketable product. Know the industry. Art that works on paper will not necessarily work on garments. No cartoons please.”

HOFFMASTER GROUP, INC.

2920 N. Main St., Oshkosh WI 54901. (800)327-9774. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.hoffmaster.com. Produces decorative disposable paper tableware including: place mats, plates, tablecloths and napkins for institutional and consumer markets. Printing includes offset, letterpress and up to six color flexographic napkin printing.

NEEDS Approached by 10-15 freelancers/year. Works with 4-6 freelancers/year. Prefers freelancers with experience in paper tableware products. Art guidelines and specific design needs based on current market are available from Creative Managers. Looking for trends and traditional styles. Prefers 9 round artwork with coordinating 5 square image. Produces material for all holidays and seasons and everyday. Special need for seasonal material.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with photocopies, résumé, appropriate samples by mail or fax only. Ideas may be sent in a color rough sketch. Accepts disk submissions compatible with Adobe Creative Suite 2. Samples are filed or returned by SASE if requested by artist. Responds in 90 days, only if interested. Creative manager will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Prefers to buy artwork outright. Rights purchased vary according to project. Pays by the project. Amounts vary according to project. May work on a royalty arrangement for recognized properties. Finds freelancers through art fairs and artists’ reps.

TIPS Looking for new trends and designs appropriate for plates and napkins.

IGPC

161 Helen St., South Plainfield NJ 07080. (908)548-8088. Fax: (908)822-7379. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.igpc.net. Agent to foreign governments. “We produce postage stamps and related items on behalf of 40 different foreign governments.”

NEEDS Approximately 10 freelance graphic artists. Prefers artists within metropolitan New York or Tri-State area. Must have extremely sophisticated computer, design and composition and prepress skills, as well as keen research ability. Artwork must be focused and alive (4-color). Artist’s pricing needs to be competitive. Works on assignment only. Uses artists for postage stamp art. Must have expert knowledge of Photoshop and Quark/InDesign. Illustrator a plus.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS E-mail only. Send samples as PDFs or link to a web portfolio. Art Director will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Portfolio should contain “4-color illustrations of realistic, flora, fauna, technical subjects, autos or ships.” Sometimes requests work on spec before assigning a job. Pays by the project. Consider government allowance per project when establishing payment.

TIPS “Artists considering working with IGPC must have excellent drawing or rendering abilities in general or specific topics, e.g., flora, fauna, transport, famous people; typographical skills; the ability to create artwork with clarity and perfection. Familiarity with printing process and print call-outs a plus. Generally, the work we require is realistic art. In some cases, we supply the basic layout and reference material; however, we appreciate an artist who knows where to find references and can present new and interesting concepts. Initial contact should be made by appointment. “

INTERCONTINENTAL GREETINGS, LTD.

38 W. 32nd St., Suite 910, New York NY 10001. (212)683-5830. Fax: (212)779-8564. E-mail: [email protected]. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.intercontinental-ltd.com. Contact: Jerra Parfitt, creative director. Estab. 1967. Sells reproduction rights of designs to manufacturers of multiple products around the world. Rep resents artists in 50 different countries. “Our clients specialize in greeting cards, giftware, giftwrap, calendars, postcards, prints, posters, stationery, paper goods, food tins, playing cards, tabletop, bath and service ware and much more. “

NEEDS Approached by several hundred artists/year. Seeking creative decorative art in traditional and computer media (Photoshop and Illustrator work accepted). Prefers artwork previously made with few or no rights pending. Graphics, sports, occasions (e.g., Christmas, baby, birthday, wedding), humorous, “soft touch,” romantic themes, animals. Accepts seasonal/holiday material any time. Prefers artists/designers experienced in greeting cards, paper products, tabletop and giftware.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Please submit via e-mail, a link to your website or a sampling of your work, consisting of 6-10 designs which represent your collection as a whole. The sampling should show all range of subject matter, technique, style, and medium that may exist in your collection. Digital files should be submitted as e-mail attachments and in lo-resolution. Lo-resolution (LR) image files are typically 5×7, 72 dpi, CMYK, JPEG/TIFF/PDF format and are under 100KB. “Once your art is accepted, we require original color art—Photoshop files on disc (TIFF, 300 dpi). We will respond only if interested.” Pays on publication. No credit line given. Offers advance when appropriate. Sells one-time rights and exclusive product rights. Simultaneous submissions and previously published work OK. “Please state reserved rights, if any.”

TIPS Recommends the annual New York SURTEX and Licensing shows. In portfolio samples, wants to see “a neat presentation, thematic in arrangement, consisting of a series of interrelated images (at least 6). In addition to having good drawing/painting/designing skills, artists should be aware of market needs and trends.”

JILLSON & ROBERTS

3300 W. Castor St., Santa Ana CA 92704-3908. (714)424-0111. Fax: (714)424-0054. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.jillsonroberts.com. Contact: Janel Kaden, art director. Estab. 1974. Specializes in gift wrap, totes, printed tissues and accessories using recycled/recyclable products. Art guidelines available on website.

NEEDS Works with 10 freelance artists/year. Prefers artists with experience in giftwrap design. Considers all media. “We are looking for colorful graphic designs as well as humorous, sophisticated, elegant or contemporary styles.” Produces material for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Hanukkah, Halloween, graduation, birthdays, baby announcements and everyday. Submit 3-6 months before holiday.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send color copies or photocopies. Samples are kept on file. Responds in up to 2 months. Simultaneous submissions to other companies is acceptable. “If your work is chosen, we will contact you to discuss final art preparation, procedures and payment.”

TIPS “We are particularly interested in baby shower and wedding shower designs.”

JODDS

P.O. Box 353, Bicester OX27 0GS, United Kingdom. +44 1869 278550. Fax: +44 1869 278551. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.joddscards.com. Contact: Jill Payne, art director. Estab. 1988. “Jodds produces innovative design-led birthday cards, occasion cards and children’s personalized canvas pictures. For Christmas, we have a range of charity cards, supporting the British Heart Foundation. Our full product range includes gift wrap, gift bags, gift boxes, birthday calendars and party invites with matching thank you cards. We print on the highest quality board and use the very latest finishing techniques.” Rights purchased vary according to the project.

NEEDS Works with 10 freelancers/year. Need freelancers for animation in counter humor, teen, cute, religious and juvenile themes. Also produce Mother’s Day, Christmas, birthday, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, congratulations, wedding/anniversary, get well/sympathy and everyday cards. Seasonal materials should be submitted 9 months in advance. Artists should be familiar with Adobe Photoshop.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send an e-mail with low-resolution JPEGs. Samples kept on file. Company will contact artist for portfolio review if interested.

KALAN LP

97 S. Union Ave., Lansdowne PA 19050. (610)623-1900. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.kalanlp.com. Contact: Chris Wiemer, art director. Estab. 1973. Produces giftbags, greeting cards, school supplies, stationery and novelty items such as keyrings, mouse pads, shot glasses and magnets.

NEEDS Approached by 50-80 freelancers/year. Buys 100 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Art guidelines are available. Uses freelancers mainly for fresh ideas, illustration and design. Considers all media and styles. Some illustration demands knowledge of Photoshop 7.0 and Illustrator 10. Produces material for major holidays such as Christmas, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day; plus birthdays and everyday. Submit seasonal material 9-10 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Designers: Send query letter with photocopies, photostats and résumé. Illustrators and cartoonists: Send query letter with photocopies and résumé. Accepts disk submissions compatible with Illustrator 10 or Photoshop 7.0. Send EPS files. Samples are filed. Responds in 1 month if interested in artist’s work. Will contact artist for portfolio review of final art if interested. Buys first rights. Pays by the project, $75 and up. Finds freelancers through submissions and newspaper ads.

KENZIG KARDS, INC.

2300 Julia Goldbach Ave., Ronkonkoma NY 11779-6317. (631)737-1584. Fax: (631)737-8341. Contact: Jerry Kenzig, president. Estab. 1999. Produces greeting cards and stationery. Specializes in greeting cards (seasonal and everyday) for a high-end, design-conscious market (all ages).

NEEDS Approached by 75 freelancers/year. Works with 3 freelancers/year. Prefers local designers/illustrators, but will consider freelancers working anywhere in the U.S. Art guidelines free with SAE and first-class postage. Uses freelancers mainly for greeting cards/design and calligraphy. Considers watercolor, colored pencils and most other mediums. Product categories include alternative/humor, business and cute. Produces material for baby congrats, birthday, cards for pets, Christmas, congratulations, everyday, get well, sympathy, Valentine’s Day and wedding/anniversary. Submit seasonal material 6 months in advance. Art size should be 5×7 or 5¾×5¾ square. 20% of freelance work demands knowledge of Illustrator, QuarkXPress and Photoshop.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with brochure, résumé and tearsheets. After introductory mailing, send follow-up postcard sample every 6 months. Samples are filed. Responds in 2 weeks. Company will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Portfolio should include color, original art, roughs and tearsheets. Buys one-time rights and reprint rights for cards. Negotiates rights purchased. Pays freelancers by the project, $150-350; royalties (subject to negotiation). Finds freelancers through industry contacts (Kenzig Kards, Inc., is a member of the Greeting Card Association), submissions and word of mouth.

TIPS “We are open to new ideas and different approaches within our niche (e.g., dog- and cat-themed designs, watercolor florals). We look for bright colors and cute, whimsical art. Floral designs require crisp colors.”

KID STUFF MARKETING

929 SW University Blvd., Suite B-1, Topeka KS 66619-0235. (785)862-3707. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.kidstuff.com. Contact: Michael Oden, senior director of creative. Estab. 1982. Produces collectible figurines, toys, kids’ meal sacks, edutainment activities and cartoons for restaurants and entertainment venues worldwide.

NEEDS Approached by 50 freelancers/year. Works with 10 freelancers/year. Buys 30-50 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for illustration, activity or game development and sculpting toys. Looking for humorous, child-related styles. Freelance illustrators should be familiar with Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign. Produces material for Christmas, Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day and everyday. Submit seasonal material 6 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Illustrators and Cartoonists: Send query letter with photocopies or e-mail JPEG files. Sculptors, calligraphers: Send photocopies. Samples are filed or returned by SASE. Responds only if interested. Portfolio review not required. Pays by the project, $250-5,000 for illustration or game activities. Finds freelancers through word of mouth and artists’ submissions.

THE LANG COMPANY

P.O. Box 1605, Waukesha WI 53187. (800)967-3399. Fax: (800)279-3066. Website: www.lang.com. Estab. 1982. Produces high-quality linen-embossed greeting cards, stationery, calendars, boxes and gift items. Art guidelines available for SASE.

NEEDS Approached by 300 freelance artists/year. Works with 40 freelance artists/year. Uses freelancers mainly for card and calendar illustrations. Considers all media and styles. Looking for traditional and nonabstract country-inspired, folk, contemporary and fine art styles. Produces material for Christmas, birthdays and everyday. Submit seasonal material 6 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with SASE and brochure, tearsheets, photostats, photographs, slides, photocopies or transparencies. Samples are returned by SASE if requested by artist. Responds in 6 weeks. Pays royalties based on net wholesale sales. Rights purchased vary according to project.

TIPS “Research the company and submit compatible art. Be patient awaiting a response.”

LANTERN COURT LLC

P.O. Box 61613, Irvine CA 92602. (800)454-4018. Fax: (714)798-2281. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.lanterncourt.com. Contact: Seher Zaman, creative director. Estab. 2011. Lantern Court specializes in party supplies and paper goods for the Muslim community or anyone who appreciates Islamic art and design. Produces balloons, calendars, decorations, e-cards, giftbags, giftwrap/wrapping paper, greeting cards, paper tableware, and part supplies. Buys 10-30 freelance designs/illustrations each year. Prefers freelancers with experience in stationery design. Buys stock photos and offers assignments.

NEEDS Uses freelancers for font designs and new designs. Needs Islamic themed and Muslim holiday related designs. Seasonal material should be submitted 10-12 months in advance. 100% of freelance work demands computer skills. Artists should be familiar with Illustrator, Photoshop, InDesign, and QuarkXPress.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Guidelines available free online. E-mail letter with digital images as TIFF files at 300 dpi. Keeps samples on file; samples not returned. Responds only if interested. Company will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Pays by the project. Maximum payment $750.

TIPS “Please look at our website to be sure your work will fit into our line of products, or can be altered to fit in.”

LEGACY PUBLISHING GROUP

75 Green St., Clinton MA 01510. (800)322-3866. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.shoplegacy.com. Contact: Art department. Produces bookmarks, calendars, gifts, Christmas and seasonal cards and stationery pads. Specializes in journals, note cards, address and recipe books, coasters, place mats, magnets, book marks, albums, calendars and grocery pads.

NEEDS Works with 8-10 freelancers/year. Buys 25-30 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Prefers traditional art. Art guidelines available for SASE. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for original art for product line. Considers all color media. Looking for traditional, contemporary, garden themes and Christmas. Produces material for Christmas, everyday (note cards) and cards for teachers.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Illustrators: Send query letter with photocopies, photographs, résumé, tearsheets, SASE and any good reproduction or color copy. We accept work compatible with Adobe or QuarkXPress plus color copies. Samples are filed. Responds in 2 weeks. Company will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Portfolio should include color photographs, slides, tearsheets and printed reproductions. Buys all rights. Pays by the project. Finds freelancers through word of mouth and artists’ submissions.

TIPS “Get work out to as many potential buyers as possible. Artist’s & Graphic Designer’s Market is a good source. Initially, plan on spending 80% of your time on self-promotion.”

THE LEMON TREE STATIONERY CORP.

95 Mahan St., West Babylon NY 11704. (631)253-2840; (800)229-3710. Fax: (631)253-3369; (800)229-3709. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.lemontreestationery.com. Contact: Lucy Mlexzko, president. Estab. 1969. Produces birth announcements, Bar Mitzvah and Bat Mitzvah invitations and wedding invitations.

NEEDS Buys 100-200 pieces of calligraphy/year. Prefers local designers. Works on assignment only. Uses Mac designers. Also for calligraphy, mechanicals, paste-up, P-O-P. Looking for traditional, contemporary work. 50% of freelance work demands knowledge of Photoshop, QuarkXPress, Illustrator.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with résumé. Calligraphers send photocopies of work. Samples are not filed and are not returned. Responds only if interested. Company will contact artist for portfolio review of final art, photostats, thumbnails if interested. Pays for design by the project. Pays flat fee for calligraphy.

TIPS “Look around at competitors’ work to get a feeling of the type of art they use.”

THE LOLO COMPANY

6755 Mira Mesa Blvd., Suite 123-410, San Diego, CA 92121. (800)760-9930. Fax: (800)234-6540. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.lolofun.com. Contact: Charlie Paul, president. Estab. 1995. Publishes board games. Recent games include Don’t Make Me Laugh, Stackability, Bucket Blast and Run Around Fractions.

NEEDS Approached by 1 illustrator and 1 designer/year. Works with 2 illustrators and 2 designers/year. Prefers humorous work. Uses freelancers mainly for product design and packaging. 100% of freelance design and illustration demands knowledge of Illustrator, Photoshop and QuarkXPress.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Preferred submission package is a self-promotional postcard sample. Send 5 printed samples or photographs. Accepts disk submissions in Windows format; send via ZIP as EPS. Samples are filed. Will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Portfolio should include artwork of characters in sequence, color photocopies, photographs, transparencies of final art and roughs. Rights purchased vary according to project. Finds freelancers through word of mouth and Internet.

LPG GREETINGS, INC.

813 Wisconsin St., Walworth WI 53184. (262)275-5600. Fax: (262)275-5609. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.lpgcards.com. Contact: Judy Cecchi, creative director. Estab. 1992. Produces greeting cards. Specializes in boxed Christmas cards.

NEEDS Approached by 50-100 freelancers/year. Works with 20 freelancers/year. Buys 70 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Art guidelines can be found on LPG’s website. Uses freelancers mainly for original artwork for Christmas cards. Considers any media. Looking for Christmas only. Greeting cards can be vertical or horizontal; 5×7 or 6×8. Usually prefers 5×7. Submit seasonal material 1 year in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send e-mail with link to website samples. Please do not send unsolicited samples via e-mail without prior contact; they will not be considered. Will contact artist for samples if interested. Rights purchased vary according to project. Pays for design by the project. For illustration: pays flat fee. Finds freelancers through word of mouth and artists’ submissions. Please do not send unsolicited samples via e-mail; they will not be considered.

MADISON PARK GREETINGS

The Madison Park Group, 1407 11th Ave., Seattle WA 98122. (206)324-5711; (800)638-9622. Fax: (206)324-5822. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.madisonparkgreetings.com. Estab. 1977. Produces greeting cards, stationery.

NEEDS Approached by 1,000 freelancers/year. Works with 20 freelancers/year. Buys 100 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Art guidelines available free for SASE. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for greeting cards; also for calligraphy. Considers all paper-related media. Produces material for Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduation, New Year, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, everyday, sympathy, get well, anniversary, baby congratulations, wedding, thank you, expecting, friendship. Are interested in floral and whimsical imagery, as well as humor.” Submit seasonal material 10 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS “We are interested in receiving art submissions that offer a fresh, unique design perspective and enhance our current product line.” Guidelines available online.

MCGAW GRAPHICS, INC.

450 Applejack Road, Manchester VT 05255. (888)426-2429. Fax: (800)446-8230. Website: www.mcgawgraphics.com. Contact: Katy Murphy, product development manager. Estab. 1979. Clients: specialty retailers, museum shops, wholesale framers, e-tailers, poster shops, galleries, frame shops.

NEEDS Publishes the work of 30 emerging and 30 established artists/year; nearly 300 images/year.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send low-res JPEGs via e-mail (no more than 10 images). Allow 4 weeks for a response. If your work is not accepted, please remember that we choose work for publication and licensing based on current market trends, and that our opinion only pertains to our market segment, not to the aesthetic value of your work. Send your portfolio to attn: Acquisitions Department.

TIPS “Simplicity is very important in today’s market (yet there still needs to be ‘a story’ to the image). Form and palette are critical to our decision process. We have a tremendous need for decorative pieces, especially new abstracts, landscapes and florals. There are a lot of prints and posters being published these days. Market your best material! Review our website before submitting. Send your best work.”

MIXEDBLESSING

P.O. Box 97212, Raleigh NC 27624. (919)847-7944; (800)947-4004. Fax: (919)847-6429. Website: www.mixedblessing.com. Contact: Elise Okrend, president. Estab. 1990. Produces interfaith greeting cards combining Jewish and Christian as well as multicultural images for all ages. Licenses holiday artwork for wrapping paper, tote bags, clothing, paper goods and greeting cards.

NEEDS Approached by 10 freelance artists/year. Works with 10 freelancers/year. Buys 20 designs and illustrations/year. Provides samples of preferred styles upon request. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for card illustration. Considers watercolor, pen & ink and pastel. Prefers final art 5×7. Produces material for Christmas and Hanukkah. Submit seasonal material 10 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send nonreturnable samples for review. Samples are filed. Responds only if interested. Originals are returned at job’s completion. Sometimes requests work on spec before assigning a job. Pays flat fee of $125-500 for illustration/design. Buys all rights. Finds artists through visiting art schools.

TIPS “I see growth ahead for the industry. Go to and participate in the National Stationery Show.”

NALPAC, LTD.

1111 E. Eight Mile Rd., Ferndale MI 48220. (248)541-1140. Estab. 1971. Produces coffee mugs gift bags, trendy gift and novelty items, and T-shirts for gift and mass merchandise markets. Licenses all kinds of artwork for T-shirts, mugs and gifts.

NEEDS Approached by 10-15 freelancers/year. Works with 2-3 freelancers/year. Buys 70 designs and illustrations/year. Works on assignment only. Considers all media. Needs computer-literate freelancers for design, illustration and production. 60% of freelance work demands computer skills.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with brochure, résumé, SASE, photographs, photocopies, slides and transparencies. Samples are filed or are returned by SASE if requested by artist. Responds in 1 month. Call for appointment to show portfolio. Usually buys all rights, but rights purchased may vary according to project. Also needs package/product designers, pay rate varies. Pays for design and illustration by the hour $10-25; or by the project $40-500, or offers royalties of 4-10%.

NATIONAL DESIGN CORP.

12121 Scripps Summit Dr., San Diego CA 92131. (800)366-7367; (858)674-6040. Fax: (858)674-4166. Website: www.nationaldesign.com. Estab. 1985. Produces gifts, writing instruments and stationery accoutrements. Markets include gift/souvenir and premium markets.

NEEDS Works with 3-4 freelancers/year. Buys 3 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Prefers local freelancers only. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for design illustration; also for pre-press production on Mac. Considers computer renderings to mimic traditional medias. Prefers children’s and contemporary styles. 100% of freelance work demands knowledge of Illustrator and InDesign, Freehand and Photoshop. Produces material for Christmas and everyday.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with photocopies, résumé, SASE. Accepts submissions on disk. “Contact by phone for instructions.” Samples are filed and are returned if requested. Company will contact artist for portfolio review of color, final art, tearsheets if interested. Rights purchased vary according to project. Payments depends on complexity, extent of project(s).

TIPS “Must be well traveled to identify with gift/souvenir markets internationally. Fresh ideas always of interest.”

N-M LETTERS

389 Nayatt Rd., Barrington RI 02806. (401)289-2460. Fax: (401)245-3182. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.nmletters.com. Estab. 1982. Produces announcements and invitations that are “sweet and sassy, cool and sophisticated, playful and edgy.”

NEEDS Approached by 2-5 freelancers/year. Works with 2 freelancers/year. Prefers local artists only. Works on assignment only. Produces material for parties, weddings and Bar/Bat Mitzvahs. Submit seasonal material 6 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with résumé. Responds in 1 month, only if interested. Call for appointment to show portfolio of b&w roughs. Original artwork is not returned. Pays by the project.

NOBLE WORKS

500 Paterson Plank Rd., Union City NJ 07087. (201)420-0095. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]. Website: www.nobleworkscards.com. Contact: Art department. Estab. 1981. Produces greeting cards, notepads, gift bags and gift products. Specializes in trend-oriented, hip urban greeting cards. “Always pushing the envelope, our cards redefine the edge of sophisticated, sassy, and downright silly fun.” Art guidelines available for SASE with first-class postage.

NEEDS Looking for humorous, “off-the-wall” adult contemporary and editorial illustration. Produces material for Christmas, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduation, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, thank you, anniversary, get well, astrology, sympathy, etc. Submit seasonal material 18 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Designers: Send query as an e-mail attachment. Illustrators and Cartoonists: Send query as an e-mail attachment. Responds in 1 month. Buys reprint rights. Pays for design and illustration by the project. Finds freelancers through sourcebooks, illustration annuals, referrals.

NORTHERN CARDS

5035 Timberlea Blvd., Unit #9, Mississauga ON L4W 2K9, Canada. (877)627-7444. Website: www.northerncards.com. Estab. 1992. Produces 3 brands of greeting cards.

NEEDS Approached by 200 freelancers/year. Works with 25 freelancers/year. Buys 75 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Uses freelancers for “camera-ready artwork and lettering.” Art guidelines with SASE with first-class postage. Looking for traditional, sentimental, floral and humorous styles. Prefers 5½×7¾ or 5×7. Produces material for Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, graduation, Valentine’s Day, birthdays and everyday. Also sympathy, get well, someone special, thank you, friendship, new baby, good-bye and sorry. Submit seasonal material 6 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Designers: Send query letter with brochure, photocopies, slides, résumé and SASE. Illustrators and Cartoonists: Send photocopies, tearsheets, résumé and SASE. Lettering artists send samples. Samples are filed or returned by SASE. Responds only if interested. Pays flat fee, $200 (CDN). Finds freelancers through newspaper ads, gallery shows and Internet.

NOVA MEDIA, INC.

1724 N. State St., Big Rapids MI 49307-9073. (231)796-4637. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.novamediainc.com. Contact: Thomas J. Rundquist, chairman. Estab. 1981. Specializes in CDs, CDs/cassettes, games, limited edition plates, posters, school supplies, T-shirts. Licenses e-prints.

NEEDS Seeking creative art for the serious collector. Considers oil, acrylic. Prefers expressionism, impressionism, abstract. Editions are created by collaborating with the artist or by working from an existing painting. Approached by 14 artists/year. Publishes/distributes the work of 2 emerging, 2 mid-career and 1 established artists/year. Also needs freelancers for design. Prefers local designers.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with samples. Accepts e-mail submissions. Responds in 1 month. Keeps samples on file; does not return material. Simultaneous submissions and previously published work OK. Pays royalties of 10% or negotiates payment. No advance. Rights purchased vary according to project. Provides promotion.

TIPS “The most effective way to contact us is by e-mail or regular mail. Visit our website.”

NOVO CARD PUBLISHERS, INC.

100 Shepard Ave., Wheeling IL 60090. (847)947-8090. Fax: (847)947-8775. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.novocard.net. Produces all categories of greeting cards.

NEEDS Approached by 200 freelancers/year. Works with 30 freelancers/year. Buys 300 or 400 pieces/year from freelance artists. Art guidelines free for SASE with first-class postage. Uses freelancers mainly for illustration and text. Also for calligraphy. Considers all media. Prefers crop size 5×7¾, bleed 5¼×8. Knowledge of Photoshop, Illustrator and QuarkXPress, and InDesign helpful. Produces material for all holidays and seasons and everyday. Submit seasonal material 8 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Designers: Send brochure, photocopies, photographs and SASE. Illustrators and Cartoonists: Send photocopies, photographs, tearsheets and SASE. Calligraphers: Send b&w copies. Accepts disk submissions compatible with Macintosh QuarkXPress 4.0 and Windows 95. Art samples are not filed and are returned by SASE only. Written samples retained on file for future assignment with writer’s permission. Responds in 2 months. Pays for design and illustration by the project, $75-200.

OATMEAL STUDIOS

(802)767-3171. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.oatmealstudios.com. Publishes humorous greeting cards and notepads, creative ideas for everyday cards. Art guidelines available for SASE with first-class postage or on website.

NEEDS Approached by approximately 300 freelancers/year. Buys 100-150 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Considers all media.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Write for art guidelines; send query letter with SASE, roughs, printed pieces or brochure/flyer to be kept on file. “If brochure/flyer is not available, we ask to keep one sample printed piece; color or b&w photocopies also acceptable for our files.” Samples are returned by SASE. Responds in 6 weeks. Negotiates payment.

TIPS “We’re looking for exciting and creative, humorous (not cutesy) illustrations and single-panel cartoons. If you can write copy and have a humorous cartoon style all your own, send us your ideas! We do accept artwork without copy, too.”

OHIO WHOLESALE, INC.

5180 Greenwich Rd., Seville OH 44273. (330)769-1059. Fax: (330)769-1961. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.ohiowholesale.com. Contact: Anne Secoy, vice president of product development. Estab. 1978. Home decor, giftware, seasonal. Produces collectible figurines, decorative housewares, decorations, gifts, mugs, ornaments and textiles.

NEEDS Prefers freelancers with experiences in home decor and giftware. Works with 6 freelancers/year. Buys 100 freelance designs/illustrations per year. Will consider wood, glass, resin, tin, canvas, acrylic, metal, fabric and paper mediums in the areas of religion, counter humor or inspirational pieces. Also produce materials for Christmas, Thanksgiving, Easter, Halloween, Grandparent’s Day, St. Patrick’s Day, woman-to-woman and everyday gifts. Seasonal materials should be submitted 18 months in advance. Artists should be familiar with Adobe Illustrator, Photoshop and QuarkXPress.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send an e-mail query with brochure, photographs and SASE. Samples not kept on file. Company will contact artist for portfolio if interested. Pays by the project. Rights negotiated.

TIPS “Be able to work independently with your own ideas—use your ‘gift’ and think outside the box. Wow me!”

PAPERLINK

356 Kennington Rd., London SE11 4LD, United Kingdom 020 7582 8244. Fax: 020 7587 5212. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.paperlink.co.uk. Estab. 1985. Produces contemporary art and humorous greeting cards.

NEEDS Product categories include alternative/humor, counter humor, cute, juvenile and teen. Produces material for Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Christmas, Easter, Valentine’s Day, graduation, congratulations, wedding/anniversary, birthday, baby congrats, get-well/sympathy, everyday and all holidays and seasons. No specific size needed for final art. 50% of freelance work demands computer skills. Artists should be familiar with Illustrator, Photoshop and QuarkXPress. No need for freelance design.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Submission guidelines available online.

PAPER MAGIC GROUP, INC.

54 Glenmaura National Blvd., Suite 200, Moosic PA 18507. (800)278-4085. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.papermagic.com. Contact: Creative director. Estab. 1984. Produces greeting cards, stickers, vinyl wall decorations, 3D paper decorations. “We publish seasonal cards and decorations for the mass market. We use a wide variety of design styles.”

NEEDS Works with 60 freelance artists/year. Prefers artists with experience in greeting cards. Work is by assignment; or send submissions on spec. Designs products for Christmas and Valentine’s Day. Also uses freelancers for lettering and art direction.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with résumé, samples (color photocopies) and SASE, Attn: Creative Director. Samples are filed or are returned by SASE if requested by artist. Originals not returned. Pays by the project. Buys all rights.

TIPS “Please, experienced illustrators only.”

PAPER PRODUCTS DESIGN

60 Galli Dr., Novato CA 94949. (415)883-1888. Fax: (415)883-1999. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.paperproductsdesign.com. Contact: Carol Florsheim. Estab. 1992. Produces paper napkins, plates, designer tissue, giftbags and giftwrap, porcelain accessories. Specializes in high-end design, fashionable designs.

NEEDS Approached by 50-100 freelancers/year. Buys multiple freelance designs and illustrations/year. Artists do not need to write for guidelines. They may send samples to the attention of Carol Florsheim at any time. Uses freelancers mainly for designer paper napkins. Looking for very stylized/clean designs and illustrations. Prefers 6½×6½. Produces seasonal and everyday material. Submit seasonal material 9 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Designers: Send brochure, photocopies, photographs, tearsheets. Samples are not filed and are returned if requested with SASE. Responds in 6 weeks. Request portfolio review of color, final art, photostats in original query. Rights purchased vary according to project. Pays for design and illustration by the project in advances and royalties. Finds freelancers through agents, Workbook.

TIPS “Shop the stores, study decorative accessories, fashion clothing. Read European magazines. We are a design house.”

PICKARD CHINA

782 Pickard Ave., Antioch IL 60002. (847)395-3800. Fax: (84)395-3827. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.pickardchina.com. Estab. 1893. Manufacturer of fine china dinnerware. Clients: Upscale specialty stores and department stores. Current clients include Gearys, Marshall Field’s and Gump’s.

NEEDS Assigns 2-3 jobs to freelance designers/year. Prefers designers for china pattern development with experience in home furnishings. Tabletop experience is a plus but not required.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with résumé and color photographs, tearsheets, slides or transparencies showing art styles. Samples are filed or are returned if requested. Art director will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Negotiates rights purchased. May purchase designs outright, work on royalty basis (usually 2%) or negotiate nonrefundable advance against royalties.

MARC POLISH ASSOCIATES

P.O. Box 3041, Margate NJ 08402. (609)823-7661. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.justtoiletpaper.com. Contact: Marc Polish, president. Estab. 1972. Produces T-shirts and sweatshirts. “We specialize in printed T-shirts, sweatshirts, printed bathroom tissue, paper towels and coasters. Our market is the gift and mail order industry, resort shops and college bookstores.”

NEEDS Works with 6 freelancers/year. Designs must be convertible to screenprinting. Produces material for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Hanukkah, graduation, Halloween, birthdays and everyday.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with brochure, tearsheets, photographs, photocopies, photostats and slides. Samples are filed or are returned. Responds in 2 weeks. To show portfolio, mail anything to show concept. Originals returned at job’s completion. Pays royalties of 6-10%. Negotiates rights purchased.

TIPS “We like to laugh. Humor sells. See what is selling in the local mall or department store. Submit anything suitable for T-shirts. Do not give up. No idea is a bad idea. It sometimes might have to be changed slightly to fit into a marketplace.”

THE POPCORN FACTORY

13970 W. Laurel Dr., Lake Forest IL 60045. (847)362-0028. Fax: (847)362-9680. Website: www.thepopcornfactory.com. Estab. 1979. Manufacturer of popcorn packed in exclusive designed cans and other gift items sold via e-commerce and catalog for Christmas, Halloween, Valentine’s Day, Easter and year-round gift giving needs.

NEEDS Works with 6 freelance artists/year. Assigns up to 20 freelance jobs/year. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for popcorn can designs. Occasionally uses artists for illustration. 100% of freelance work requires knowledge of Illustrator and Photoshop.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with copies, photographs or tearsheets. Samples are filed. Write for appointment to show portfolio, or mail copies of finished art samples and photographs. Pays for catalog design by the hour ($50 minimum) and by the page. Pays for illustration by project, $250-2,000. Considers complexity of project, skill and experience of artist, and turnaround time when establishing payment. Buys all rights.

TIPS “Do not send art samples via e-mail.”

PORTERFIELD’S FINE ART LICENSING

4837 Tuttle Ave., Suite 410, Sarasota FL 34243. (800)660-8345 or (941)487-8581. Fax: (941)487-8582. E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]. Website: www.porterfieldsfineart.com. Contact: Lance J. Klass, president. Estab. 1994. Licenses representational, Christmas, holiday, seasonal, Americana, and many other subjects. We’re a major, nationally recognized full-service licensing agency and functions as a full-service licensing representative for individual artists wishing to license their work into a wide range of consumer-oriented retail product categories. In addition to our top-rated art licensing portfolio site, we also run a major blog for artists on the business of art licensing at www.artlicensing.biz, where artists can learn the basics of how to go about licensing their work. Stop by our site for more information about how to become a Porterfield’s artist and have us represent you and your work for licenses in wall and home decor, home fabrics, stationery and all paper products, crafts, giftware and many other fields. Send sample JPEGs via e-mail or direct us to a site with your artwork, for fastest response.

NEEDS Approached by more than 1,000 artists/year. Licenses many designs and illustrations/year, but only takes only 2-4 new artists each year. Prefers commercially oriented artists who can create beautiful pieces of art that people want to look at again and again, and that will help sell products to the core consumer, that is, women over 30 who purchase 85% of all consumer goods in America.” Art guidelines listed on website. Considers existing works first. Considers any media, oil, pastel, watercolor, acrylics, digital. “We are seeking artists who have exceptional artistic ability and commercial savvy, who study the market for trends and who would like to have their art and their talents introduced to the broad public. Artists must be willing to work hard to produce art for the market.”

THE PRINTERY HOUSE

Conception Alley, P.O. Box 12, 37112 State Hwy. V V, Conception MO 64433. (660)944-3110. Fax: (660)944-3116. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.printeryhouse.org. Contact: Steve Hess, creative director. Estab. 1950. Publishes religious greeting cards. Licenses art for greeting cards and wall prints. Specializes in religious Christmas and all-occasion themes for people interested in religious, yet contemporary, expressions of faith. Card designs are meant to speak to the heart. They feature strong graphics, calligraphy and other appropriate styles.

NEEDS Approached by 100 freelancers/year. Works with 40 freelancers/year. Art guidelines and technical specifications available on website. Uses freelancers for product illustration and lettering. Looking for dignified styles and solid religious themes. Has preference for high quality broad edged pen lettering with simple backgrounds/illustrations. Produces seasonal material for Christmas and Easter as well as the religious birthday, get well, sympathy, thank you, etc. Digital work is accepted in Photoshop or Illustrator format.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with résumé, photocopies, CDs, photographs, slides or tearsheets. Calligraphers and artists can send samples of printed or finished work. Nonreturnable samples preferred or else samples with SASE. Submitted files should be compatible with Photoshop or Illustrator. Send TIFF or EPS files. Usually responds within 3-4 weeks. To show portfolio, e-mail appropriate materials only after query has been answered. “Generally, we continue to work with artists once we have accepted their work.” Pays flat fee of $350-$550 for illustration/design, and $150-$250 for calligraphy. Usually buys exclusive reproduction rights for a specified format, but artist retains copyright for any other usage.

TIPS “Remember that our greeting cards need to have a definite Christian/religious dimension but not always over or overly sentimental. Artwork must be appealing and of high quality. It must be good quality artwork. We sell mostly via catalogs so artwork has to reduce well for catalog.”

PRISMATIX, INC.

324 Railroad Ave., Hackensack NJ 07601. (800)222-9662. Fax: (201)525-2828. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.prismatixinc.com. Contact: Miriam Salomon, vice president. Estab. 1977. Produces novelty humor programs. “We manufacture screen-printed novelties to be sold in the retail market.”

NEEDS Works with 3-4 freelancers/year. Buys 100 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Works on assignment only. 90% of freelance work demands computer skills.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with brochure, résumé. Samples are filed. Responds only if interested. Portfolio should include color thumbnails, roughs, final art. Payment negotiable.

PRUDENT PUBLISHING

65 Challenger Rd., Ridgefield Park NJ 07660. (201)641-7900. Fax: (201)641-9356. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.gallerycollection.com. Estab. 1928. Produces greeting cards. Specializes in business/corporate all-occasion and holiday cards. Art guidelines available.

NEEDS Buys calligraphy. Uses freelancers mainly for card design, illustrations and calligraphy. Considers traditional media. Prefers no cartoons or cute illustrations. Prefers 5½×7⅞ horizontal format (or proportionate). Produces material for Christmas, Thanksgiving, birthdays, everyday, sympathy, get well and thank you.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Designers, illustrators and calligraphers: Send query letter with brochure, photostats, photocopies, tearsheets. Samples are filed or returned by SASE if requested. Responds ASAP. Portfolio review not required. Buys all rights. No royalty or licensing arrangements. Payment is negotiable. Finds freelancers through submissions, magazines, sourcebooks, agents and word of mouth.

P.S. GREETINGS

5730 N. Tripp Ave., Chicago IL 60646. (773)267-6150. Fax: (773)267-6055. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.psgreetings.com. Manufacturer of boxed greeting and counter cards. Artists’ guidelines are posted on website, or send SASE.

NEEDS Receives submissions from 300-400 freelance artists/year. Works with 50-100 artists/year on greeting card designs. Publishes greeting cards for everyday and holidays. 70% of work demands knowledge of InDesign, Illustrator and Photoshop.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send all submissions to the attention of Design Director. All requests as well as submissions must be accompanied by SASE. “Samples will not be returned without SASE!” Responds in 1 month. Pays flat fee. Buys exclusive worldwide rights for greeting cards and stationery. No phone calls, please.

TIPS “Our line includes a whole spectrum from everyday needs (florals, scenics, feminine, masculine, humorous, cute) to every major holiday (from New Year’s to Thanksgiving) with a very extensive Christmas line. We continue to grow every year and are always looking for innovative talent.”

REALLY GOOD

Old Mast House, The Square, Abingdon Oxon 0X14 SAR, United Kingdom. +44 01235 537888. Fax: +44 01235 537779. E-mail: Online contact form. Website: www.reallygood.uk.com. Contact: David Hicks, managing director. Estab. 1987. Produces calendars, giftbags, gifts, giftwrap, greeting cards and stationary. Works with 5 freelancers/year. Purchases 100+ designs/illustrations per year. Buys cards and stationary 3-year rights. Freelancers are paid royalties.

NEEDS Trendy, fun, graphic, modern greeting cards. Seeks alternative, humor and counter humor cards. Produces material for Mother’s Day, Christmas, birthdays, Father’s Day, Valentine’s Day, congratulations, baby congratulations, woman-to-woman, wedding/anniversary, get-well/sympathy and everyday cards. Seasonal material should be submitted 12 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS E-mail letter with artist’s URL and small JPEG/PDF samples. Samples not kept on file, returned by SASE. Company will contact if interested.

RECO INTERNATIONAL CORPORATION

706 Woodlawn Ave., Cambridge OH 43725. (740)432-8800. Fax: (740)432-8811. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.reco.com. Manufacturer/distributor of stoneware and clay products. Sells through retail outlets, internet, and direct marketing firms. Reco represents Romertopf in the United States and Canada. Reco produces a line of clay products that offer a unique way of cooking, resulting in more tender, moister and more flavorful end results.

NEEDS Works with freelance and contract artists. Uses freelancers under contract for plate and figurine design, home decor and giftware. Prefers romantic and realistic styles.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter and brochure to be filed. Write for appointment to show portfolio. Art director will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Negotiates payment. Considers buying second rights (reprint rights) to previously published work or royalties.

TIPS “Have several portfolios available. We are very interested in new artists. We go to shows and galleries, and receive recommendations from artists we work with.”

RECYCLED PAPER GREETINGS, INC.

111 N. Canal St., Suite 700, Chicago IL 60606-7206. (800)777-9494. Website: www.recycled.com. Contact: Art director. Estab. 1971. Publishes greeting cards, adhesive notes and imprintable stationery.

NEEDS Buys 1,000-2,000 freelance designs and illustrations. Considers b&w line art and color—”no real restrictions.” Looking for “great ideas done in your own style with messages that reflect your own slant on the world.” Prefers 5×7 vertical format for cards. “Our primary interest is greeting cards.” Produces seasonal material for all major and minor holidays including Jewish holidays. Submit seasonal material 18 months in advance; everyday cards are reviewed throughout the year.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Submission guidelines available online. The review process can take up to 2 months. Simultaneous submissions to other companies are acceptable. If your work is chosen, we will contact you to discuss final art preparation, procedures, and payment. If your work is not selected, it will be returned to you. To facilitate the return process, please be sure to include SASE that is big enough to hold your submission. Send submissions to Attn: Art Department.

TIPS “Remember that a greeting card is primarily a message sent from one person to another. The art must catch the customer’s attention, and the words must deliver what the front promises. We are looking for unique points of view and manners of expression. Our artists must be able to work with a minimum of direction and meet deadlines. There is a renewed interest in the use of recycled paper; we have been the industry leader in this for over 30 years.”

THE REGAL LINE/ACME GRAPHICS

P.O. Box 2052, Cedar Rapids IA 52406. (319)364-0233. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.regalline.com. Contact: Jeff Scherrman, president. Estab. 1913. Produces printed merchandise used by funeral directors, such as acknowledgments, register books and prayer cards. Floral subjects, religious subjects and scenes are their most popular products. Art guidelines free for SASE.

Acme Graphics manufactures a line of merchandise for funeral directors. Floral subjects, religious subjects and scenes are their most popular products.

NEEDS Approached by 30 freelancers/year. Considers pen & ink, watercolor and acrylic. “We will send a copy of our catalog to show the type of work we do.” Art guidelines available for SASE with first-class postage. Looking for religious, inspirational, church window, floral and nature art. Also uses freelancers for calligraphy and lettering.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Designers: Send query letter with résumé, photocopies, photographs, slides and transparencies. Illustrators: Send postcard sample or query letter with brochure, photocopies, photographs, slides and tearsheets. Accepts submissions on disk. Samples are not filed and are returned by SASE. Responds in 10 days. Call or write for appointment to show portfolio of roughs. Originals are returned. Requests work on spec before assigning a job. Pays by the project. Buys all rights.

TIPS “Send samples or prints of work from other companies. No modern art. Some designs are too expensive to print. Learn all you can about printing production. Please refer to website for examples of appropriate images!”

RIGHTS INTERNATIONAL GROUP, INC.

500 Paterson Plank Rd., Union City NJ 07087. (201)863-4500. Fax: Call for number. Website: www.rightsinternational.com. Estab. 1996. Agency for cross licensing. Licenses images for manufacturers/publishers of giftware, stationery, posters and home furnishings.

See additional listing in the Posters & Prints section.

NEEDS Approached by 50 freelancers/year. Uses freelancers mainly for creative, decorative art for the commercial and designer market; also for textile art. Considers oil, acrylic, watercolor, mixed media, pastels and photography.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Submission guidelines available online.

RITE LITE, LTD.

333 Stanley Ave., Brooklyn NY 11207. (718)498-1700. Fax: (718)498-1251. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.ritelite.com. Contact: Baila Leiner, product development. Estab. 1948. Manufacturer and distributor of a full range of Judaica. Clients include department stores, galleries, gift shops, museum shops and jewelry stores.

NEEDS Looking for new menorahs, mezuzahs, children’s Judaica, Passover and matza plates. Works on assignment only. Must be familiar with Jewish ceremonial objects or design. Also uses artists for illustration, and product design. Most of freelance work requires knowledge of Illustrator and Photoshop. Produces material for Hanukkah, Passover and other Jewish holidays. Submit seasonal material 1 year in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Designers: Send query letter with brochure or résumé and photographs. Illustrators: Send photocopies. Do not send originals. Samples are filed. Responds in 1 month, only if interested. Art director will contact for portfolio review if interested. Portfolio should include color tear sheets, photographs and slides. Pays flat fee per design. Buys all rights. Finds artists through word of mouth.

TIPS “Be open to the desires of the consumers. Don’t force your preconceived notions on them through the manufacturers. Know that there is one retail price, one wholesale price and one distributor price.”

ROMAN, INC.

472 Brighton Dr., Bloomingdale IL 60108. (630)705-4600. Website: www.roman.com. Estab. 1963. Produces collectible figurines, decorative housewares, decorations, gifts, limited edition plates, ornaments. Specializes in collectibles and giftware to celebrate special occasions.

NEEDS Approached by 25-30 freelancers/year. Works with 3-5 freelancers/year. Uses freelancers mainly for graphic packaging design, illustration. Considers variety of media. Looking for traditional-based design. Roman also has an inspirational niche. 80% of freelance design and illustration demands knowledge of Photoshop, QuarkXPress, Illustrator. Produces material for Christmas, Mother’s Day, graduation, Thanksgiving, birthdays, everyday. Submit seasonal material 1 year in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with photocopies. Samples are filed or returned by SASE. Responds in 2 months if artist requests a reply. Portfolio review not required. Pays by the project. Finds freelancers through submissions and word of mouth. “All submissions are submitted at your own risk and Roman cannot guarantee return of materials. Please do not send original artwork or prototypes. Allow 6-8 weeks for review. Please no phone calls. “

THE SARUT GROUP

P.O. Box 110495, Brooklyn NY 11211. (718)387-7484. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.thesarutgroup.com. Contact: Frederic Rambaud, vice president-marketing. Estab. 1979. Produces museum-quality science and nature gifts. “Marketing firm with 20 employees. 36 trade shows a year. No reps. All products are exclusive. Medium- to high-end market.”

NEEDS Approached by 4-5 freelancers/year. Works with 4 freelancers/year. Uses freelancers mainly for new products. Seeks contemporary designs. Produces material for all holidays and seasons.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Samples are returned. Responds in 2 weeks. Write for appointment to show portfolio. Rights purchased vary according to project.

TIPS “We are looking for concepts; products, not automatically graphics.”

SECOND NATURE, LTD.

10 Malton Rd., London W10 5UP, United Kingdom. +44 (0)20 8960-0212. Fax: +44 (0)20 8960-8700. E-mail: via online contact form. Website: www.secondnature.co.uk. Greeting card publisher specializing in unique 3D/handmade cards and special finishes.

NEEDS Prefers interesting new contemporary but commercial styles. Also calligraphy and web design. Art guidelines available. Produces material for Christmas, Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Father’s Day. Submit seasonal material 19 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with samples showing art style. Samples not filed are returned only if requested by artist. Responds in 2 months. Originals are not returned at job’s completion. Pays flat fee.

TIPS “We are interested in all forms of paper engineering or anything fresh and innovative.”

PAULA SKENE DESIGNS

1250 45th St., Suite 240, Emeryville CA 94608. (510)654-3510. Fax: (510)654-3496. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.paulaskenedesigns.com.

NEEDS Works with 1-2 freelancers/year. Works on assignment only. Produces material for all holidays and seasons, everyday.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS “Designers, artists, and illustrators: send tearsheets and photocopies. Do not send more than 2 examples! Samples are returned. Responds in 1 week. Buys all rights. Pays for design and illustration by the project.”

SMART ALEX, INC.

1700 W. Irving Park Rd., #105, Chicago IL 60613. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.smartalexinc.com. Estab. 1980. “From graphic artwork to cartooning, we employ a wide variety of artistic styles in our greeting cards. We will pay $150 for one time payment to purchase exclusive rights.” Works with 5 freelancers/year. Buys 50 freelane designs/year.

NEEDS Always looking for funny lines, with a definite emphasis on humor for grown-ups. Our style of humor tends to be topical, witty, smart, ironic, or sexually suggestive. We will pay $125 for each submission we select to be published.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send an e-mail with copy/samples in PDF format. Graphic submissions should be sent as an e-mail attachment, in JPEG format and at a resolution of 72 dpi. Final art should be 5×7. Artists should be familiar with Adobe Illustrator and Photoshop.

TIPS “Smart Alex welcomes submissions from artists, photographers and writers who share our philosophy of keeping greeting cards strictly funny, edgy and risquè. We do not deviate from this format. If your work obviously falls out of our parameters, please do not submit.”

SOUL

Old Mast House, The Square, Oxford Oxfordshire OX14 SAR, United Kingdom. +44 1235 537816. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.souluk.com. Contact: David Hicks, managing director. Estab. 1997. Produces greeting cards, notebooks, giftwrap, and other stationary items. Works with 5 freelancers/year. Purchases 100+ designs/illustrations per year. Buys 3-year license. Freelancers paid royalties.

NEEDS Contemporary, modern, sentimental greeting cards. Birthdays, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Easter, Valentine’s Day, congratulations baby congratulations, woman-to-woman, wedding/anniversary, get-well/sympathy, everyday.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS E-mail query letter with URL of artist’s site or small JPEG/PDF samples of work. Samples not kept on file. Will contact if interested.

TIPS “Check our website first for style.”

SPARROW & JACOBS

6701 Concord Park Dr., Houston TX 77040. (713)329-9400. Fax: (713)744-8799. E-mail: [email protected]. Contact: Product merchandiser. Estab. 1986. Produces calendars, greeting cards, postcards and other products for the real estate industry.

NEEDS Buys up to 300 freelance photographs and illustrations/year including illustrations for postcards and greeting cards. Considers all media. Looking for new product ideas featuring residential front doors, homes and home-related images, flowers, landscapes, cute animals, holiday themes and much more. Emphasis on home-related photographs and illustrations. Produces material for Christmas, Easter, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, Halloween, New Year, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, July 4th, birthdays, everyday, time change. Submit seasonal material 6 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send letter with color photocopies, photographs or tearsheets. We also accept e-mail submissions of low-resolution images. If sending slides, do not send originals. We are not responsible for slides lost or damaged in the mail. Samples are filed or returned in your SASE.

SPENCER’S

6826 Black Horse Pike, Egg Harbor Twp. NJ 08234-4197. Website: www.spencersonline.com. Estab. 1947. Retail gift chain located in approximately 850 stores in 43 states, including Hawaii and Canada. Includes 2 new retail chain stores named Spirit Halloween Superstores and ToyZam (toy chain).

Products offered by store chain include: posters, T-shirts, games, mugs, novelty items, cards, 14K jewelry, neon art, novelty stationery. Spencer’s offers different product lines, such as custom lava lights and Halloween costumes and products. Visit a store if you can to get a sense of what they offer.

NEEDS Prefers artists with professional experience in advertising design. Uses artists for illustration (hard line art, fashion illustration, airbrush). Also needs product and fashion photography (primarily jewelry), as well as stock photography. Uses a lot of freelance computer art. 50% of freelance work demands knowledge of InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop and QuarkXPress. Also uses production and packaging companies. “You don’t necessarily have to be local for freelance production.”

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send postcard sample or query letter with nonreturnable brochure, résumé and photocopies, including phone number where you can be reached during business hours. Accepts submissions on disk. Will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Will contact only upon job need. Considers buying second rights (reprint rights) to previously published work. Finds artists through sourcebooks.

TIPS “Become proficient in as many computer programs as possible.”

STARFISH & DREAMS

3291 Industry Way, Signal Hill CA 90755. (888)678-2734. Fax: (888)978-2734. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.starfishanddreams.com. Estab. 1984. (Formerly NRN Designs, Inc.) Produces high-end invitations and announcements, photocards, and calendars.

NEEDS Looking for freelance artists with innovative ideas and formats for invitations and scrapbooking products. Works on assignment only. Produces stickers and other material for Christmas, Easter, graduation, Halloween, Hanukkah, New Year’s, Thanksgiving, Valentine’s Day, birthdays, everyday, (sympathy, get well, etc.). Submit seasonal material 1 year in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS E-mail query with link to your website or mail photocopies or other nonreturnable samples. Responds only if interested. Portfolios required from designers. Company will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Rights purchased vary according to project. Pays for design by the project.

SUNSHINE ART STUDIOS, INC.

150 Kingswood Rd., P.O. Box 8465, Mankato MN 56002-8465. (800)873-7681. Fax: (800)232-3633. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: sunshinecards.com. Estab. 1921. Produces greeting cards, stationery and calendars that are sold in own catalog, appealing to all age groups.

NEEDS Works with 50 freelance artists/year. Buys 100 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Prefers artists with experience in greeting cards. Art guidelines available for SASE with first-class postage. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers for greeting cards, stationery and gift items. Also for calligraphy. Considers all media. Looking for traditional or humorous look. Produces material for Christmas, birthdays and everyday. Submit seasonal material 6-8 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with brochure, résumé, SASE, tearsheets and slides. Samples are filed or are returned by SASE if requested by artist. Responds only if interested. Portfolio should include finished art samples and color tearsheets and slides. Originals not returned. Buys all rights.

SYRACUSE CULTURAL WORKERS

P.O. Box 6367, Syracuse NY 13217. (315)474-1132. Fax: (877)265-5399. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.syracuseculturalworkers.com. Contact: Karen Kerney, art director. Estab. 1982. Produces posters, note cards, postcards, greeting cards, T-shirts and calendars that are feminist, progressive, radical, multicultural, lesbian/gay allied, racially inclusive and honoring of elders and children. Publishes and distributes peace and justice resources through their Tools For Change catalog.

NEEDS Approached by many freelancers/year. Works with 50 freelancers/year. Buys 40-50 freelance fine art images and illustrations/year. Considers all media. Art guidelines available on website or free for SASE with first-class postage. Specifically seeking artwork celebrating peace-making diversity, people’s history and community building. “Our mission is to help sustain a culture that honors diversity and celebrates community; that inspires and nurtures justice, equality and freedom; that respects our fragile Earth and all its beings; that encourages and supports all forms of creative expression.” Themes include environment, positive parenting, positive gay and lesbian images, multiculturalism and cross-cultural adoption.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with sample of work and SASE. Samples are filed or returned by SASE. Responds in 1 month with SASE. Will contact for portfolio review if interested. Buys one-time rights. Pays flat fee, $85-450; royalties of 4-6% gross sales. Finds artists through submissions and word of mouth.

TIPS “Please do not send original art. Rather, send photocopies, printed samples or duplicate slides. Also, one postcard sample is not enough for us to judge whether your work is right for us. Include return postage if you would like your artwork/slides returned. December and January are major art selection months.” Please visit our website to get a sense of what we’ve chosen to publish in the past at www.syracuseculturalworkers.com.

TALICOR, INC.

901 Lincoln Pkwy., Plainwell MI 49080. (269)685-2345 or (800)433-GAME (4263). Fax: (269)685-6789. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.talicor.com. Estab. 1971. Manufacturer and distributor of educational and entertainment games and toys. Clients chain toy stores, department stores, specialty stores and Christian bookstores.

NEEDS Works with 4-6 freelance illustrators and designers/year. Prefers local freelancers. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers mainly for game design. Also for advertising, brochure and catalog design, illustration and layout; product design; illustration on product; P-O-P displays; posters and magazine design.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with tearsheets, samples or postcards. Samples are not filed and are returned only if requested. Responds only if interested. Call or write for appointment to show portfolio. Pays for design and illustration by the project. Negotiates rights purchased. Accepts digital submissions via e-mail.

VAGABOND CREATIONS, INC.

2560 Lance Dr., Dayton OH 45409. (800)738-7237. Fax: (800)738-7237. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.vagabondcreations.net. Publishes stationery and greeting cards with contemporary humor; also a line of coloring books. 99% of artwork used is provided by staff artists.

NEEDS Works with 3 freelancers/year. Buys 6 finished illustrations/year. Seeking line drawings, washes and color separations. Material should fit in standard-size envelope.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Query. Samples are returned by SASE. Responds in 2 weeks. Submit Christmas, Valentine’s Day, everyday and graduation material at any time. Originals are returned only upon request. Payment negotiated.

TIPS “Important! Currently we are not looking for additional freelance artists because we are very satisfied with the work submitted by those individuals working directly with us. Our current artists are very experienced and have been associated with us in some cases for over 30 years. We do not in any way wish to offer false hope to anyone, but it would be foolish on our part not to give consideration.”

WANDA WALLACE ASSOCIATES

323 E. Plymouth, Suite 2, Inglewood CA 90302. (310)419-0376. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.wandawallacefoundation.org. Contact: Wanda Wallace, president. Estab. 1980. Nonprofit organization produces greeting cards and posters for general public appeal. “We produce black art prints, posters, originals and other media.”

This publisher is doing more educational programs, touring schools nationally with artists.

NEEDS Approached by 10-12 freelance artists/year. Works with varying number of freelance artists/year. Buys varying number of designs and illustrations/year from freelance artists. Prefers artists with experience in black/ethnic art subjects. Uses freelance artists mainly for production of originals and some guest appearances. Considers all media. Produces material for Christmas. Submit seasonal material 4-6 months in advance.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send query letter with any visual aid. Some samples are filed. Policy varies regarding answering queries and submissions. Call or write to schedule an appointment to show a portfolio. Rights purchased vary according to project. Art education instruction is available. Pays by the project.

WARNER PRESS, INC.

1201 E. Fifth St., Anderson IN 46012. (800)741-7721. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.warnerpress.org. Contact: Karen Rhodes, senior editor. Estab. 1884. Warner Press produces church bulletins, church supplies, Christian Art boxed greeting cards, activity and coloring books, picture story books, kids books and ministry teaching resources. We produce products for the Christian marketplace. Our main markets are the Church and Christian bookstores. We provide products for all ages. Art submission guidelines available online. Works on assignment only. Warner Press uses freelancers for all products, as listed above. Considers media and photography. Work demands knowledge of Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

NEEDS Approached by 50 freelancers/year. Works with 15-20 freelancers/year. Buys 200 freelance designs and illustrations/year. Works on assignment only. Uses freelancers for all products, including bulletins and coloring books. Considers all media and photography. 100% of production work demands knowledge of Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Send postcard or query letter with samples. Do not send originals. Creative director will contact artist for portfolio review if interested. Samples are filed or returned if SASE included. Pays by the project. Buys all rights (occasionally varies).

TIPS “Subject matter must be appropriate for Christian market. Most of our art purchases are for children’s materials.”

CAROL WILSON FINE ARTS, INC.

P.O. Box 17394, Portland OR 97217. (503)261-1860 or (800)473-0785. Fax: 503-255-6829. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.carolwilsonfinearts.com. Estab. 1983. Produces greeting cards and fine stationery products.

NEEDS Romantic floral and nostalgic images. “We look for artists with high levels of training, creativity and ability.”

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Write or call for art guidelines. No original artwork on initial inquiry. Samples not filed; returned by SASE.

TIPS “We are seeing an increased interest in romantic fine arts cards and very elegant products featuring foil, embossing and die-cuts.”

ZITI CARDS

601 S. Sixth St., St. Charles MO 63301. (800)497-5908. Fax: (636)352-2146. E-mail: [email protected]. Website: www.ziticards.com. Contact: Salvatore Ventura, owner. Estab. 2006. Produces greeting cards. Specializes in holiday cards for architects and construction businesses. Art guidelines available via e-mail.

NEEDS Architecture, cities/urban, interiors/decorating, industry, alternative process, avant garde, documentary, fine art, historical/vintage, lifestyle and seasonal photographs. Submit seasonal work 2 months in advance. Model releases and property releases are preferred. Captions are preferred. “We purchase exclusive rights for the use of photographs on greeting cards and do not prevent photographers from using images on other non-greeting card items. Photographers retain all copyrights and can end the agreement for any reason.” Pays $50 advance and 5% royalties at the end of the season. Finds freelancers through submissions.

FIRST CONTACT & TERMS Accepts e-mail submissions with windows-compatible image files or link to website. “E-mail attachments are preferred, but anything that accurately shows the work is fine.” After introductory mailing, send follow-up postcard sample every 6 months. Samples are filed or returned by SASE if requested. Responds only if interested.