Jason Yenter, under his moniker J. Yenter Design, comes to the world of licensing in a somewhat backward manner. Most designers start out creating art for a wide variety of products, establish a brand presence, and then are often licensed for the quilt and craft fabric industry.
Yenter has done exactly the opposite.
Yenter has already made a name for himself in the craft and fabric industry, having been a presence for more than 15 years. Now, Yenter will leverage his catalog of designs as he looks license for a variety of other products.
Yenter took a little time off from creating in his Seattle studio to answer a few questions for Art of Licensing.
Art of Licensing: What brings you to licensing?
Jason Yenter: I have been designing for many years and have compiled a vast array of work, most of which was originally created for quilt and/or craft fabric. I would love to see my designs on other products.
AoL: Why do you feel your art is perfect for licensing?
JY: That would be a two-part answer. First, my designs have a proven track record and have been printed on millions of yards of fabric for the quilting/craft market. Second, all my designs are digital and already in repeat, so they are easy to manipulate, recolor, rescale and even change their overall layout.
AoL: Where do find inspiration for your designs?
JY: I do a lot of research–ok, a lot of shopping. I am continually searching catalogs and stores, from big-box retailers to small boutiques, to absorb current trends and colors and to try and figure out what might be the next hot look.
AoL: So what have you been working on lately?
JY: Most recently I have been working on a "Legends" series. These are groups of designs inspired by legendary and mythical places. The first one I completed is Camelot. Next will be Avalon, then Shangri La and Atlantis. I also seem to be constantly working on new winter and holiday designs.
AoL: How would you describe your working style?
JY: I think I am pretty easy to work with. I look at my work as graphic art–not fine art. I am happy to change things to fit whatever product I am working on. My only concern is to create something that pleases the end consumer and sells lots of product!
To schedule an appointment with Yenter, call 206-778-2825 or email at [email protected].