. Thanks for sharing Mary! Well i decided to put my three initals on the front right bottom corner and the year…I was sadly told by the owner of the gallery that She did not like it and I should take my work home again with me and somehow remove my initials and date…well some of these pieces were “sealed” which made it impossible to remove it without ruining the look…so she doesn’t want my pieces that are signed on the front…only new work that “I may sign on the back and date if i would like to…what a shame i have probably close to 40 pieces of art that are rendered “unsellable” at her gallery! I had never heard of this. I can’t say that I do yet and I need to be better at it and take my own advice. . Only the general rule of thumb on signing a print. Sometimes it needs the weight of a good black splodge! So many great ideas. You are the first! Hi Phyllis! At any rate, Mary, you might want to consider using your first and middle name too. Hi Laura, Thank you for sharing your experience. I liked the idea of a hidden signature. But everyone’s rules are different. If your proud of your art Sign it!! I have tried archival pens but I get very frustrated with them. It's a matter of individual preference if you choose to use your maiden name or married name to sign your painting. From a certain distance, the initials are not that easy to see, so as not to distract from the work. If you are using a stylus on a touchpad, then you should be able to sign your name easily. I don’t want to rip myself off, but I also don’t want to scare off potential buyers from my works. 3: 5-6. Whether you’re working in oil, pastel or watercolor, you should use the medium you’ve created your painting in to sign your work. But noe I am starting to produce art regularly and getting involved with galleries and considering a web site. I’d rather someone enjoys one of my paintings for what it represents—its colors, shapes, or emotional impact—than for my signature in the corner. Don’t follow arbitrary rules that people give you online. Phyllis – I work in large abstracts, but do the same for the same reason. Choose from a range of stylish art prints, including classic framed designs, collages, metallic options, simple portraits, and more. Thanks for sharing Patricia! I don’t want observers to wonder who painted the piece. I own a boutique and hold art exhibits there. Well, if this is pressuring you so that you don’t make art: stop signing your art. It sounds like a difficult conversation coming your way. Need a Better Way to Take Photos of Your Art? The painting is only dated after it is sold—-. I try to stick to bottom right or left side, and even as I’m developing an abstract piece often try to keep that in mind. I like the idea of dating it when it sells. In general, landscape prints get signed and portrait prints don't. Hey all, I've been selling art prints on Etsy for about a year. I’ve told my mother-in-law not to post on Facebook. Actually sign the work; don’t simply create a digital file of your signature and add that to an image. Artist Websites 101 I do it in such a way it looks like part of the art. If it’s on the work, most thieves won’t take it. Thanks aok, I sign bottom right, my signature and sometimes just my first Initial and last full name. Iconographers do sign and name the icon on the back of the panel with usual inscription of naming the icon, followed by “For the Glory of God by the hand of ………(iconographer’s name – small print.). Imagekind prints our fine art giclees at 1440 DPI, which is one reason why they look so great. That’s the point. Sure, signing your name with an oil pastel may take a little practice, but it looks a lot more professional than using an ink pen. What makes a professional print look professional is the sharpness of the resolution. Keep looking for that right fit for your art. I placed the title of the house on the foundation bricks and created collection theme of “one home at a time” and added the kids’ first name only on individual bricks to give them a sense of pride. What’s your signature style of adding a signature to your art? I have always been signing my art work with my printed last name and then the year. To summarize, rule number one is to always sign your art. Your signature is your brand, your mark of ownership. Thanks for sharing Amy! I’m not an artist, I’m in advertising/marketing and this sounds like a huge copyright issue… or some issue… I’m not well-versed in art law. I know this is a concern many artists face and I discuss that here: https://www.artiststrong.com/digital-theft-and-art/. In a lot of ways, that’s a branding decision being made. It looks nothing like my real signature but I changed the style of each letter to make it legible and elegant at the same time. I have signed my art work since third grade. I’d love to hear more from you and I look forward to talking to you in the comments below this video. I have occocasionally signed some items as gifts for friends but also struggle now with how to sign (which combination of initials,maiden name, current name, etc.) From the stolen photo copy, a number of prints were produced and sold. Great perspective to share in here. I hope this helps someone decide what they want to do about their signature. I started doubting about signing my works because a university teacher once made fun of me infront of all others about an sketch I had for an idea. Clients seem to appreciate. i don’t ever stick to bottom left or right it will be either or I go with where it looks best and in some of my pieces I’ve had to put it just below the collar bone due detailing and at right angles also due to details within the pieces. And like one of the commenters above I sign abstract works at the back because I think in abstract works any element and even dots can affect on the whole frame. Angela, great question! Sometimes we place elevated pressure on ourselves: every mark we make should be perfect, because (whisper). Happy creating to all! That being said, I sign my work with an M and an S sideways below the M. It looks rather like a little cowboy hat. on the back full name subject and what used doing the art work. It really looks very beautiful. Setting DPI and gaining sizes large enough for prints is certainly no issue there (bearing that my computer is then held hostage for however long it takes to render my art piece fully). It is a complete logistical mess if you think you MUST sign the mat board. I find it hard to believe that Michael Angelo craved his name on Our Lady’s chest. You don't say what kind of prints you've got, the quality of the paper, if the art is photography or painting, if they will be mounted or matted. Since you’ve changed your name and are in a new chapter of your art life, this could be an opportunity to sign with a new signature or name! I work in mixed media and sometimes I use many layers so have found signing with paint very difficult and also feel pressure to do so. I now will sign my drawings and date them for my grandchildren Signing my childhood nickname Toots. Hi. If not fix it then sign it. Have a great days, guys, and please share this video if you feel someone else will benefit from it. Especially if you make limited editions. Hi Charlotte, I’m so glad you find this article helpful Your strategy sounds great! <3 Thanks for reading and for asking! I use my thumbprint and a <3 for my signature. Do you tell people who collect your work? Most people online will put a small digital name covering the work. Also I’m a street artist but mainly work on canvas now, I’m not sure whether to sign the street art inspired paintings with my street art name, and the other ones with my name??? Sounds like a strategy that fits well with your style of art and branding! Most artists do, I know, but in the last few years I’ve pretty much decided not to. If not fix it then sign it. I don’t say anything, so far no one has found it. I have no clue. Otherwise I’d encourage you to seek the advice of an IP lawyer. I also work in many medium and the type or style usually tells me where to put my signature. And no matter what we create, a viewer will bring their own perspective. Hi there! 01/10 like this? Artists should take the important final step of signing their prints. It’s better to make sure your images are small in scale and in resolution, because then there is no quality digital information that they can steal to make prints of, etc. Because I do not want my signature to influence the orientation of the painting. On pieces that traditionally are not signed in the front ( Felted Needle Art anyone ? 13 comments. Have been doing that since I was a little girl and it just kind of stuck. Just for fun, as my surname is Hart I sign my watercolours Heidi Hart’ist. Others I leave unsigned. I started signing my paintings with my initials when I was a kid because that is how my great great grandfather signed his work. And don’t have as much control as I’d like with the brush. I also put my fingerprint into the wet glaze over the collaged bits. It’s going to help us prove throughout history that this is your work. Melissa means bee, Suzanne means lily so I considered a stylized bee and lily graphic. That’s the most important thing to me. So keep titling your work. They were paid projects, meaning she drew them specifically for my business. Would that be okay considering it’s a male name and I’m female? Thanks so much for commenting and sharing! I sign with my initials I always paint in a dogs paw print somewhere in the painting. I have looked through many other websites to try and get some information about signing prints when the original work has already been signed. Thanks everyone. Unsubscribe here at any time. This is a great question. This thread is archived. I do have a question that has garnered debate within my circle of art friends…….does the signing have to be of the same medium as the painting or say one uses an an architectural pen on a watercolour, is the painting now considered mixed media? Adjust the resolution to 300 dpi for fine art prints. I’ve seen a lot of articles out there that give you rules about whether or not you should sign your art. Recently an artist stated in her bio that her Grandfather is artist, Pasquale DeMariano and that she was signing his name to her work in his honor. But first, here are a few reasons why artists DO sign their work. Because, it means work to them. I LOVE that you are signing them Toots. Let the art historians sort out the provenance of art and make the art you are called to create.