Signing your artwork

[VulgarDragon]

I have been trying to decide how to sign my artwork. At first I used my normal signature, but it looks messy. Then I tried making a "trademark" (stylized initials), but I am having second thoughts because I think looks kind of cheesy. There's quite a number of ways that the artist sign the work...some use only last or first name, or only initials. Some make elegant signatures, while others use a "stamp" or "trademark". Which way is best? I know it's a matter of personal taste, but do you think the signature should be an art form to match the quality of the picture? After all, you don't want to ruin a perfectly good picture with your crude scrawl across the bottom. What is your take on signing your artwork?

[Ilaekae]

"I can let you have this Rembrandt sketch for only $25.00. It's the least I can do to repay you for saving the lives of my entire family and 95% of greater Manhattan with only a plastic spoon and a teabag..."

"Kewl! Thanks...what's that scribble at the bottom?"

"That's his signature..."

"Eeeewwwww... Icky lookin'...what else y'got?"


:P

[Jasonwclark]

You might want to develop a couple different signatures for different situations. For example, if you work in ink then a quick flashy scribbling signature might be best, but if you're doing a lot of traditional painting you might want something that you can lay down with more deliberate precission. Curves are harder to pull off in a woodcut or engaving, so it might be nice to have something simple worked out beforehand.

Check out this site if you need some inspiration: Artists' Signatures (http://www.artarchiv.net/doku/artistsignatures.htm)

[HunterKiller_]

"However my mother had once said, 'When you go to art school, you'll find everybody sitting around practicing how to do their signature.' and sure enough, there they were, some of them doing just that." - Richard Williams.

[Serra]

I use a pen-name for signing art, so since I haven't been signing documents that way for 21 years I'm naturally a bit more careful and the signature tends to come out better. :)

But I also think that the signature's not important. If yours is messy it just means it's unique and harder to forge! Hehe.

--Serra

[Grief]

i write my name (joe) vertical.

thats it. simple name, three letters, just oriented different.
no fancy swirls or flaring strokes.

look i'll even make a diagram. oh boy (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v488/ninjau1/signature.jpg).

[Hyoscine]

Escher's got my favourite sig...

[deliciouspeter]

Do something simple, subtle and unique. You want people to see it if they look for it, but instantly recognizable. But you gotta come up with that on your own.

[sweetoblivion314]

"who do you think you are, Picasso?"
my teacher said this to a kid in my class when his signature was huge and glaring and became the focal point of the piece.

Always remember that your signature is secondary to the painting. So worry about the painting and then slap your name on it so that it doesnt draw any atention to it and your good to go.