BRANDING

ARCHIVAL QUALITY

To start your signing practice, keep these general guidelines in mind:

• Sign your artwork, legibly and clearly
• You can sign it anywhere (back, front, sides, corners, etc), but…
• Keep it consistent from piece to piece.
• Sign with the same medium of creation.
• Date it (on the back)

DESIGNING YOUR SIGNATURE

• Avoid monograms, initials and symbols. Although some famous artists have used all three, this practice can make your signature more easy to copy.

• Avoid using your regular signature, as your signature will be all over all your pieces, including prints, etc. To avoid personal identity troubles, best to keep your personal signature before you make your mark.

WHERE SHOULD YOU SIGN?

WHAT SHOULD YOU SIGN WITH?

For thick, wet textured artworks, a more creative solution will have to be utilized. For example, a sharpened wooden end of a paintbrush can be used to gently carve your signature into oil or acrylic, giving it an ingrained, unified look. (Avoid scratching your signature into hardened varnish, as it makes the signature look as it it had been placed as an afterthought...or worse, by someone else.) The best time to sign is when the paint is still soft and pliable.

Some final tips:

• Choose a color that harmonizes with your piece; your signature shouldn’t take away from your artwork, but also shouldn’t be absorbed by it
• Avoid Sharpies and non-pigmented markers, as these can bleed and degrade in your artwork over time.
• Make sure to pick pens and mediums that will have a chemical reaction with your medium. Oil paints are especially susceptible.

Rembrandt's signature in ink

Monet's signature in the bottom right hand corner

Sakura Micron Pigmentt Pens

Dip and Calligraphy Pens

Uchida Deco Color Extra Fine

Although these add a layer of genuineness, certificates can still be easily forged. To avoid this, use as much factual information about the piece as possible, such as height, width, material, etc. It also would not hurt to list where the artwork can be found (such as in galleries, etc).

Important information your certificates should include:

• Title
• Medium
• Materials Used
• Sign with the same medium of creation.
• Name of the Artist
• Year of Creation
• Exact dimensions of piece
• Materials Used
• Location the artwork was created (usually a country)
• Whether it is an original or a reproduction
• Include a certificate numbering or code system (ie, assign a different number on the back of each artwork, and ensure you have a copy of the numbering system yourself)
• Signature (full name in ink and include the date)
• Contact information (email, your art website, and any other places your art can be found online)
• Declare that all copyrights are retained by the artist, and that the artwork cannot be reproduced without consent from you
• Care Instructions if necessary

• Provide all the above information on the back by hand. This information not necessarily have to be done in the same medium as your signature; in fact, it could be a little slip of paper, or marked with a ballpoint pen, ink, etc. This little detail could be the title of your piece, a location in which it was painted, or a little number signifying inventory, or if it is part of a series. Additional information such as these help fortify the world in which your art has created, and it gives customers a glimpse into how their piece came into being. If done consistently, it also makes your work much harder to forge, and much easier to recognize.

• If your artwork is done on paper, consider using an embossing stamp or incorporating your fingerprint into your signature. This would especially make the act of completion more formal and official, while making your signature much more difficult to forge or copy. Embossing stamps are especially luxurious, as the impression it leaves creates a subtle permanence that cannot be recreated.

Use pencil to sign limited eidtion prints

At KeenART Media, we offer many services that could be of use to artists creating limited edition prints:

• We can print and frame your gallery wrapped canvas art and have it to you in as little as a week.

• Want some professionally matted prints to offer along with your original paintings? We have a wide selection of fine art papers and many different, high quality matboards.

• Planning to sell your work but don't want to part with that special image? We offer artwork scanning so you can keep digital copies of all your originals.

• Need to frame some pieces and still make a profit? We have beautiful, high quality picture frame mouldings for a range of prices, to suit your budget and your art.

If you have any questions about our products or services, please don't hesitate to contact us. Our knowledgeable staff are always happy to offer answers and helpful suggestions or advice.

A division of USAOnCanvas.com Sanfrancisco Laser Engraving & Cutting Services