Should artists sign the front of their art?? ✍️ I’ve prepped a painting to go to a collector this week & it occurred to me to make a vid about how to sign your artwork. Signing the front is a topic of debate among artists. I’m with those that say it distracts from the world the artist is trying to create. But I can also see the other side of the debate, a clear artist’s signature can help maintain value for collectors. Many famous artists in the past have very prominent signatures - often their full name legible & large so it’s obviously a great branding strategy. Plus, I hate to say it but apparently a man’s signature on the front increases the value but a women’s decreases it (times will change!). Essentially it’s all a personal decision & artists in the past have found many unique ways to creatively leave their mark. When it comes to signing your artwork, it’s important to consider a few key points. First, avoid using your legal signature (for security reasons). Instead, develop a consistent signature that reflects your brand. Whether it's a full signature, monogram, symbol, or phrase, the most important thing is to maintain consistency in your signature over time. There are no rules on where to place your signature - it depends on how prominent you want it to be. Some artists choose not to sign right on the front to maintain the integrity of the composition, while others make it a prominent feature. It is pretty standard, however, to sign the back or underside of your art alongside other relevant information about the piece. Adding a date next to your signature helps place the work in your artistic timeline. For prints, it's customary to include the edition number on the bottom left, the title in the middle, and the signature or initials on the right in pencil. Signing your artwork serves multiple purposes. It establishes your brand and ownership, acts as a trademark or logo, and provides copyright protection. Signatures also aid art historians and conservators in dating and assessing the value of a painting. This particular painting was done on a gessoed round birch wood panel. I left the back raw so you can still see the beautiful wood grain tho I neatened up the cradle by adding some black gesso & added hanging hardware (see my previous vid on more). Then I printed the artwork info on a printable shipping label from staples which aren’t necessary but I find its a great way to clearly display details on the back of panels. Then I used black sharpie to right the title, year, and sign my name. #SignatureMasterpiece #ArtisticBrand #CreativeSignature #ArtOwnership #SignatureStyle #ArtTips #ArtTutorial #ArtisticJourney #ArtistCommunity #ArtInspiration #ArtisticExpression #ArtWorld #ArtLovers #ArtistsOfTikTok #ArtistLife #ArtisticSkills #ArtisticCreations #ArtisticMindset #ArtisticPassion #ArtisticVibes #ArtTutorial #ArtDemo #ArtTips #ArtTechniques #ArtLesson #ArtistTutorial #CreativeProcess #ArtInAction #ArtWalkthrough #artistictips