I sign my paintings in printed caps (= Joe Barnes's block letters, I think), very neatly. I sign with a brush in watercolors or oils, whichever I'm working in, with a finest brush (in proportion to the painting). I go over my signature until it looks right. I sign my maiden name, usually including my middle name...

Once upon a time, in my first marriage, when I was still vacillating over whether to go by my maiden name or my husband's name socially, I did a simple decorative painting for use to block out a window (our bedroom was also my husband's dry darkroom), and I signed it EAH (my initials). My husband said - joking, I think - "Why don't you sign it EAHW?" (W being his last initial.) I kinda saw red & went, "You want me to put YOUR name on MY art???" That made it very clear how important my signature is to me.

On a couple of my bigger oils, I have put just my first and last name. On my non-portrait watercolors, I sometimes sign in pencil in the lower margin, as well as in watercolor on the painting, and add the name of the piece in pencil. I always date, usually with month, day and year, but on some oils or smaller pieces, just month & year, or just the year.

The only exception to my printed signature is on prints when I've done them - etchings or linocuts; I usually etch or cut my name onto the block or plate (I can write backwards), but then I also write my name in pencil in the margin of the print, and in this case it's my cursive signature. I sign collages in pencil, in printed caps, in the margin if there is one, with the date.

Boy, this has revealed how varied my methods have been, as I've walked around looking at my pieces. Some of my watercolors don't have a second signature in the margin, only the title; I signed some older watercolors in rapidograph with India ink...

One thing I started doing at least ten years ago, was to make sure my signature was at least 1/4" in from the edge of the painting, to try to keep  my clients' framers from covering my signature up with the mat. When I do the matting myself, I expose a quarter inch of the margin, feeling that that's part of the painting; but other framers don't see it that way...

I consider my signature, and the date, part of the beauty of the piece (maybe that's because I love words, too).

hi barb

i usually try to sign with the medium i used....however sharpies have a ton of colors and are light fast. they write on just about everything as well as a variety of nib sizes. 

i sign with my legal married name using my middle inital sometimes. but i think i have be told it is important to be the same as much as possible.

artfitz

Hi Barbara!

Honestly, you come up with the best subjects to get people thinking!

I agree with Kathy about using something that one can actually work with. I also use permanent ink pens when signing my watercolors. I too am pretty loose with my signature when I use a brush. I did oils in the past and had a simple signature (J. Barnes in block letters), which worked OK with a brush. Looking back I now believe my signature wasn’t very appropriate for my “finer” pieces. It looked fine on my cartoonish caricatures and editorial cartoon panels. I was told once by my print/etching professor that I had a good name for an artist – Joseph Leonard Barnes. I began signing my work with my full name for the first time in my life. I liked it, but as you remarked in your blog Barbara, a long name can be tedious to fit on a painting.

I recently did an oil painting and the “new” signature was a mess in oils. I covered up my name and set the painting aside until I can figure out how to sign it! Funny, I know!

As for signatures in general, I believe an artist’s signature should reflect the style and mood of their work. If you are a serious fine art painter, the signature should be clean, legible and professional looking. The painting’s subject matter will dictate what style your signature takes on.

I often ask myself if there was some psychological reason why I never used my fist name in my signature and only my last name.  I always signed my pottery pieces “J.B.” because most of the potters I worked with did the same. My cartoon work seemed more appropriate for “J. Barnes”. In High School I got the nickname, “Jośe.” Many of my early drawings were signed that way. Go figure! I can’t find anything deep in any of this, really. I think just as I got older I took myself more seriously and wanted my work to reflect it.

BTW – I do not put a date on my paintings. It is not that I want to hide the fact that a painting might be two or three or even five years old. I just don’t do it. Perhaps you might want to find out what other artists think about dating their work. I do document all my paintings – including when they were painted. In case a buyer really wants to know.

This was a fun exercise!

L8ter,

Joseph Leonard Barnes

I don't work with oils, but using an oil-base pen for a signature doesn't sound like a bad idea. I really don't like signing my work,but I use a HB pencil and etch my name in every wax pastel drawing I complete.

That way my signature is there and it doesn't take away from the picture(something that I normally fear & criticize myself over).

L'Andrae'

HI Barbara, Good question!! Several years ago I was criticized by a painting instructor for my sloppy signature that completely lacked style. I can honestly say that I haven't improved since then, mainly because I haven't worked at it. However, given the professional quality of my work, I should strive to do better. Perhaps one problem for me is that I use the same medium for my signatures (watercolor for w/c;  oil for oils; acrylics for acrylics, etc). I don't think I sign well with a brush. Therefore, I've started using sharpies on the w/c paintings and inscribing tools on the oils/acrylics. It looks better. The other problem I have is that I have long name and I must include my middle initial because other people have my name. Also, I have art credentials (Signature memberships) that I normally sign after my name. And then, there's the date. Like you, I need to simplify and find a better way. Perhaps someone out there has a great idea??? (Change my name to a single word like "Cher" or "Bono"???) - Kathy