How do you sign your artwork?
What do you use to sign your work? Are you often frustrated by not being able to sign your work as you would like? What do you use pastel pencil, graphite, charcoal or another dry medium?
Up until recently I have tried signing my pastel paintings with a pastel pencil only to have it go blunt halfway thru my signature and it does not like to go over soft pastel. I can always brush off some pastel and then try reapplying, but the pencil still goes blunt before my signature is complete. Pastel sticks are too fat for a nice, neat signature. Charcoal is too soft and will brush off easily.
When signing your paintings, you want the signature to be legible, permanent but at the same time not detract from the painting itself. If you use pastel pencil or pastel in any form your signature can be easily removed and replaced with yet another person’s signature. Not that this happens on a regular basis but CAN happen.
Always sign both the front and the back of your artwork. On the back use a permanent marker or pen using a pen which will not bleed though the paper. One the back you can also write the name or title of your painting along with the date of completion. DO NOT date the front of your painting. Let’s say you have a favourite painting which you keep for a couple of years but finally decide to let it go. A painting dated a few years back MAY give a potential buyer the impression that it has not sold previously because it was unpopular, overpriced or any other reason. Along with your name, title, and date on the rear of the painting you can include your address, website, Facebook page and any other valuable information.
Practice your signature, do you want just your first name, full name, nickname or perhaps a symbol. Once you have decided on a signature STICK TO IT.
On my pastel paintings I use a RED pencil. It will make it clear and gives my paintings that touch of red to its composition. I use a Prismacolor Pencil, however any coloured pencil will suffice. You can get a great point with an ordinary pencil sharpener, and it will hold its point throughout the entire signature. It will also easily go over the soft pastel leaving you with a clear neat signature

 Why not try something like this for the back of your work.
 
Remember to take time with your signature, DO NOT just scratch it upon your painting which you have perhaps spent many hours getting the way you want it.
Make sure your signature is not overtaking your painting. You want it to be clear but not the first thing you see.
Sign all your paintings, be proud of the effort you have put into them.
As well as signing the back of your painting also sign the back of the painting after it has been framed.
 
Here are some of the greats……will you be included here one day?

My workshop Charcoal Sketching Portraits being held on Saturday 14th May is almost filled. Anyone who is interested in coming along can contact me direct for details. Learn how to achieve realistic portraits using just charcoal. This unique technique will unlock many of the mysteries of good drawing so that even the most inexperienced drawer will achieve a fabulous lifelike image at the end of the day. Once you have learned these techniques you can then take what you have learned one step further and start adding paint or pastel to your drawing.  The next workshop which I am working on at the moment will be all about the steps to making a fabulous painting. A date has not yet been announced but stay tuned for more information. .