Let’s talk Signatures.

[EliaMurrayArt]

So I Strongly dislike my signature... I can’t seem to figure it out. It either looks childish or sloppy or too stiff or too something bla bla bla...

How have you folks dealt with this? I want to sign my work but every time I do I feel like it spoils the piece for some insecure reason.

Is there any method to this madness? Or is it just me.

[Jeremy Ross]

Hi @EliaMurrayArt, your signature looks good to me!

[EliaMurrayArt]

@Jeremy-Ross thank you haha it changes a lot. I probably just need to let it be!

[Casual-T]

Hey @EliaMurrayArt... Nothing wrong with your signature that I can see. It's your signature - Own it!!

[NessIllustration]

@EliaMurrayArt I like your signature! But if you feel so strongly about, maybe you could just initial your pieces?

[burvantill]

I like this one.

[EliaMurrayArt]

@burvantill thank you! That’s the one I think I fall back on the most. I end up cycling through these until I give up haha

[jsnzart]

@EliaMurrayArt Great topic! Yep, I like the top one.

I have about five different signatures. One or two for signing paintings on canvas, and my color pencil drawings. About 3 for signing cartoons and illustrations.

Nearly 40 years of signatures, and never really worked with an editor, art director, and/or agent.
I would love opinions from artists.

Thanks for sharing.

[EliaMurrayArt]

@jsnzart thank you! Yes it seems to be really hard to stay consistent. Drawing, painting, etc. I’m curious how others handle their signatures.

I’ve seen people use stamps? Do some people use initials?

Full name, first names? I bounce between Elia or Elia Murray, which again leads me back to having no set standard really.

[burvantill]

@EliaMurrayArt I’ve mostly just signed my first name with a little doodle that I’ve used since high school. Lol. If I sell a fine art piece or do a commission I will sign my full signature somewhere on the piece. Sometimes in the border or back if I’ve already put my doodle in the art It’s weird, I feel self conscious and egotistic when I sign my full name on a painting if I’m just doing a self project, even if someday it may be sold.

[jsnzart]

@EliaMurrayArt Yep! I'm with you.

And I'm wondering,...in regards to branding, and followers,...would everyone be happy with all of my signatures?

It's part of my brand,...perhaps.
It's who I am.

Our followers like us, and our work. Maybe they can accept it.
Art directors, maybe not. But, I don't know.

Our signature is part of our art.

I know I am thinking too much. Lol

[deborah Haagenson]

@burvantill I like this one too. I love your name!

[EliaMurrayArt]

@burvantill I can definitely relate to feeling kind of egotistic about it - but considering it is your art, and your name, I think that is something we can put into the box as "absolutely reasonable to sign something you put your heart into."

I forget to sign things a lot - most of my sketches don't get signed but I'm working on getting better at that.

[EliaMurrayArt]

@jsnzart I really like ho you put that "Our signature is part of our art" - I think that's why I get so frustrated with it haha but now I just need to accept it.

The whole branding thing is something I've thought a lot about. I've never met someone with my name, so I have had people say I don't need to use my last name in my signature. But on the other hand, I've used Elia Murray on everything else so sometimes I feel like I need to put Elia Murray.

I honestly never thought about art directors. Is it common to use signatures in children's book spreads? Has anyone hid their signature in their children's book artwork or do you generally leave it off?

[EliaMurrayArt]

@deborah-Haagenson Thank you!

[NessIllustration]

@EliaMurrayArt It can really be anything you like. Mine is a remnant of highschool and reads "Nessa M". These days I go by Vanessa Matte in the illustration world and Ness for my friends, so the signature isn't that relevant anymore. But it's my signature and it's so ingrained now that it ain't changing. And I found that it does not matter one lick to anybody I've come into contact with what my signature is hahaha... I personally really like your #1, the cursive "Elia". It's short, simple and sweet!

I've never signed spreads that were going into books.

[EliaMurrayArt]

@NessIllustration ah see I love your signature!! haha It looks put together to me.

And thank you for pointing out that it doesn't matter much lol that's so true - I don't think I've met someone who cares except for the person who is signing the art. It's easy to get bogged down in the details huh?

[Adam Thornton]

Elia, my signature is something I too have been thinking about recently. I was wondering about trying a mix of what our three masters recommend: write a list of the words that we want our artwork to represent professionally, then do 50 "thumbnail" signatures that test what it might look like. This could be useful because if our signatures are going to appear on our artwork, then it's part of the artwork whether we intend it or not. It therefore needs to represent how we want to come across. As an extreme example, if my signature on a piece of artwork looked like an infants handwriting, that would influence, even confuse, the viewer. This could have an affect on how the artwork is perceived and accepted. Of course, what we do as artists is all about subtleties, and so the subtle messages of what your signature reveals about you is presented there along with your artwork. What do you think?

[EliaMurrayArt]

@Adam-Thornton That's a really good suggestion. I've "signed" things over and over again but I've never really sat down to think of even what I want it to look like. I've always just sort of thought - it will happen! haha

I really like your suggestion and I'm going to go see what it is I want my signature to represent. Perhaps I'll no longer feel the need to hide it haha