Once upon a time an ornery, young, and unknown artist in his early 20’s named Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni heard that his first big public commission was being attributed to a second-rate rival. So, he decided to do something about it.

The celebrated work in question was a newly unveiled altarpiece for a wealthy cardinal’s tomb in St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome, a marble sculpture of the Virgin Mary cradling the lifeless body of her crucified son on her lap. Quietly incensed, the sculptor crept into the church in the dead of night and signed the piece. Those who came to marvel at the sculpture the next morning (as they still do today, by the thousands, and from all parts of the globe) discovered the words “”Michelangelo Buonarroti, the Florentine made this” chiseled into a strap running across the Virgin’s chest. The story is almost certainly just a fable, but the signature on Michelangelo’s Roman masterpiece is there for all to see.

Don’t hide your talent under a bushel. Collectors in particular want to be sure they’re getting a signed piece. Signing your painting authenticates your canvases for posterity. Doing so also reassures viewers that you believe in and value your work. It’s the artist’s way of saying “I’m So-and-So-Artist and I approve this painting.” 

So – how to sign a painting? Let me count the ways.

Scott Hamill signed this seascape with his last name, with a distinctive right-to-left “dash” on the “H” that he does every time (more or less) and that really makes it recognizably his own. Hamill teaches his technique for painting seascapes in the video, “Crashing Waves and Bold Strokes – Master Dynamic Seascapes in Oil.”

Sign your painting in the lower righthand corner, the conventional wisdom goes, unless there’s a compelling design reason not to. Consider some form of stylistic flair – a letter variation or some ornamental element – that gives it the look of a logo. 

Most painters want their signature to feel as though it’s part of, or at least in harmony with, the work, not something imposed on it by an egomaniac. The concept is to be discrete – paint your name too large and it’ll call too much attention to itself (taking that attention away from the work, where it belongs).

Many artists sign their work with just a last name, usually rendered in some distinctive “hand,” so that the name takes on a sort of graphic character. Others append a first initial to the last name. You can sign the thing in script or print it out in all caps, first name and last – there are no hard and fast rules for how to sign a painting. Take a look at how the artists you admire sign their paintings, and feel free (I hereby grant you permission!) to steal their style. (Trust me, that’s what they did too.) 

Some artists scratch or carve their last name into the still-wet paint with the butt-end of a brush for a dynamic, “dashed-in” look. Others use a liner (aka “rigger,” a very fine thin brush), and still others use a palette knife. The tool you use depends on how you want the letters to look. 

  • If you like the look of rounded letters or cursive script, consider turning the brush around and using the handle. A (gingerly handled) nail, or any sharp little thing really, will usually get the job done even if the paint’s dry.
  • For an elegant or calligraphic feel, a thin (liner) brush can create flowing, curvilinear forms that grow thinner or thicker on the curves.
  • If you like a strongly slanted or otherwise linear approach, a palette knife with a squared-off tip will serve.

Some artists use only their initials or an unpronounceable symbol (though some might wonder why keep the audience guessing if the point is to identify oneself?). Just be consistent. Signing a painting is like applying a brand or a logo; people will come to recognize it on sight.  

Acrylic painter Carla Bosch routinely ignores the “right corner” rule with great results. She uses her complete first and last name and she chooses colors that harmonize with each painting, and letter shapes that match her style in general. She takes you step by step through her approach in her video “Bold Acrylic Landscapes”

If you’re signing with a brush-tip into a still-wet oil painting, you’ll find it much easier if you thin the paint first. You want to use just enough mineral spirits (or medium if you use one) so that it flows, and you can apply it like ink, laying it down on top without penetrating the existing paint even though it’s still wet. 

MICHÆLANGELVS BONAROTVS FLORENTINVS FACIEBAT

(English: “Michelangelo Buonarroti, the Florentine made this”)

Michelangelo’s signature on his Pieta echoes one used by the ancient Greek artists such as Apelles and Polykleitos. It was the only work he ever signed. Vasari in his famous Lives of the Artists reports the anecdote that Michelangelo later regretted his outburst of pride and swore never to sign another work from his hands. So, keep in mind that, as always, your mileage may vary. Just, whatever you do – do it with good taste. Or at least a little style.

 

Good Vibrations: 3 Secrets to Make Your Paintings Vibrate and Sparkle with Light

Kyle Buckland, January on the Creek, Oil ‐ Canvas ‐ 18 x 24

Watch this popular episode of Art School Live with Eric Rhoads and Kyle Buckland, who shares Impressionist secrets that will make your paintings vibrate with color and light.