Signing a Canvas Print

anwmn1 · April 30, 2008

Okay so a while back I did some composites of photos from around the town I live in. I ordered them 16x20 mounted canvas and one is a 16x40 mounted canvas. I have now sold them (waiting for check to cut) to the city:barb .

Question is: What do I use to sign the canvas and where?? Front- on the back on the wood- on the back of the canvas??:scratch

What have you done?

Here are the images if you are interested

ChatKat · April 30, 2008

Certificate of Authenicity
I have created a Certificate of Authenticity for my work as an artist would and I use a very fine sharpie but only on photos that are not of people. For people, I don't unless the client asked me to. Somehow, at this point, I leave them alone.

anwmn1 wrote:

Okay so a while back I did some composites of photos from around the town I live in. I ordered them 16x20 mounted canvas and one is a 16x40 mounted canvas. I have now sold them (waiting for check to cut) to the city .

Question is: What do I use to sign the canvas and where?? Front- on the back on the wood- on the back of the canvas??

What have you done?

Here are the images if you are interested

anwmn1 · April 30, 2008

ChatKat wrote:

I have created a Certificate of Authenticity for my work as an artist would and I use a very fine sharpie but only on photos that are not of people. For people, I don't unless the client asked me to. Somehow, at this point, I leave them alone.

Interesting- can you tell me more about your Certificate of Authenticity-

Post a picture?
Type of paper?
Where you get it printed?

ChatKat · April 30, 2008

ChatKat wrote:

I have created a Certificate of Authenticity for my work as an artist would and I use a very fine sharpie but only on photos that are not of people. For people, I don't unless the client asked me to. Somehow, at this point, I leave them alone.

On my letterhead it says that this is copy number XX of XXX and that it was printed on XXXX paper (or canvas) and was taken on such and such a date by me at (location) and that this copy is authentic. I have a small print on the form via inkjet printer at the top and I have signed it by me as photographer and I also state that it is a copyrighted work.

Sam · April 30, 2008

For canvas prints I use an archival ink pen from Sakura Color Products of Japan.

I am not sure of all the colors available, but all I have found so far from this manufacturer is black.

I also have a metallic gold Sharpie with an oil based paint in it.

I sign the canvas prints on the lower right hand side with one of these. Small and unobtrusive.

The paper prints I sign on the bottom margin, (below the print, (pencil for mat, and the Sakura for the other papers), and on the front of the window mat in pencil.

Sam

Tango · June 3, 2008

ChatKat wrote:

On my letterhead it says that this is copy number XX of XXX and that it was printed on XXXX paper (or canvas) and was taken on such and such a date by me at (location) and that this copy is authentic. I have a small print on the form via inkjet printer at the top and I have signed it by me as photographer and I also state that it is a copyrighted work.

thats a darn good idea....

Tango · June 3, 2008

Sam wrote:

For canvas prints I use an archival ink pen from Sakura Color Products of Japan.

I am not sure of all the colors available, but all I have found so far from this manufacturer is black.

I also have a metallic gold Sharpie with an oil based paint in it.

I sign the canvas prints on the lower right hand side with one of these. Small and unobtrusive.

The paper prints I sign on the bottom margin, (below the print, (pencil for mat, and the Sakura for the other papers), and on the front of the window mat in pencil.

Sam

i use that same gold pen...acid free is the key

Tango · June 3, 2008

aaron i decided to sign the bottom right corner with a Ap signifing the print was done by me, with a / and my initals following....

the large format people i talk to the otherday hate that i do that....but whatever..... they hate i use a digital camera too....but again "whatever"

its my print done by me....so AP it is. if i have something printed by someone else i dont put the AP.....

so when im dead, people can argue which print is
worth 2 million or just 1....haha

btw, i really like the gold ink on the photo...it looks nice to me...
note, you just have to prep the pen first before trying to sign....

Tango · June 3, 2008

ahh, i just realized the date....so what did you end up doing?

Tango · June 3, 2008

ive never understood why photographers sign the mat or indicate the number...etc...? can someone clue me in? why not just sign the print?

anwmn1 · June 4, 2008

Aaron-

You know you can edit your posts and include additional thoughts.

Are you that scatter brained or just boosting your post count

I ended up signing the bottom right corner of the prints with an Extra Fine Deco Color Opague Paint Marker. I have liquid gold and liquid silver.

I like the certificate of authenticity but if I do that I want it to be a very nice looking official certificate that would be hard to duplicate like a title, bond, or something of that nature.

As for your question about signing a mat rather than the print- I can think of 2 reasons.
1. Artist doesn't want to ruin the work by writting on it.
2. If signed on the work the signature can be lost in the photo and not easy to see or read, therebye not putting their name out there.

A problem with signing the mat and not the photo is that if the owner decides to have the photo re-framed and matted the signature is then gone.

Quite the dilema

Tango · June 4, 2008

i dont like the little edit warning that happens....i dont like people to wonder what it was i changed....

like if i did this....

to you, and then went and changed it with a edit or just added to it with this :boid , they would not know for sure what im try'n to say....

anwmn1 · June 4, 2008

AaronNelson wrote:

i dont like the little edit warning that happens....i dont like people to wonder what it was i changed....

like if i did this.... to you, and then went and changed it with a edit or just added to it with this :boid , they would not know for sure what im try'n to say....

:bigbs

Like your worried about what others may think.

Tango · June 4, 2008

hey ive always wanted to use that bs flag!!...not fair....

as for my count, i wanted to stop on 777, but i couldnt...
dgrin has a aluring power over me....:D

Sam · June 4, 2008

anwmn1 wrote:

Aaron-

You know you can edit your posts and include additional thoughts.

Are you that scatter brained or just boosting your post count

I ended up signing the bottom right corner of the prints with an Extra Fine Deco Color Opague Paint Marker. I have liquid gold and liquid silver.

I like the certificate of authenticity but if I do that I want it to be a very nice looking official certificate that would be hard to duplicate like a title, bond, or something of that nature.

As for your question about signing a mat rather than the print- I can think of 2 reasons.
1. Artist doesn't want to ruin the work by writting on it.
2. If signed on the work the signature can be lost in the photo and not easy to see or read, therebye not putting their name out there.

A problem with signing the mat and not the photo is that if the owner decides to have the photo re-framed and matted the signature is then gone.

Quite the dilema

Just download dilemma begone.

I sign both the matt, and the on the photo in the white space below the actual image. In the future if the client wants to re frame, remit, all they need to do is open the bottom of the matt up a 1/4 inch or so, and the signature is visible.

Sam

Signing a Canvas Print

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