Signature On Photographs?

I have always signed my work because I agree with you on selling your work. Also I would not buy any work from FAA that did not have the artists signature even if it wasn't personally signed.

Why is that, Barbara?
Faa buyers are buying a digital print, not numbered, limited edition, checked by the artist for quality, etc....why would the lack of a signature keep you from purchasing? It's not like your digital print is going to worth less in the future....it's just a print.

if the signature is cut off, or too large or blocky, they won't print. i sign mine, but fade it and make it small.


---Mike Savad

Thank you, all.

Marlene, as a buyer, I'd want to know (and remember) who the artist was. As a seller, I want my [potential] customers to know whose work they admire and are considering purchasing.

If we're selling our work, we're professionals. As professionals, our desire is to make money. And one way to encourage that is to make sure people know who we are!

Carol

Marlene, it's just my opinion that when the print gets lost in time that it's nice to know who did it! I see this on Antique Roadshow where they can't be sure who did it without the singnature thus rendering the piece less valuable. I try to keep my signature unobtrusive like Mike does.

Barbara, on Antique Roadshow, there are fine art originals and signed, numbered prints, serigraphs, etchings and the like.
Call me stupid, but I don't think that unlimited digi prints that anyone can print on their home computer are going to stand the test of time and have any monetary value.
I am of the " it's worth the paper it's printed on" school.
just my opinion.

as far as knowing who did it, art can be signed but if someone orders the smallest size available, it wouldn't be visible, most likely...and once an owner owns it, it's nice to think they care, but most don't...there is proof in how few buyers of prints choose to contact the artist directly....for so many, it's just a nice match to living room decor.
further, an unframed print is up to the owner's discretion as to how to frame it..with or without signature, so it's a no control situation...

EDIT: the proof I have cited is based on previous discussions on the topic of direct contact by customers with the artists on faa only.

when the artist is dead, and there are no more prints being made, it becomes limited edition. sort of like a baseball jersey. however though, it's not signed by hand, and for whatever reason it makes it less special.

there are plenty of pieces of paper these days that fetch thousands.

in any case, it's a good idea to sign it some place, some how. as long as it looks nice. i often sign them with my face.


---Mike Savad

I'm with you, @Carol Lynn: " I can't imagine selling an image that isn't signed."

Printed images today can last a lifetime and longer without fading. You can read the name on images, even if small, if done properly.

I have never sold a piece of art directly where the buyer hasn't asked me to sign it. When I started, that meant un-framing the work, signing and re framing.

Now I sign everything.

Signed, it's my work. I asked a similar question when I first joined.

@Marlene, do you sign your work that is sold as prints here?

Chuck, yes, they can last a lifetime...but when there is no limit on how many are printed, the value is most certainly compromised...and in all honesty, how many of us here in the forum will stand the test of time as great artists?
sobering thought, i know, but I am reality based.

Melissa, nope.
I have my own printing company for one series and I do my own printing, framing, etc...and those are hand signed. Someday, the signature could have a tad of value.
My original paintings are signed, but I honestly don't consider prints of those paintings to have any value over and above what someone spent to have it framed. My original paintings come with Certificates of Authenticity for the collector's insurance purposes.

@Marlene: "...and once an owner owns it, it's nice to think they care, but most don't..."

That may be how you feel, Marlene, but you don't speak for me. I plan on being known and work every day for that goal.

Chuck, I am not denying you your opinion or goals...just sayin that based on conversations that have popped up in this forum over and over again...by people wanting to be in touch with "their" customers, :
1. they aren't your customers..they belong to faa
2. they know how to reach out and connect with you as the artist, but most do not.

just gleaning from what has already been expressed here, Chuck. I have edited my comment to reflect how I came to that conclusion. I hope we're good with that resolution. ;)

I understand, Marlene. Happily, many customers take my advice and contact me directly, then I can help them with their choices.

Same goes for me, Chuck...but for those who don't, I always feel badly, knowing I could give them more....
For example, with my Judaic series , each image is also a teaching that is an integral adjunct to the overall offering. I have noted that people should contact me directly because they won't get that printed explanation otherwise....but most don't .

I've learned that many people are intimidated by the titles of artist, author, screenwriter, actor, producer and so on.

Especially with art--they don't know that much about it, and they don't want to ask the wrong question and appear dumb.

So they say nothing.

Who would of thought that the first printing of thousands of Marvel Comic Books would already be fetching thousands of dollars. The paper they are printed on isn 't worth much but it's the art!

@Marlene, The point is not just about percieved value....the original post was just on signatures on photograghs. Why wouldn't you want your signature on your work? Just because it's a "print" from a pod, doesn't mean it shouldn't have the artist's/photographer's signature.

Two years after purchasing a print frome someone, hell, two months after.....and they want more of that person's work, or a friend likes it and wants to know who is the photographer.....if it's NOT signed......?

Melissa, I'm not sure what the problem is..the OP says she cannot understand why someone wouldn't want their signature on...I am just expressing my opinion, as everyone is....only mine is about why I don't care and why I don't feel that it is important.
If I were collect someone's work, I make it my business to keep track of their name and from whom I purchased their work...but that's just me. ;)

Sign it digitally if you want and don't sign it if you do not want to.

It is the preference of the artist. If the buyer doesn't like it they will move on.

Painter's sign their work, why not a photographer?

Every print I have sold locally has a small script signature ON the image itself. I use a ratio of 1:12 inches for my signature and include a small © with the date under the signature in a smaller font. I have not had ONE complaint in 2 years.

In fact, all I hear about the signature is positive. (and not ONE person has complained about the copyright notice either)

As an aside, just as all technology improves, finding an artist is easy peasy with reverse image lookup...

oops

In order for reverse look up to work from a "physical print" where the owner has no idea who did the work, the owner of the print would have to photograph or scan the image and upload it to the site.

------------------

Why do you sign your paintings Marlene?

How many people other than artists or photographers selling work online actually know about reverse searches on images? Or would connect the dots to photograph (lol) the image, save the file, then put it online in dropbox or something....THEN look it up? Really??!! lol

To begin I absolutely agree with what Marlene has posted. But I have an old friend who contacted me personally about some of my barn photos. I priced them accordingly had them sent to me to be signed then delivered them to my client/friend. Please keep in mind that in no way are these digital prints going to increase in value after death or otherwise. Unless that is you are one of the fortunate few to attain superstar status in your lifetime. Highly unlikely.

Stephen, I sign my paintings simply because my first gallery required a signature..for collector value. They also established the value of them. I trusted them to guide me in an area that I had little practical experience and they did well by me, in all respects.

On a regular basis, people trying to identify a painting or photo, come into our faa forum, asking for help. Most often, a reverse lookup is suggested.
I will even take a leap here and suggest that if a person knows how to buy online, they know how to google for help in identifying a photo.
Please don't laugh at my line of thinking, Melissa. I haven't laughed at yours.

I'll just add that I am in complete agreement with Carol Lynn on why it's important to sign all work, regardless of it's form, original or print. Here's is her post on that:

"Marlene, as a buyer, I'd want to know (and remember) who the artist was. As a seller, I want my [potential] customers to know whose work they admire and are considering purchasing.

If we're selling our work, we're professionals. As professionals, our desire is to make money. And one way to encourage that is to make sure people know who we are! "

Carol

I agree with Marlene. Also, if you put the copyright symbol next to your signature, it could possibly be rejected for printing.

Wait! One more. If signatures had been on those works Marlene, people would not have needed to ask for help. The fact that a reverse search is suggested to them, means they didn't KNOW about reverse searching.

I respect your opinion.
and now I'll get on with my day. LOL

Surprise Surprise, Kevin.

Who says photographers digitally sign their prints because they think the value will go up during life or after death? I sign mine, because it is my work and I want my name attached to it. Simple as that. It has nothing to do with the value of the signature.

Kevin, why do you sign your paintings? Is it to let others know who painted it or are you somehow under the impression that your paintings are going to go up in value because your signature is on them?

Tiny, I am positive I did not express myself well. (above) To expand my point: if a buyer, collector, whatever contacts me and wants one of my photos I will have it sent to me and then sign it in the appropriate manner. BUT when I wake up and see that a collector in Oregon has purchased a photo I have no opportunity to sign. Of course one may include a digital signature on all of their work. That's fine. But I will say (only as a personal thing) a printed signature in the photo seems just a bit cheesy to me. Kind of like buying a print at a store. But surely many others do not think so.

Now... as for original paintings. Seriously? Photogs seem to always bring up something like this. THERE IS ONLY ONE ORIGINAL of my (or any other) paintings. Yes! here on FAA I can have a digital shot of it reproduced a million times if someone wants to buy it (please, please). But there is but one original of any of my paintings. There are probably a few folks out there who silently thank the stars for that fact. Smiles.

I hand sign everything I sell locally. Anything purchased through my main, Smugmug, website has it digitally applied. I don't do it here on FAA because I'm not sure how they would apply it. On my main site for instance, I set a certain percentage so that it prints larger on large prints, smaller on smaller. Since only one file is uploaded to FAA I'd need to upload a file with the signature already applied. On my smugmug site, even though there too I only upload one file, the signature is a separate file that is sized/scaled based on the print size ordered before it's applied to the file and sent to the lab to be printed.

@Jeff, that would be great if they would do that here. It is tricky trying to pick a size sometimes.

@Melissa, That would be an awesome feature, but that's exactly why I don't do it. The last thing I want is for it to come out too small, or even worse, too large for the print size.

Of course I haven't sold a single thing here on FAA, and I do sell on my SM site, and even more so locally, so at this point every print I've ever sold has a signature on it.

And to be honest, my digital signature looks better than the real thing 99% of the time because I was able to get it perfect before I scanned it to use as my logo/watermark. When I hand sign I keep thinking "don't screw it up, don't screw it up." :-D

I know I would feel the same way if I was physically signing, plus you wouldn't be able to read it! I've tried to go with smaller sizes so it won't "blow up" and take over a corner! It is harder to see on a smaller print but it is still there if someone does try to find it.

Although you can look at blogs and websites that will tell you with authority if,how and where to sign your artwork, there are no set rules. Just look at how many differences of opinion these "authorities" have. Personally, I tend to agree with Marlene, and do not want a digital signature on my artwork. I carefully sign in archival ink all my photos that cross my desk, including notecards. People do like it. But for me, a digital signature does not look as nice as ink when I put the two side by side.

Then there is the question of numbering for limited editions....

Kim,

Isn't the signature on a painting, that has been photographed or scanned and uploaded to FAA, also a "digital signature"? It may have been handwritten on the original, but all the buyer is getting on the open edition "print" (like we sell here at FAA) is a digital version of the signature.

I agree with you that any limited edition prints (painting or photograph) should be hand signed in the lower margin, but neither artist or photographers are selling limited edition prints here on FAA.

How is a photographer including a digital signature on a digital photo before uploading to FAA, any different in the long run to what a buyer here at FAA is getting from a painter?


EDIT- the OP's question with regards to signatures is related to buying posters (that is what we sell here) "online". It is not related to limited edition prints and/or originals.

I sign my limited signed edition lightjet photography prints that I show and sell through exhibits, galleries or art fairs. Don't see a point of uploading signed artwork and photography here at FAA. Greetings, Juergen

I would never sign something I did not do myself or make sure is the best quality. That is the reason I'm not a fan of any site like FAA printing my work. I know what my quality control is and only print on certain material, and with Tiffs. I have no clue what the prints look like that I did not do or approve, and wish FAA gave us the option to not use them for printing. I also sign everything, and would never think of using a digital signature. Someone could then make hundreds of copies of your piece, and sell them as originals, no one could ever tell the difference.