Signed Prints

Prints sold on FAA cannot be physically signed, since we never lay our hands on them. You could include an unobtrusive digital signature, but if FAA judges it to be too obtrusive, they won't print it.

Murray is right Douglas, unfortunately none of our sales that are processed through FAA do not involve the artist the moment the sale is processed. I've signed artwork for clients that I've driven to my FAA page "after" the sale completed on many occasions, even had a couple fly in to CT from Ohio which was really cool. Any physical art I sell anywhere, galleries or shows, gets signed.

I've added a subtle watermark in place of a signature on quite a few of my files for print sales.

as said, you never see the image so you can't sign them with a pen. you can sign it small off in the corner. if it looks like a watermark - it won't be printed.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Yes, but I don't sell through FAA....

I work with a professional printer and will produce high quality signed prints, in limited editions of 10 (that includes ANY size print, whether I sell 1 8x10 and 9 30x40 or vice versa, I stop signing at 10). I provide certificates of authenticity, which include the information generally required by states which have laws on certificates and limited editions. Each of my signed limited editions are on 100% cotton fine art papers and are printed with Ultrachrome pigmented archival inks.

With the new feature on the artist website I now place my contact link right up top for those who want to contact me regarding limited editions.

I also work in alternative processes; those are going into a show in January. I think those may be limited to 5 - even though each one is slightly different, they start from the same negative.

So, yes, I do! And I HAVE made sales of my limited prints via FAA and people who have contacted me.

Yes if I can. It makes the print look more professional in my opinion. But with these print on demand websites I don't have the option.

This is specifically why I use POD services as fulfillment centers rather than sales outlets. I order my own prints to sell myself. This way I can sign, and add anything I want like promotional items, cards, and catalogs. Plus I get the customers information so I can keep in contact with them.

My opinion is that signatures are only useful if they are real so why bother if it's going to be printed on a print.

Mary Lee Dereske has the right idea.

Using a POD for fulfillment is way to expensive and is not fair to the artist themselves or the buyer. If you are going to do signed prints, find a wholesale printer to the trade. I know of no POD site that is even close to competitive to wholesale printer. You also get better control of the finished product if you work directly with the printer. And even better if you can find one in your local community. But there are a lot of wholesale printers you can use via the Internet.

Using the digital signature is all about marketing your name and getting it out there where ever you can. But it has to be done right. Of course that goes without saying. You can't have an obnoxious, gaudy signature. And if you are going to do it for the exposure, it has to be something that can be read.