How often do you go into a gallery and see a masterpiece that’s not signed?
How often does the same piece have a HUGE ugly watermark across the front?
by Gavin Seim Updated 11/12: If your name is not on your work, you’re missing out. But it needs to be done well. The truth is, selling images is not about just having passion, it’s about business. Is your work just piece of paper, or is it a piece if art? I think many people who don’t brand their images do so because they lack branding experience, or don’t consider their images of high enough value to hang equally next to other art. Some on the other hand some take image marking too far, ruining their presentation by going overkill with watermarks. Petapixel did a fun satirical article on this recently.
Today we’ll look at nearly every angle. From web images to print – First lets remember that classy branding on an image generally adds value. How often do you buy a book without the authors name on the front? Even the cars we buy have logos on them. If you bought a Ferrari would you want it without the emblem? I think not. Why then should the art we make be unmarked! Are there exceptions? Sure, but not many. For example a commercial client may require unbranded images, but they should also expect to pay a premium for that right. Artists have been branding their work for centuries and so should you.
This night HDR of the Seattle skyline shows an example of how I mark images for gallery and print exhibitions while keeping them classy. I hand sign my best pieces, as we’ll talk about below. Take the time to work on a good signature. While this is very subdued, people do look at signatures and names. It keeps it classy yet keeps the brand strong.
What To Do?
This whole topic is fraught with debate and uncertainty. No doubt some people will disagree with me. That’s fine. But I probably have slaved more than most on this and I’ve come to a place where I have an understanding of my brand and of art presentation. This is not my random inexperienced opinion. I sell all my portraits and my fine art using the approaches I’m about to discuss. I’m always refining ideas however and will update this post accordingly in the future. OK Lets look at some options.
There is one rule in this. If the marking/branding you use distracts from the image you’re trying to show you’ve already failed. A case in point is big watermarks plastered across images. People often use these thinking they will protect their copyrights better. In reality it just makes them look unprofessional and distracts the viewers from actually enjoying the image.
Worse yet, if someone really wants to remove the watermark they still can. As a rule large watermarks across image should not be used. There are a few exception to this, but not many. In particular some would argue that complete proof galleries for wedding etc need watermarks. This is understandable. Though that said, I usually don’t do it for reasons I just mentioned. Weigh the costs.
Blogs, Facebook and Websites:
My preference is always to have people come to my gallery, viewing my large format hand signed wall portraits in person. But I can’t always have that. For web I generally post images 700-1000px wide. I don’t want huge files, but this is not 1995 and I want images large enough to be seen and look amazing on a screen. If you want to see this in practice, you can see my sites via my homepage.
My web images may be more heavily branded than my prints. But I still keep it clean and classy. I can’t expect them to fall in love wuth a great image if I distract them with clutter. It’s a balance We want people to know we made the image so they’ll find us and buy something. But we don’;t want that branding to makes us look tacky. Often times I simply add my signature for web images. It shows my name and looks clean. It’s not about how big your name is. It’s about presenting it well.
Elegant Portfolio Galleries: I want the portfolio galleries on my own site to be especially clean and classy, like an art gallery. I want branding of some kind because building my brand is valuable, but instead of placing a big logo I keep it subtle without ignoring my brand. generally just a signature and sometimes a mat.
Infringement Concerns: Some artists want to eliminate the possibility of someone cropping their name off of an image and it being passed around with no branding. To combat this they sometimes plaster their name right across the middle of the image (like we mentioned above). While this makes it hard (but not impossible) to remove the name, it also looks stupid, particularly if it’s in your primary portfolio.
Again, this is not 1994. When you add a logo or watermark to the middle of your presentation it distracts from your work. Paranoia of infringement can be taken so far as to do more harm than good to your brand. Remember these are low res files and there’s only so much someone could do with them.
Balance is again best approach. To avoid crop concerns I’ve tried using a double corner branding (shown below). There’s various ways it could be applied, but the idea is to get your brand in two opposite corners, without it being overbearing. It helps keep your brand clearly in view without totally distracting us from the image. I’ve also modified this method for FB images sometimes. Signature in the corner, FB Page URL top left. Generally in a soft grey tone to reduce distraction. Still, these days I generally just use my signature. If my brand looks good, people generally don’t have any desire to remove it.
Lets look at some web presentations I’ve used in the wild…
Double Corner Branding – A more subdued method than the overlay bar that helps prevent you name being cropped out. In the bottom right I’ve placed my signature, and in the upper left my name, FB page etc. While it’s still possible to crop this, much of the image would have to be removed. Overlays of this nature keep your brand strong, but can stay subtle and keep the focus on your image.
Bar Branding – A method I once used to use for web images and blog posts. It’s bold, but even if this gets re-posted somewhere as a low quality web image, people will still be able to see who made it at a glance. Lately I’ve favored a cleaner presentation however. It’s not terrible, but it does distract, so I don’t use it any more.
Signature Branding – My more common digital signature method is used on my pictorial and portrait work. Yes, it could be removed but it’s a small file and having it look classy trumps my own paranoia. Remember, if someone really wants to remove your name, they can usually do it no matter how annoying you make it. Since most people don’t want to, I keep it classy. It works well.
Signature Branding – Another example from a gallery on Seim Weddings. On portfolios I want branding, but not distractions. I want the images to be the total focus here, but a classy brand to also have a subconscious place in the viewers mind. This is the look I use on most web presentations these days. Clean, simple, memorable.
Matted Presentation – I’ve started using this for some portfolio presentations and web images. It still has my signature, but the mat area also allows me to include the title (I put a real effort into titles. This look it allows me to maintain an art presentation in a fashion that looks clean. This works great for Facebook as well as for galleries where I want a title and info but don’t want to hassle with captions.
Caption Branding – I’ll often use this on my blogs and journals. I still use my simple signature image. Then I add the title and info via a caption. I’ve setup my caption settings in the CSS of my site to give it the look I want. The caption is not part of the image and can be changed. Due to this I always want my signature on these images as well.
High Resolution Files & Disks:
My wedding and portrait clients can get a disk at certain package levels (usually after an album or wall portrait). It’s meant for them to make their own prints up to 8×12 , not just given away as the main product. It’s an expensive add on ($600-1000). Or more often, a perk I use to get client to purchase my large packages that already include wall portraits or albums.
The files are 2000px wide and yes I absolutely brand these. I have seen large groups of them appear on FB and clients may print and send them to friends. I’m not ashamed of my work and people should know who made it. How do I keep it classy? There’s no rule here, but lately I’ve been overlaying my signature in the corner rather than placing a logo. I feel a signature is more timeless than a logo. It’s subtle and gives the image class while still letting people know who made it. I’ve never had a complaint about it… Ever.
Signature Branding – An image with a signature corner like a client might receive if they get a disk. My signature is not my logo, but it’s is more timeless and makes sense on for print images. This could be done various ways depending on your look. Just keep it classy and keep it branded.
Marking Your Prints:
Small Print Markings: These are made similar to the way I do high res files. Hand signing is reserved for my large signature wall prints. On small prints my signature is overlaid in the corner as I export from LR to print or send to the lab. Not annoying, but easily readable. As long as you don’t overdo it, a client is not likely to complain about your name in the corner of your images. In fact in my experience clients usually appreciate some identification. It’s basic professionalism for an artist to sign their work in some way.
Wall Print Markings: The focus of my work. These pieces are often on canvas, metal or at least dry mounted. High quality prints that start at 24in wide and are priced from about $600 for custom work. I look to place at least a 24in wall print for every portrait client (and I usually do). I’m fine with them getting the disk and making their own 5×7′s, as long as the real art is prepared to perfection by me and hanging on their wall with my signature on it. I go all out on quality and clients love them. For more on wall portraits see this article.
I treat custom wall portraits and limited edition pictorials much like a painter would treat an original work. They go out the door hand signed, with a certificate of authenticity (I got a template here). They have a official title and come with a lifetime guarantee. Not placing my signature on these would be to devalue them. Like an original painting that had no artist signature.
For my open edition pictorials, prints which cost much less, I only initial them. This is a value thing. My open edition are quality mounted prints about 24in wide that sell for around a hundred dollars. They are quality pieces and I want that finishing touch that shows I’ve inspected and approved them. But as a rule my full signature is placed only on custom work of limited edition prints. You can read more about my open editions here.
Hand Signature – It’s a little intimidating taking a pen to a 50″ canvas but you’ll get used to it. Practice on a piece of paper first and remember that a signature does not have to be perfect. I’ll talk about pens further down.
An example of the certificate of authenticity that comes with my Heirloom Wall Portraits. It’s not essential, merely another way to add a touch of class and value. It’s a bit of extra work, but I title every signature wall print and give it a certificate.
Size & position of Markings:
Size matters. You want your name seen, yet you don’t want to look like a narcissistic jerk and you don’t want the the mark too distracting. As you can see, I generally place markings in a corner. Just use common sense when it comes to size. Experiment and see how things look in print and on screen. Watch your size too. You want it visible and clear, but not the first thing the eye is drawn too, or it will distract from the art.
I experiment with size and space around edges until it feels right. Also for disks from which prints will be made, leave a bit extra as printers may trim and frames will take up a bit of edge. It’s tacky to have a signature partly cut off. In the end I generally mark the bottom right and set the signature in a good bit, but not so far that it feels like it’s disrupting the image.
Not Branding at all:
You’re kidding right? After all this. Whether images are on your blog or prints on clients wall. Not branding is like giving up free advertising so you can pay for less effective advertising elsewhere.
As I’ve said, there are exceptions. I’m speaking mainly of portraiture and fine art here. If you’re shooting commercial work the client will often require unmarked images. That’s OK, but they should be paying accordingly. That means a lot more, and those images should still be branded when in your portfolio.
Gavin marking open edition original prints in the gallery. An initial or signature (depending on print) is place carefully in the corner (generally lower right).
Marking & Signature Tools:
Batch Marking: Nearly all my digital logos and branding are batch applied from Lightroom using Mogrify, a LR export plugin. It’s fast,
My Digital Signature – A bit more perfect than, but very close to my actual signature. I overlay this on nearly all web images and small prints. I use a metallic or middle gray tone and it works on nearly all image tones. I made this using Adobe Illustrator and a tablet.
flexible and effective, allowing me place overlays on any file as I export, while giving me total control over size and position. I can mark hundreds of
images without so much as a sore index finger.
It’s also possible to use the “Place” command and make Photoshop actions that will overlay image, but that’s the old way and it’s not nearly as easy as with LR and Mogrify however. Lr3 also has built in watermark tools that will overlay a signature nicely, but Mogrify does more, allowing multiple overlays, borders on image etc.
Also, I got my signature to digital using Adobe Illustrator. It smooths out the jaggy lines we often get when drawing on a computer, making them feel natural. Between that and a tablet I was able to get my perfect signature. My real signature is not this flawless, but this one is great for online images and more because it’s clean, fairly readable and versatile. You could get a great version of your signature on paper and scan it.
Hand Signature Tools: Everyone should have a good signature for their art. If you are not happy with yours, change it.
I’ve tried loads of pens. In the end I usually stick with silver or gold metallic paint pens because they overlay a heavy opaque stroke and the metallic stands out, while still looking professional. Gel and ballpoint ink pens can work, but often are too thin to see clearly. They also don’t well work on all paper surfaces and sometimes fizzle out in the middle of a signing (not good).
Currently my favorite for signing photos is the Sakura Pen Touch .7mm extra fine point paint pens. You can find them on Amazon or from Blick Art Supply. They work on raw paper, canvas and metal prints alike and seem to maintain a smooth but bold line on all. Alternately I like the Y&C (Yasumoto) Extra Fine Metallic Marker. While I generally use the Sakura, the Y&C is a close second. I find the Y&C lays on a bit more ink, which can be good on some surfaces (such as un-coated luster paper) or for people who want a bit bolder signature. Their a bit harder to find, but I found them on the company’s website. There’s also the Pilot Silver Marker Extra Fine Point that works pretty well.
Watch for spatters with paint pens. I have yet to find one that is completely free from them. Before you sign shake it up and get it flowing. If it seems drippy dab the tip gently with a paper towel. Run a few practice signatures to warm up your pen and your hand before signing the corner of a valuable print.
Don’t over stress when signing. Practice so you can consistently make a good signature, but remember it’s a real signature and does not have to be perfect. When ready, place your image on a solid surface where you can get a comfortable hand position. If you mess it up a little, it’s usually better to leave it unique, then try to remove or add to it. This usually leads to a big mess that might end up with you buying a new print.
Other things I’ve tried:
I’m not kidding when I say I’ve slaved over this topic. I’ve tried so many things. Some were awful, some just didn’t suit me. Here’s a few of the things I tried and then retired. Maybe you can avoid the same mistakes.
Oh ya! I printed a large canvas order this way for a client. Ouch! OK for web images perhaps (though still distracting) but way too much for a wall print. I re-made the whole order and stopped doing all prints this way. A signature is far more classy.
After the above I used this more subtle watermark on prints before going the signature route. It’s not terrible, but whether digitally overlaid or hand signed, I prefer the high quality feel of my signature. A good signature is timeless. Even if you change it in the future it will retain it’s class.
This was something I tried for web images as well. Thing is it’s distracting and it still does not tell someone who stumbles across an image on the web how to find me. I want people to be able to identify me and find more of my work easily. Just an S is not good enough and certainly now a bright green one.
I’m not the final word on this, but my experiences have taught me a lot. My ideas may change in the future as I’m always analyzing, listening and trying things. What does not change however is that branding and name recognition is important. If you ignore it, you’re just wasting precious time because you’ll have to work it out sooner or later in this saturated market. Finding your brand takes time however, so don’t panic. Just start thinking it thru and find a way that works for you.
Finally. I sell all my work as art. An 8×10 does not compete with a beautiful painting. But master that amazing image on a 30×40 canvas and the whole game changes. A great wall print is in a whole other league and yes, clients will buy them. You can learn more about wall portrait selling and concepts in this article.
A Final Recap…
- You CAN overdo it. Stay balanced.
- Not knowing what to do is no excuse. Work it out.
- Keep is classy (simple is always a good place to start).
- Think like a client buying art (what do they see?).
- So as a rule do not put a logo on fine prints. These can be a large distraction and they change over time. If you use a logo on a quality print. You’ll probably regret it later.
- Logo’s are OK for web images, but try not to make it to distracting. Still, you can always change it later if you like. That said, I generally use my digital signature these days. Not my logo.
- For prints I always use my signature, either digitally or by hand. A signature is not a logo. It’s my written name. I keep it in the corner with a bit of space. Viewers can easily find who made the print and it has a art quality to it.
- Keep asking questions. Keep experimenting. But always make sure it’s about the image, not the markings.
That’s all for today. Good luck… Gavin
Great tips and ideas! Thanks for the wonderful insight!
Thank you Gavin for great tips! I was just looking for tips for pens to sign canvas-prints. If you have any tips which pens also to avoid for canvas signing, it would be much appreciated!
Thanks Niko. I did add a bit more to the pens paragraph, giving a few more details on the why and how.
Great info! I have had some issues with the spattering with some of the metallic pens, so thank you for this great advice! Gotta try the pens you are using…. :)) Thanks again!!
Hi Gavin,
I really enjoyed the article! I, like most photographers, always brand my electronic images on the web, but in the past have been resistant to branding client prints. Do you ever run into resistance from wedding or portrait clients with respect to your branding? I’d be interested to hear how you approach or prevent this if you do. Thanks a lot. I really appreciate the site.
Charlie
I have no trouble with it. As mentioned in the article, the only time it was an issue is when I overdid those client prints with that green logo (see example). As long as you keep it classy there should be no problem. Espexialy if you use real signatures on your better prints. That actually adds more value to most clients.
I have only glanced over this so far and the comments are positive. I have a view on this subject and I go back and forth – probably like you do.
Very interesting blog post. Very useful! Thank you for sharing!
Thanks for these tips. It really gives me something to think about as i plug along and try to learn all I can. I very much appreciate your experience here.
Best,
Laurie Hemmer
Hello Gavin,
I would like to know where you get your “certificate of authenticity”?
Thank you,
Patricia
Let the debate commence!
Glad you posted this I am working on ideas for this next week. Thanks…. Great insights.
WOW!! LOVE THE INFO!! THANKS SO MUCH!! I HAVE A QUESTION……… I FEEL REALLY SILLY THAT I HAVEN’T FIGURED THIS OUT, BUT HAVE EVEN EMAILED PAST INSTRUCTOR’S AND STILL HAVE NO FIRM ANSWER… WHEN MAKING MY LOGO IN PHOTOSHOP, HOW CAN I SAVE IT IN A MANNER THAT WILL ALLOW ME TO JUST OPEN THE FILE AND ADD IT TO AN IMAGE WITHOUT THE ACTUAL “WHITE BACKGROUND” COMING WITH IT! I HAVE TRIED SAVING AS A TRANSPARENT, AND EVEN MAKING THE ORIGINAL PHOTOSHOP DOCUMENT AS A TRANSPARENCY IN THE BEGINNING, BUT WHEN OPENED BACK UP, DRAGGED TO ANOTHER IMAGE OR DOCUMENT, THE WHOLE THING COMES ALONG, NOT JUST MY LOGO.. ANY THOUGHTS?? THANKS SO MUCH!
I came across your page just looking for the right kind of pen to sign photo’s on canvas but you have so much more info that is really helpful. Thank you for having it out there!!!!! I have a question about who should sign an image. I am thinking about selling photos on canvas (as artwork) that my dad took in the 60′s. He is still alive but has alzheimers and a shaky hand – should I try and have him sign the pictures or should I somehow sign for him, maybe using my name, I’m just not sure and this is all very new to me. Thanks for any advise you may have!!!!!
Hey Temira thanks. Glad you got something from it. As to your dads prints. Unless he can sign it I’d say no signature. In my mind a signature is not suitable unless it’s the real deal. You could also make digital signature from a previous document (not sold as a real signature of course). Or just use a printed name.
Excellent presentation, Gavin–thanks for sharing your thoughts, experience, and evolution. Only one question comes up for me that wasn’t really addressed, and I’m curious as to your thoughts on this…
What if the signature cannot be fully deciphered, and the name is uncommon (like mine)? I agree that a beautiful signature is the best overall solution, but in practice it’s not very useful if the name cannot be read, no?
Good point Adriel. That can be a problem. I would submit that people think about the design of their signature carefully. I like mine to look good, but I also consider readability valid because unless you’re very well known people will not know what it means. For those with less than readable signature I would suggest a refinement of how they sign their name.
G
Loved all the info! We think alike and you are thankfully a few years ahead of me lol. Love that you saved me traveling down a few paths :) K
Thanks Karrie. Glad you found it useful.
Hi Gavin, I read your article on signing with great interest, and agree with all you say, and I thank you for saying it so loudly and eloquently! I am an iPhoneographer/iPhone Artist, and I believe that, as this is a new and evolving artistic media, the jury’s still out as to whether iPhoneography images should bear the signature or watermark of the artist. I think no one quite knows whether iPhoneography falls under Photography or Art. Traditionally, photos were signed on the mounting mat, or behind the photo; however, it’s not always practical or aesthetically pleasing to create a white border around a digital image just for a signature, and you can’t really turn over a digital photo to sign it. Traditionally, artists would place their signature at the bottom of their artwork. Either way, signatures were a way of identifying the creator of a piece of work.
I personally believe in signing my images, to protect myself, and to enable buyers and viewers to know who created the image. My signature consists of simply the copyright sign, my name and the year the image was created, in various degrees of opacity and brightness, in black or white, placed unobstrusively on the bottom right or left of my image. I use the App “Impression” for this.
Last year, I had my iPhone Art in a group exhibition in the USA, however, 3 days into the exhibition I received an e-mail from the studio requesting that I remove my signature from my images, as “the other artists have not signed their work”. I declined to do so, and my work was removed from the exhibition. This year, I have more images accepted in another exhibition, this time in LA, however, the same issue has cropped up again. This time, I was told that buyers “generally do not want to buy prints with signatures on them”. Again, I have declined to remove my signature from my images, and am waiting to see if they’re pulled from the exhibition.
I’d be interested to know your thoughts about the above, many thanks!
AlyZen
AlyZen, I have to say that to me there’s really no iPhoneographer category. You make images or you don’t The camera you use has little to do with it. To me the term iPhoneagraphy is just another title that will go away as will exhibitions specific to it. It would be like saying your a Canonographer or a Nikongrapher. It does not matter. What matters is what you’re making and how it’s presented.
It should also be noted that a watermark with your name, date copyright etc on it is not a signature. It’s a mark. That’s fine for web or proofs, but has little place in a fine art print. I agree with the gallery in that people don’t want to by art that has such distractions. A print should either hand signed, initialed or is the case of a lower end print perhaps an the artists actual signature done digitally as I showed above. All my original prints are hand signed or initialed. Never labeled with copyright marks or logos expect in some of the past failures mentioned above.
I would submit that regardless of what you use to photograph that you make a cohesive plan for when and where you will sigh your images. Not with marks, but with an actual signature.
Gav
What about prints that are sold through your website where you never actually handle any of the processing? Should you put a digital signature on all of your uploaded photos? This doesn’t give the person buying the photo an option to have a print signed or not. I recently sold 22 of my photos to be displayed in a new surgery wing, and they didn’t want the prints signed but they did let me leave a photographers bios permanently on the wall near the prints along with business cards.
Tom if you’re selling thru a print farm type of site it leaves few options. Some might let you have a classy signature on the file, but others may not. I control all my prints.
To me these type of print and ship kind of sites are like posters. They are not selling your work as an artists so much as like a stock agency. That won’t build your art brand.
There’s no way I would let a place like this print and ship my images as art. If I sell a fine art piece I control it. Period. That’s part of the value in my product. It’s not a photo farm. It’s a print I’ve inspected and signed. If someone is just taking your files, selling volume prints and giving you a commission, their essentially selling throw aways. Few will even think about who made the image and it won’t even have your name on it.
Unless someone is paying top dollor for commercial use, my name being on the image is not optional.
It’s a personal choice. What kind of value do you want to place on your work? You have to decide.
Gav
I believe it is important to have some identification on a photo, just like a painting. What I have been wondering about is the size of the signature compared to the photo itself. Is there an accepted formula? I type, for example, (c) 2012 Name-Name (maiden name-married name) in the lower right hand corner in a color that blends in, but is just different enough to be readable if you look closely. Sometimes I fade the font. But what size font should I use? 12 looks really tiny, but it could be found with a magnifying glass. If the photo is enlarged, the signature becomes enlarged, too, so on a very large print it could be read. I was using size 40 font, and it is readable without magnification, but I wonder if that is objectionable to a buyer? I could use initials, but no one could ever research who I am. It’s hard to write very small, and I have experimented with fonts that looks like writing, but it’s harder to read. Would you ever remove a signature on a photo to please a client?
Hey Linda. I have never had to remove a signature because my signature is pleasing. That’s my theory in planning it. Does it feel like art of like clutter? What’s on my prints is an actual signature (whether digitally or hand applied). It looks like it belongs and can also identify me.
I would not print name and date to a print. That might be fine for web use, but its far too much information in my opinion. It’s not a signature is a caption. If I paid good money for a print I would not expect it to have a caption. If you check the examples here you can get an idea of what I do. I have never had anyone complain about my signature on a print. In fact I tout it as a value add that my wall prints are hand signed.
Good luck… Gav