p.1 #1 · How Do You Identify Your Work on Mounted Photos
I am looking for relatively easy methods to share the fact that I took the photo that they are looking at. I have less than great handwriting skills but I guess i could sign the mat. It would be great to have an electronic id that could be printed on the photo. Thoughts?
p.1 #3 · How Do You Identify Your Work on Mounted Photos
chez wrote:
Make them all unique by individually signing each print’s mat. An electronic id printed into the photo seems just so cold to me.
+1 for "Live Ink"
If you like, you could use an accompanying security / COA sticker / label that incorporates your "more legible" printed name in a less conspicuous place.
Or, have a bus card / placard / label nearby, with website info, etc.
More than one way to skin the cat and others will have more / better ideas ... BUT, Chez's point about the authenticity of your live signature is value add. Don't toss away the value of your live sig. A live sig is NOT "mass produced". Items of uniqueness are NOT "mass produced". Even though we can make multiple prints, don't devalue your signature through mass production.
Bearing in mind, that a signature is unique ... not merely your name cursively written.
p.1 #7 · How Do You Identify Your Work on Mounted Photos
Paintings are almost always signed and often dated on the surface of the artwork. That tradition has not applied to photographs. They are typically signed on the borders or the back side.
p.1 #8 · How Do You Identify Your Work on Mounted Photos
I would personally never sign the front of a print, even if it was white bordered, feels extremely tacky. The back if at all. I sign the back of the canvases I sell.
p.1 #9 · How Do You Identify Your Work on Mounted Photos
RoamingScott wrote:
I would personally never sign the front of a print, even if it was white bordered, feels extremely tacky. The back if at all. I sign the back of the canvases I sell.
Sort of defeats what the op wants as no one looks at the back of a print or canvas.
p.1 #11 · How Do You Identify Your Work on Mounted Photos
Apply an electronic signature on the print, in any color or opacity you want. Why should a signature on a photographic print be on a different location than a signature on a painting?
Great paintings are one of a kind, not limited edition prints, or thousands of prints of the same image.
I doubt that any member here has a print where it will make much difference in value to anyone whether the signature is on the print directly by pen or electronically, or whether it is on the mat or back of the print.
p.1 #12 · How Do You Identify Your Work on Mounted Photos
EB-1 wrote:
There is no requirement for a signature to be in cursive.
EBH
Indeed. My handwriting is horrible. I’m the only person who can read it, and sometimes I have issues with it!
My signature is sort of combo cursive/printing, which of course makes it unique.
As to how to indicate that you (the OP) made the print, there are lots of options. I mount my prints with a mat that is larger than the print area, so an unprinted margin is visible inside the mat. I sign my prints at the lower right corner. (A friend who is a well-regarded and successful photographer actually sign in such a way that a bit of his signature intrudes a tiny bit into the print area.
This is more of a problem if you are over-matting and no margin is visible. In this case you either forego the signature on the front or you sign the mat. The latter isn’t entirely satisfactory, since at some point the mat and the print may be separated.
I am not sure wha you do if you send out to get metal prints or other kinds of laminated prints. You _could_ include something inside the print area in the file you send to your printer, but opinions vary regarding the placement of such things over the print. (Some don’t like marring the print, but that’s what painters do.) I’d certainly at least attach an info card to the back of the print, preferably one that won’t easily be detached.
I also add information to the back of the print in pencil, in my own writing — title, date of print, basic info about things like what paper was used, a sequencing number, etc. (This al goes along the very bottom edge of the print.) I also attach a small label to the back of mounted prints with the title, basic info, date, and my signature.)
Depending on where/how it is displayed, you could also consider an information card that is mounted on the wall below (or next to) the print.
Basically, lots of options, and none is perfect.
FWIW, my personal preference is to corner mount prints and/or use a hinge mount on very big prints… rather than semi-permanently affixing them to the backing board. (There are differences of option about this, but that’s my preference.) I also prefer to mount them with the mat cut to show about a 1/2 of the margin on the paper beyond the print area, and to sigh the front of the print.)
p.1 #15 · How Do You Identify Your Work on Mounted Photos
My signature is awful. But it is mine.
On most of my framed pieces- 20x30" or larger- I leave a 1" border all around, 1/2" around with smaller pieces for display.
I sign in the bottom right corner.
Pencil if matt paper, archival grey or black ink if other papers.
I only sell loose prints, not framed. Framing is too much of a decor decision- what matches the couch.
The way I sign, they can control whether they see the signature or not by how the mat is cut.
Works for me.
Signing the mat does nothing.
I sign every piece. Some day I may be important- I doubt it.
gary
