<p>An instructor of mine told me never to sign the front of a canvas as it ‘ruins’ the original intention of the painting. I have been told only to sign and date the back of the canvas. </p>
<p>I’ve never heard this before. What do you guys think? How do you sign your work?</p>
<p>Would you publish a book and not have the name of the author on the cover? There are many reasons to sign on the front (and perhaps also sign AND DATE IT on the back). Just like a book, people want to know who wrote it, and if the painting is hanging anywhere, no one will remove it from the wall to turn it over to see who did it.</p>
<p>Another reason is to prevent unauthorized use in the future. It could easily be copied via a photograph and used without your permission. While a signature is not a copyright, it does tell all people who see it that it is your work.</p>
<p>I agree with your instructor, aesthetically the back of the painting is preferable. Having said that, there sure are a lot of famous signatures on some famous work! The book analogy is apples and oranges–in that case, the art is on the inside.</p>
<p>RB119’s daughter: We always signed the front. if the signature was considered a ruiner to the intention, either your signature is really obnoxious (mine was brought up in crit because it was pretty big by accident) or your painting is really bad. I’d sign the front. I agree with Dig. As for my own work, I sign ‘MT11’ (the letters being the first and last in my last name, the 11 is the year) very small in a corner or along a painted line.</p>
<p>Thanks for your input guys! Its great to see that there are different points of view, and that if I do start signing my paintings on the front it is viewed as an acceptable practice. Redbug119 - I think you might have misinterpreted my instructor’s point of view. She believe that all artists, herself included, should only sign the back. She says that signatures interfere with the original intention of the paintings, and that an artist’s style itself is somewhat a signature itself.</p>