How to sign a painting?

[Allan Rahbek]

Dear Mikael,
Back to basics. When I sign a painting I use a thin round sable brush and some fluid oil paint and just write my name and year. If the painting is dry I may use several attempts to get it right.

Allan

[Cynthia Feustel]

Mikael,
Have you ever tried using a sable liner brush? I use one with watercolor to make long flowing lines but they also work with oil. The trick is to thin the paint with a painting medium to get the right viscosity of paint. The paint needs to be thin enough to flow but not too thin to become transparent. The brush is loaded by rolling it on its side so the paint gets loaded the full length of the bristles. When you use it be sure to hold it very straight up vertically so you are just writing with the tip. The idea is that there is enough paint in the brush to make a long flowing line without having to reload the brush. The brushes come in different sizes for different line widths. You may find you like it for other places in your painting where you need a long continuous line. I can post a picture in a few days if you want. Tomorrow we are having a graduation party for our daughter. Lots of family, friends, food and a day or two afterwards to recuperate.

I have been keeping up with your posts and visited your web site. Great work!

Cynthia

[Allan Rahbek]

Originally Posted by Cynthia Feustel

The brushes come in different sizes for different line widths. You may find you like it for other places in your painting where you need a long continuous line. Cynthia

Once upon a time, when in Norway, I bought some real Rose Painting brushes.
They are squirrel tail hairs mounted in a feather pen a used for thin lines and letters in traditional Norwegian decorations.

Usually the painter oiled out the surface, to be decorated, with some linseed oil in a thin layer, that was wiped off again, leaving only a little oil to make the surface sticky.

Allan

[Mikael Melbye]

Oh, one last thing, Allan, would you oil in the area to be signed when using this tool?

[Allan Rahbek]

Originally Posted by Mikael Melbye

Oh, one last thing, Allan, would you oil in the area to be signed when using this tool?

Yes I would oil it out and wipe with tissue, if the painting is dry. That is to make the brush glide just as painting in wet paint.

Best, Allan

[Mikael Melbye]

Yes, that makes sense. Thanks again.

Cynthia, I have one more question for you: I take it you lie the painting flat on a table when you sign, am I right?

Best,

Mikael

[Chris Saper]

Mikael,

I have unfortunately never figured out how to sign my oils in the script I use for works on paper (which I really like, as did one of my teachers who kindly made no comment about my painting, but at least liked the signature.

Actually the only way I would know to do this is by laying the final colors over a dry contrasting color, then sign in (scratch in) script with a pencil or other thin writing tool while the top layer of paint is wet. The only problems with this approach is that you have to be sure about where you want to place the signature and that the top layer is the final layer.

I've also played with the gold/silver pens, but the final varnish removed the ink.

Finally I rather compulsive about not signing the painting until I've placed it in its frame (or matboard), so that I can consider the location, size and color of the signature. Then I place the framed piece on the floor and hover over it so I can better control the brush.

[Michele Rushworth]

Here's what I do when I sign my oil paintings:

I wait until the lower left area is completely finished and dry and then I put a thin layer of 50/50 linseed/OMS over it, and wipe almost all of the oil off. This helps the brush glide.

Then I draw a straight horizontal line, in paint, using a level, about an inch below the area where I will put my signature. This is so my signature is level also. I have a tendency to angle my signature upwards or to have a very wobbly and sloppy looking baseline. The horizontal line keeps me straight.

Then I sign my name in paint that is very thin (thinned using the linseed/OMS mixture. If I mess it up, I wipe off the messy parts and do it again.

Finally, when I'm happy with it, I wipe off the horizontal guideline.

(I think it would surprise our clients and collectors how much thought and effort goes into something like the signature that they probably believe is just dashed off with bravado at the completion of a painting!)

[Linda Brandon]

I've heard of oil painters who use a rubber stamp with their signature on it which they lightly brush with oil paint before stamping the (dry) surface of the canvas. I've never actually seen this, though.

[Mikael Melbye]

Thanks for the great advice.

I do have one of those at home in Denmark and have used it for this purpose. But he tip about getting it full by rolling it in paint is probably what i didn't do. So thats what I'll try.

Allan, it is a relief to me that you have also had to make several attempts at this. One of my teachers, American painter Francis Cunningham, always said he dreaded this work because of the same difficulties.

Cynthia, What medium do you thin the color with, or is it of minor importance? How long is your liner? 1''?

Best wishes

Mikael