The Necessity of Signatures in Art

[@Lycoson]

I speak as more a viewer of visual art than a creator, but I can definitely appreciate the art to a good artist's signature. A well done signature can add a mark of prestige to an image, especially if made into a print. It humanizes the work, attaching it to a specific creator rather than a faceless industry. It can even enhance an image when cleverly concealed, as it almost turns the artist's name into an easter egg within their composition. Yet it does, as you say, need to be subtle and carefully planned. watermarks, censor bars, even overly complex or clashing logos, can completely wreck an image. I think that physical-media painters settled on a more or less ideal form for signatures: a simple name or personal mark, placed in area where the eye would normally not be drawn. I am not certain if the need to manually sign each work forces the artist to think more about where to place the signature, but it is a mindset which I think digital art can take a few pointers from.

[@hushicho]

This is so beautifully-put that I really can't add anything! I agree wholeheartedly; a signature is an essential ability for an artist, and it becomes a part of the artist's work, not just a disruptive element that completely ruins the aesthetic flow. I believe that's how it should be.

[@andreashelixfinger8333]

Very good video as always👍 I've always loved creating my own symbols. I spent quite some time figuring out this cute, little symbol that I use as my banner on the internet, and as a sort of a cover page trademark for my webcomics, these days. It is a signature that feels distinguishable and is very easy to conveniently incorperate into the art itself. I just find it a lot of fun to have it somewhere in the background in my webcomics now and then, where it can be recogniced without stealing focus from the characters and the plot, may it be a painting on the wall or grafitti somewhere. It's like a funny, subtle, little "wink" to the reader^^

[@hushicho]

I like that very much! I agree, your symbol is very easy to identify, and I think it really helps when artists work to develop their own symbol -- or brand, if you will! After all, that's where the term "brand" comes from, a literal iron brand with an identifiable symbol! I think that's a very good thing to have, and it's always welcome when it shows cleverness and creativity.

[@TheDoctologist]