What to Put on the Back of Your Painting

In this video David M. Kessler discusses what information to add to the back of your paintings.
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[@akhila327]

I am glad your videos popped up on my feed. I am a beginner in my art journey and your videos are very helpful explaining different aspects of commercial selling. Thank you so much.

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Akhila, happy to help - thank you for watching! Best wishes on your art journey.

[@parisasun2541]

Great artist and great teacher :)

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Thanks so much!

[@susiesunshine1969]

God this is good information! I am a newbie and I love the idea of writing the year and the number!

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Susan, happy I can help. Thanks for watching.

[@susiesunshine1969]

@@davidm.kesslerfineart1717 you're the best instructor on KZbin!

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

@@susiesunshine1969 thanks so much, I appreciate that.

[@annielittlewolf2017]

Thanks David! That was helpful! Part of me thinks that telling a bit about the painting - like that I was inspired by color/whatever - might be nice - but ultimately, probably not useful to a buyer (hopefully at some point in the future someone will buy one of my paintings!). I like your idea that simple is better, but go ahead and do the basics and then what you want.

[@StephenS-2024]

David, I really like your work and speaking style. Glad you popped- up in my feed. 👍

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Troy Stephens thank you!

[@StephenS-2024]

David M. Kessler Fine Art. Welcome. Where are you located?

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Troy Stephens North Carolina.

[@StephenS-2024]

David M. Kessler Fine Art. Not far. I'm in Northern Ky. (Was just curious )

[@jenniferbrunelle9140]

David M. Kessler Fine Art TGIF Cody cc ivbhhh big ghee

[@monty8888]

Thanks David, that was helpful. I love the idea of a wee narrative! It’s got me thinking about which back to sign as well; as I frame my pictures, the back of the painting becomes the back board of the frame. If it was ever re-framed (or just split) the artwork would be parted from its info! I might start putting the title and my name etc on the back of the actual work now too..

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Monty, yes, you MUST put the information on the artwork itself, not just on any stretchers or frames because they could be removed or changed, who knows what over the life of the painting.

[@mikenino1559]

Thanks love your advice.

[@SherryLessman]

Thank you SO much for your help!! Love your videos!

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Sherry, glad it was helpful. Thanks so much for watching'

[@mikenino1559]

Great painting

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Thanks Mike.

[@mikenino1559]

@@davidm.kesslerfineart1717 your welcome I'm also painting abstract it's so much fun because your free to add what ever you want on your canvas.

[@maireadharkin5124]

Thank you, very wise words, TFS Mairead in Ireland

[@beccogiallo]

Thank you for this information.

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Anna Maria Stone, you're welcome!

[@vsee2207]

So how do you pack those finished paintings when you travel? Thanks for your info. I show some of your videos where I volunteer teaching art.

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

V See, I take paintings on watercolor paper not canvas when I travel. I pack them in a portfolio case which is then placed inside a shipping container.

[@cio3282]

Very informative, thank you

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Rocio Saldana you’re welcome - thanks for watching!

[@rahulsharmafineart7197]

David, do you do the same for canvases that you use? Are sharpie markers safe to use on canvas or would a posca pen be better? Another great video for all. Thank you so much. Regards, Rahul.

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Rahul, I use Sharpies on the back of the canvas - a Posca will work well too.

[@rahulsharmafineart7197]

@@davidm.kesslerfineart1717 Thank you David.

[@victoriasartstudio]

@@davidm.kesslerfineart1717 hello. I used a linen canvas, pre gesso, but then added two more layers of grey gesso anyway, before painting with oils. I’ve just signed the back of my canvas with a black pen. It’s not a sharpie, just a black handwriting pen. I’m freaking out encase it’s going to bleed through!

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

@@victoriasartstudio it won’t bleed through - it won’t go through the gesso or the oil paint. Chill out. If it bothers you so much, then put some gesso on the back and put your name and info on the gesso.

[@victoriasartstudio]

@@davidm.kesslerfineart1717 thank you. I just needed some reassurance! It’s 2.30am in the uk so I couldn’t ask any artists friends on my Instagram! I have subscribed to your channel, great work and helpful tips:)

[@deniseinsocaldeniseinsocal9510]

Thank You!

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

You’re welcome.

[@THEDRAMAMAMA2009]

HI David, I'm down here in VA and am in my first show June 2. I finally started back with my art after raising children and finally figured out I should have kept up with it all those years. Thank you for inspiring me. I found you and your great information only after I had started doing some paintings and acrylic pours. So they are all finished and varnished and I was going to sign them on the backside. Can I use Sharpie markers to sign my name or will they bleed through? I don't have them numbered because I began before I found you. I could guess which I did in what order I guess. There are only about 20 of them. Thank you for your honest, no bull videos. I love to watch you!!

[@THEDRAMAMAMA2009]

oops I see you said it was ok to use Sharpie, so now all I have to worry about is figuring out if to number them or not. They do have names though. ;-)

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Alisa Price you’re “up there” in VA to me because I’m in NC! Thanks for your kind words, and thanks for watching the videos, ai appreciate it very much. I always use a Sharpie marker on the back of my canvases and have never had them bleed through. Most canvases come with two to three layers of gesso on them, plus you have layers of paint so it should be fine. The numbering system is a personal preference for me and is not necessary. If you want to though, you could go back and give each an inventory number. It doesn’t matter if the numbers don’t reflect the exact order they were painted. The goal is to give each a number and track how many you do in a year. Good luck with your painting journey!

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Also, you should come to a workshop at my studio in NC. You can view a list at my website listed in the video description.

[@THEDRAMAMAMA2009]

I have looked and just have to figure out November or 2019 with my work schedule. Thank you so much for your responses - Alisa - Alisa's Creations

[@shathabatayneh3744]

Ghee never thought of that🤔 thank you David

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Shatha, you’re welcome!

[@thomaustin4270]

You mentioned that you could also just gesso the back of your painting? Can that be done to a finished acrylic painting? Would really appreciate your help with this question.. I have a finished commissioned piece that needs an opaque coating on the back and I don't want to damage it. Thank you

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

@@thomaustin4270 sure you can gesso the back - it won’t damage anything

[@normanmerrill1241]

Thanks…helpful…

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Norman, you’re welcome.

[@sharondoolan2314]

Thanks for the tips

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Sharon Doolan you’re welcome. Thanks for watching!

[@DeepTheDown]

Hi David! I want to also include a small QR code on the back of a piece. Do you think that’s appropriate? Thank you!

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Sure, you can do that, or the url if you’re website or anything else you think may help people find you later if they need more work from you.

[@SweetDurie]

Thankyou!

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

You’re welcome

[@pauleriksen2012]

Have you ever looked at videos of newly started artists here on youtube, and really liked their work. If you have, can you please tell me who that artist(s) is? Bye the way, thank you very much for all videos you are making. Very helpful indeed :)

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Paul Eriksen you’re welcome, thanks for watching. I don’t watch other artists on youtube.

[@Cre8iveSignWorks]

I dont date my paintings but i number them, sign them, and copyright them. sometimes i write a description about them, but i also put my contact details in-case people want to find me for more work. ;-) cheers

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Shedz Channel that's just what you need.

[@Cre8iveSignWorks]

cheers mate. keep those videos coming! :-)

[@KellyChildsXO]

Doesn’t the sharpie eventually bleed through? 🙏🏼

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

No it doesn’t bleed thru. There is gesso and usually layers of paint on the canvas.

[@C.Hawkshaw]

If it’s 140# paper, will ballpoint ink bleed through at some point? Maybe I should write it along the border on the back, in ballpoint or would fountain pen ink be better?

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Ballpoint will not bleed through watercolor paper.

[@shellienoyes100]

Thanks

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

Shellie Noyes you’re welcome!

[@kathynimcheski]

I live in lompoc several years ago I found a few painti.gs in Santa ynez they are signed by david kessler.can they be yours?

[@davidm.kesslerfineart1717]

kathy nimcheski nope.

[@circlesinthenight3141]

I date mine and sigh mine . if the art has a name I put it on

[@briarlyric6033]

a tip: you can watch movies at KaldroStream. Me and my gf have been using it for watching a lot of movies lately.

[@dwaynecollin4669]

@Briar Lyric Yup, I've been using Kaldrostream for since november myself :D