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Three More Things Artists Don’t Explain

It is now over 6 years since I have been oil painting. These types of questions continue to haunt me. Perhaps if I left Quaintsville and visited some galleries in cities, I’d learn the answers. Or, perhaps I’d get tossed out of those galleries for flipping over their paintings to discover the answers.

 

 

 

The Oak Grove Bridge, 6x6", oil on wrapped canvas, $50

 

1. How to sign a painting.

Try to imagine writing your name legibly and artistically with a wet paintbrush. How about using a paintbrush that leaves blobs of paint or big sudden drips? Or one that runs out of paint in the middle of a letter? This is why my paintings are signed with first initial and last name only. This is why my signature looks like my 5th grade printing. HOW do the big boys and girls get such flowing beautiful signatures???

 

2. How to put hanging hardware on the back of a painting.

Some artist don’t bother. Some use screw-eyes and wire. Screw-eyes are considered tacky, and they scratch the wall. Sawtooth hangers are also considered tacky, and most galleries forbid them. No one actually explains what the best thing is to use or talks about having to wire the backs of their canvases before painting them.

 

3. How to secure painted canvases in a frame.

There are various pieces of hardware for this, but you have to be some sort of a sleuth to discover them. And each works on different types of frames, or don’t work. I know a great artist who just bangs nails into his canvases and frames (on the backsides, of course.) His paintings sell for more than my car is worth.

 Have you ever flipped a painting over in a gallery to discover its secrets? 

6 Comments

    • Maren, maybe I need to try a flat brush instead of a liner. And according to him, printing is better than cursive. He also only uses a first initial with his last name. Guess I’ve got 2 things right in my signature!

  2. How about a sticky note? Ha!

    • Maren, that is a brilliant suggestion, but what if I couldn’t find one in the right color?

  3. I’ve heard of one or two using a Sharpie, but that just seems wrong to me. A stamp wouldn’t stick – believe me, Maren, I’ve thought of every possibility to stop signing like a 5th grader!

  4. I wonder if the big boys and girls “sign” their paintings with a stamp…paint the stamp with oil paint and voila!…pretty signature. Just a guess.

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