If you sell prints, do you sign them?

[Aaron Kupferman]

I have a show coming up with 25 prints between 24x36 and 36x48. These prints will be hung for three months at a very nice restaurant that gets lots of wealthy customers. A good thing is that the restaurant does not take any piece of the sale, they only want nice artwork on their walls.

I just took a large chunk of the prints to the framers and realized that I did not sign them. Now, I have a really, well, unrefined signature and it is very inconsistent, so I am hesitant to take a pen to a piece of paper that cost me $85. Odds are that I will mess one of them up no matter how much practice. I can still go back on Monday and sign them if I need.

Do you think that having a signature on a print will help people value it more and be more likely to purchase it? I will be gluing a little informational panel to the back of the board with the print, artist, and contact information. I am not a "known name" of any sorts, but am wondering if adding a signature will elevate the print from decorative art to fine art.

Thanks everybody!

Aaron

[Ryan Merrill]

Since nobody else seems to be responding to you, I'll type what I think about it. I don't think a signature will elevate a print from decorative art to fine art. If I was buying a print, I would prefer that it didn't have a signature. But I'm not your average buyer.

If you've already printed the photos and your signature is "unrefined" as you put it, I wouldn't bother signing it now. Especially if it's going to cost you $85 per print.

Again, I'm sure there are plenty of other opinions out there, this is just my take on it.

[John Thawley]

I sell both ways signed and unsigned. While the pricing is different, typically, what I offer signed is a different format than the unsigned.

I will often sign prints (or books) at events though. Of course, no charge.

JT

[Todd Corzett]

I don't sign prints unless requested. I personally like to sign the mat more than the print, but it has more to do with the client.

-Todd...

[Aaron Kupferman]

Thanks guys, I decided to not sign the prints, but put a signed info card on the back of the frame in a plastic sleeve that somebody can keep with the print if they ever reframe it or something. From the front though, just the print. No signature on the photo.

Now I can only hope I sell a few... :)