Signature as a Composition Element

Very often people ask me where is the signature because they can't seem to find it in the painting. Don't worry, it IS there! I make sure I sign every piece of art I make.

However, you may not be able to find it sometimes because it is not always placed at a common location. And you may ask, "Why is that?" So let me explain.

Back in 2001 when I was a student at the Art Students League in NY, Mr. Phillip Sherrod told me once that I should never let the signature kill the piece. That got stuck in my head real bad and I got somewhat obsessed with that thought. We artists are often tempted to have huge egos and I have seen signatures that are so freaking large it truly bothers the artwork. It almost feels like there is a neon sign screaming "MY ART."

Well, thinking about that, I not only decided that I would make sure I'd never fall into that trap but also, that I would use my signature as part of my composition. Sometimes I even sign the piece halfway through, to make sure it is not disturbing the other elements and I will continue to work around it. When the signature doesn't seem to quite fit as an element, I often simply "scrape it off" using the palette knife. So I sign by taking a little bit of paint off the canvas, instead of adding onto it.

Now, having explained my method for signing my pieces, I challenge you to browse around my portfolio and find them! Have fun.