How do you sign your piece?

[K Karver]

Simple question that has become a possibility on this forum. How do you sign your piece? What kind of ink- pen, marker? What type of material? Burn it? Do you number them? What method do you use? Do you keep a log? Do you take pictures?

John

[JimSawyer]

I use my gouges to scribe in the avatar you see to the left. It is my logo that I've been using for years. I've been more busy for the last 12 years doing inlay work with my scroll saw. I mark the back of them this way before I put the finish on. When I finish them the logo stands out well. I now am doing the same with my carvings.

[Claude]

I just print my initial and last name, using a color of ink that contrasts to the wood/paint, in all caps, along with the year, on the bottom/back of the carving, then apply varnish over top of the ink to seal it in. Not very imaginative, but it works for me...

Claude

[K Karver]

Thanks Jim and Claude. Each idea gives me something to think about. I too have been doing ink with finish over it. Works most of the time. I am intrigued by Jim's idea of some simple strokes with a gouge or knife. I'll have to experiment with JK or KLOMP. Thanks again.

John

[Ron Davidson]

I did use a wood burner tip to burn my name on but now I use mostly an electric branding iron with my signature. If you are doing small carvings woodburn before finish works well.
Ron

[kitaye]

The only pieces I have signed are my window braces. With those I carved my initials into the bottom of the brace. If I ever get good enough at carving figurines I will most likely try burning my nameinto them, and maybe numbering but that is a long way away .

[squbrigg]

I burn in my signature and date on the bottom/back, if possible. Depends on the piece. In some cases I use an engraved plate attached to the piece.

Bob

[Lynn O. Doughty]

I think an artists signature should match the product he or she just created. A painter signs their name in paint, a sculptor chisels the name onto the base of the piece or draws it in the original clay prior to casting. A woodcarver should follow the same rule.....carve or burn it into the wood so it's permanent.

I know a lot of carvers who number their pieces. I haven't really figured out why as numbering in the jargon of the collecting world indicates how many copies have been made of a certain article. If it's to indicate how many actual carvings that have been made then you'd have to start numbering everything you whittle for it to be really accurate. As for keeping a log that's a good idea. However, once you've passed over and the researchers start to delve into your carving history that would make their job so easy that anyone could do it. Oklahoma University Press just recently published the "Catalogue Raisonne" of Charles M. Russell. That's the complete list of everything he ever painted, sculpted, sketched or whatever! Considering he died in 1926 you can imagine how many people over the years worked on that project. Having read of Charlie's sense of humor he's probably up there in painter's heaven chuckling with Remington about the greatest painting he thinks he ever did thats still hidden away up in that attic out there on the outskirts of Great Falls.

Like Bob, I burn my name, year and copyright symbol on the base of each piece and to hopefully make the piece a little more professional I attach a brass nameplate to the front with the title and my name. I take loads of photos of each piece from every conceivable angle so that when they're putting together my Catalogue Raisonne they have lots to choose from. I just hope they never find that really terrific carving of Buffalo Bill I just did that's hidden behind Boomer's tack box!! Maybe that way Charlie and Fred will let me join in our their joke! Provided of course I go "Up There" instead of "Down There"!

[Bill]

I have signed all my carvings with my cattle brand which is a registered
brand in Colorado, also date it. It seems to work well for my needs.
Bill

[mjv]

I carve my name and date (just the year) into the bottom of the piece. I also take pictures and whatever notes that are for my own personal files.

I like the permanence of the signature being carved into the piece and not just written on. If it is a carving that is not easily handled then I have a laser engraved plaque with the name of the piece and my name.