How to sign a painting?

[Michele Rushworth]

OMS is Odorless MIneral Spirits. I use Gamblin's Gamsol.

[Cynthia Feustel]

Mikael, Sorry it has taken me so long to reply . Things got so crazy at my house and then I had some problems with my computer but I am up and running again. It seems like you had your questions answered.

As for me, I use gamblins neo meglip as my painting medium but whatever you normally use will work fine. The liner or script brush pictured in Allan's post is like the one I use with bristles approximately 1" long. You might not find it in a catalog with the oil brushes but look in the watercolor brushes. I don't mix my medium with OMS but dip my brush in the OMS and then wipe it on a rag so that the bristles are slightly wet and then roll the brush in paint thinned with medium. The OMS in the brush seems to help the paint to flow better out of the brush. It really is a matter of trial and error to get the right consistency. I then do a practice run by writing my name on my palette to see if the flow is right. I don't oil out first like Michelle suggested but will give that a try next time. Sounds like a good idea.
And I always lay my painting flat when signing.
These are just suggestions on what I do. Lettering is not so bad for me having been a graphic designer before computers I did lots of handlettering on layouts with brushes. Now if I could only master the important part, the actual portrait painting. That is where I need all of your expertise!

Cynthia

[Mike McCarty]

Signature dilemmas:

To me this is the sort of composition that doesn't cry out for the signature to be placed in a particular spot. It's crowded on both bottom corners and gets complicated as you work in from those corners. Maybe one of the top corners?

We could have a "where to sign the portrait contest." The winner gets a free fifteen minute background painting seminar with me. Second place gets full day, and last place get a whole week.

[Mikael Melbye]

Yes, that is what i was looking for. And don't worry about being late in answering. I'm only just back from Rome, so the timing is perfect.

Thanks all for posting all these suggestions, they have helped a lot, and as I said I'm happy that I'm not the only one struggling with this...phuii.

Michelle, OMS is of course odorless mineral spirits! This however is something entirely different in Denmark (we usually drink it if you take the mineral out of it that is!!), so that's why it didn't spring to mind. Alcohol and spirit is the same thing in Danish, and therefore I always have to do a little extra thinking when the term in Danish like turpentine which is what we call mineral spirits come up. Odorless... I'm not sure has even been invented over here. I'm sure Allan would be able to clarify that.

I will now go and sign a painting and post the result afterwords. Then you can all see whether your efforts were worthwhile.

Love to you all

Mikael

[Allan Rahbek]

Dear Mikael,
Good to hear that you