Post 44: Give Your Artwork a Name and Don't Call It Untitled

Give Your Artwork a Name and Don't Call It Untitled

How do you go about giving your artwork a title? Does the name come out of the upper atmosphere of your creative process with so many deep thoughts, maybe a lot of emotions, or perhaps some lofty ideals of human existence? Do you break out the Thesaurus and/or the Dictionary? How does your artwork get its title?

This Painting Needs a Name and I've Exhausted My Creativity for the Day

Recently, our PWAS group had a booth at the Occoquan Arts and Crafts art show and I was helping with our sales. Each artist attaches 2 cards to each of our pieces and if the piece sells, we mark the artwork off of that artist's inventory sheet. The card has the Name of the Artist, the Title of the Work, the Medium and of course, the Price. Not to throw anyone under the bus (and all names have been changed, or politely removed to protect the innocent [AKA guilty]), but it was funny several times when someone purchased an art piece and the art title was just a one-word-wonder like, "Dog", or "Vase", or "Leaves". 

One person remarked teasingly with a laugh, "Come on, you can be more creative than that!" I can not say I agonize over a name for my own artwork, but I agree, a one word so-very-basic description as a name seems to not do justice to the time and energy that most people put into their art. Maybe you agree or not, it just all caught me as rather funny. Then again, I find a lot of things amusing.

So this Blog Post was forming in my head, which of course means I need a Blog Title as well. Oh the vicious cycle of a name, begins again. Anyway, of course I get out my trusty Google Search. (Another rabbit hole, oh well.)

 

Let the Research Begin

The questions I wanted answers to:

• How important is the title on your artwork?
• When and how do you come up with the name for your artwork?
• Does the title fall out of the sky and land in your lap? (Think lightening bolt.)
  
• How big a struggle is it typically?
• Do you get online and ask your followers, friends or Ouija Board to name it? 
• And most importantly: What have others written on this topic? 

 

Let Others Tell Their Art Naming Stories

My research led me to several nicely written articles already written on naming your artwork, so go read theirs!! (I should add - after you finish reading mine.)

• Clara Nartey - How to Name Your Artwork - Practical Tips PLUS Examples
  
• Lydia Jechorek's Art Blog - Titles & Your Art
• Helen South - A Guide to Picking Compelling, Thought-Provoking Names for Your Art
  

 

What is Considered a Good Title?

According to the experts (whomever they are):

 

• An artwork title should convey where you were coming from when you did it. ("Blue Monday")
  
• A title might give the viewer room to come up with their own interpretation of the work. ("My Monday is Blue")
  
• The title of your artwork helps the piece to tell its own story. ("Somebody Spilled Blue on Me on Monday")
  
• The title may have an intentional play on words. ("Blumon Day")
  
• Persons, places, and critters (pet portraits) sort of name themselves, but can be added on as well. ("See Spot Run into the Blue, on Monday")
  

 

Titles that Suck (So They Say, again - whoever "They" are)

• Untitled
• Just a number
  

I do take my art seriously, as most artists do, but I hope I can laugh along the way of life too. I am a believer in at a minimum, an interesting title. The advice given by several writers is to avoid the cliche, don't be pretentious, be memorable, shorter names are better and on and on.

As our PWAS member Penny Shaw stated recently in her PWAS Artist Interview as her best art advice, "Do you." When it all boils down, Name your Artwork whatever the heck you want to! 

How I Find a Name

Occasionally, I take the "one word descriptor title" and look for a piece of poetry or a line in a song or a quote with that word and build on that line. Other times, yes, the title falls out of the sky and lands in my lap. And no, I do NOT use a Ouija Board.

 

I have to show you a piece of my artwork and the name I gave it. I amuse myself with its name - I can so picture it happening in my head. First, a picture of the artwork: 

 

 

By Donna Liguria, Acrylic 10x10

 What would you have named it? What do you think I named it? Any guesses?

Here's the Title: "See Any Doritos?"

 

Let me know what you think of this "tongue-in-cheek" article in the comments below.

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Local Art: Visit us at Clearbrook Center of the Arts at Tackett's Mill in Lake Ridge, VA on Saturdays and Sundays from 1 to 4 – it’s free to see the artwork! Want to join PWAS? Go to https://www.princewilliamartsociety.com/membership

Thank you for visiting, and remember to Share, Follow, and Comment!

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Author: Donna Liguria
An artist member of PWAS in Woodbridge, VA specializing in acrylic painting. She paints landscapes, seascapes, animals and many subjects. Visit her Blog at https://donnascavepainting.blogspot.com/.

 

 

Photography/Video Credits: 

Donna Liguria