How I Title Artwork ft. "A Spot in the Shade"
It might be cliché to start this post with that old Shakespeare line about names and roses but, and I think about this often, what is in a name?
Finding the right name for art is hard. There are moments when the right name for a painting comes to me like a little epiphany and other times, a finished artwork will sit nameless for months. This piece is one of those - it was finished last summer and didn’t get named until I had to bring it to an event with me in December.
So here’s a pretty detailed look into how I name my art while using this painting as an example. Let’s do this!
How do I name my artworks?
This process has evolved over the years and is more involved for artworks with which I have a sentimental attachment. The more I care about the story behind a piece, the more I labor over name it properly.
There are a few things that I always try to keep in mind: (And please note, this is all my personal preference! This isn’t a critique of other artists’ titles!)
I like a title that’s not so obvious that it’s just point out objects in the painting (eg. Cake),
But I don’t want it to be so out there or artsy-fartsy that it’s unapproachable / taking itself too seriously (eg. Authentic Culinary Examination of Mocktail Minutiae on a Fleeting Summer Afternoon) Side note: play with this pretentious exhibit name generator for a good time.
In fact, I really like it when the name gives a glimpse into the feeling behind the painting, something that isn’t readily noticeable by the contents of the painting itself.
So, assuming I haven’t had any eureka moments, I will make a list of what I felt in the moment and/or want the painting to convey. For this piece it looked something like this:
A juxtaposition of warm and cool,
A serene celebration,
Light tree rustling sounds.
And sometimes also a list of what I don’t want (either because I think it’s redundant or because it’s the wrong message). Another example of my list for this painting:
Anything hinting at birthdays (because it wasn’t that kind of party),
Anything “sweet” (the color palette and contents already give off a sweet vibe).
From there, I then make a list of potential names! Even the ones I don’t like, I keep on the list because they help get me closer to what I do eventually want. Sometimes I’ll solicit others for advice but more often than not, I feel like it eventually needs to come from me. From this list, something will normally pop out and feel right.
A little side note: Sometimes this process starts by accident when I’m still working on the piece itself and the name comes before it’s even done! When that happens, I just go with it and let the name guide be for the rest of the piece. It’s rare, but it happens!
And then Take it for a test run
I’ll take my top choice (or two) and apply one last little test:
Say the name out loud.
Say it in a bunch of different ways. Repeat the title a bunch and introduce yourself with it. “I’m Annie, and this is my painting XYZ.” It’s like trying on clothes you haven’t experimented with before. I have found that initially I’ll be embarrassed but, if it’s the right fit, the embarrassment will turn into excitement butterflies. If I still feel self-conscious after a bunch of imaginary introductions, then it’s not the right name and back to the drawing board I go!
A Big Note:
I share all of these not to serve as a guide for how you should title your art because everyone has their own approach! I sometimes envy the Mark Rothko approach of naming a primarily red painting Red but that just isn’t me (or my artwork).
And when I say “my artwork”, I’m referring to original art only. When it comes to commissioned art, especially one where I don’t know the recipient well, I don’t want to project too much of myself onto their personal memory of their pet, house, vacation spot, etc. So with commissions, I either:
Name the piece something straightforward, (eg. A Portrait of Fido or Cincinnati) or
Name the piece whatever the client requested (eg. Happy birthday, Marshmallow! or In Loving Memory of Arthur)
What’s in this particular name?
The whole, aforementioned process is how I came up with A Spot in the Shade. It touches on my short list topics/feelings I wanted to convey as well as one of my favorite parts of the painting, the shadows. It also avoids my two no-gos: anything too sweet and anything to reminiscent of birthdays (although any picture of cake is probably going to feel a bit wedding or birthday-related).
A Spot in the Shade
This piece was one of the first large scale paintings that I made for myself in… maybe ever? I used a photo from my dear friend’s baby shower (hi Mags!), a bunch of untouched materials, and just played and experimented to see what would happen. The result was a process that felt exciting/new and a piece that brings me joy every time I look at it.
Here are the details:
A Spot in the Shade
Watercolor and Colored Pencil on Paper, 11x14”
in a custom 16x19.25” light wood frame
In case you were wondering, A Spot in the Shade is not for purchase yet. I’m still enjoying its company right now ☻ It will likely be made available later this year!
That’s all from me!
Would love to hear from you if:
You are also an artist who is also out here naming art, or
You are a human reader (artist or not) who made it to the end of this blog post!
Leave me a comment below!
Talk to you soon and happy new year!
