Creating a title for your artwork can be challenging! This video provides tips for artwork titles: considering how a title can help an audience understand an artwork better, or even surprised your audience.
Discussion with Art Prof Clara Lieu and Teaching Artists Deepti Menon and Mia Rozear.
Video Walkthrough
- If you have a very large body of artworks, sometimes it’s simply a matter of convenience to number the titles instead of giving each artwork it’s own custom title.
- Titles for artworks are necessary if you want to apply for grants, residencies, or work with galleries.
- You can always use the classic Untitled if you really can’t think of anything!
- Whether people will see the title of the artwork isn’t always guaranteed, it depends on the context where people see your artwork.
- People often do look to plaques on museum walls for titles of artworks, whereas online they may not see it or look for it.
- There is a long tradition of Self-Portrait, Self-Portrait as…., and Self-Portrait with… that you can follow if you want.
- Some artwork titles are meant to be confounding to an audience.
- Many artists scoff at writing titles, but you do have to do it to work professionally.
- Titles can add a narrative element to the artwork, and perhaps change the way people see the piece
- Titles can provide a clue about what the piece is, and eve guide the audience in a specific direction that aligns with the artist’s intent.
- If you’re struggling with an artwork title, start by writing down words that come to mind when you look at your artwork.
- Consider the positive/negative connotations that come with specific words.
- When all else fails when giving your artwork a title, you can always go literal!
- A lot of people enjoy artwork titles because it can change their perception and/or understanding of an artwork.
- Some titles can be playful, for example using a play on words.
- Consider the specifics of your title: are you including names? Locations? Are you trying to hint at or imply something?
Artists Mentioned
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