A Tip for Naming a Painting

'This Frosty Morn'            9x12         pastel         ©Karen Margulis
available $155

Being a daily painter has it's challenges. Some of the challenge include finding the time to paint.  and finding daily inspiration and motivation.  Once over these hurdles the biggest challenge of all comes in to play.....Naming the paintings!

I've done experiments on painting names. I have found there to be a definite increase in interest in paintings with unusual or interesting titles vs. paintings with generic titles. So it pays to spend time giving our paintings good names. But it can be hard to come up with appropriately interesting names. I have a tip that has opened up a world of painting names.

READ POETRY!

Lately I have been making a list of possible painting names based on poems. As I need to name the painting I just consult my list until I find a good match to the painting. Today's painting stumped me. Should I call it 'Snowy Day' or maybe 'Winter Day'?  I could only think or boring generic titles. I needed to read some winter poetry for inspiration! Since I usually paint in series it is easy to find poems that fit my series.

•  I just do a google search for poems that fit my theme such as 'Winter Poetry' 
• I spend time reading through some poems and write down words or phrases that speak to me.
• I keep this list on my desk in the studio and consult it when it is time to give a painting a name.
• Be sure to cross off the the title as you use them!

Painting notes: 9x12 on gray Canson Touch paper with Terry Ludwig and Diane Townsend pastels.