Pseudonyms, Pen Names, and Aliases for Artists

Promoting your fine art under a pseudonym: what do yous need to know?

Ever heard of Michelangelo Merisi, Donato di Niccolò di Betto Bardi, Dominikos Theotokòpulos, Moishe Shagal, or Marcus Rothkowitz?

pseudonym art history

These names may not mean a lot to you, but they might if nosotros told you the names these men are more than commonly known by: Caravaggio, Donatello, El Greco, Marc Chagall, and Marker Rothko.

Working nether a pseudonym is a big determination for an artist, and one that shouldn't be fabricated lightly. Once you brand your decision, you lot need to stick with information technology. Changing your name multiple times beyond your career can greatly hurt your marketability equally an artist. Long-time fans might not know who y'all are anymore, older collectors won't be able to observe you, and you will lose the carefully created reputation you take earned. Brand sure you accept considered all factors before making your decision.

Why should you work nether a pseudonym?

Common and Confusing Birth Names

One of the most mutual reasons to piece of work under a pseudonym is if your proper noun is either too mutual or too confusing. For example, Pablo Picasso might not accept had such a memorable proper name if he went by Pablo Diego José Francisco de Paula Juan Nepomuceno María de los Remedios Cipriano de la Santísima Trinidad Ruiz y Picasso.

How to find out if your name is too common

Practise an internet search of your name. Await on Google, Facebook, and LinkedIn. Search for your name and close spellings of your proper name. Search for your proper noun + "creative person."

Artist Nilo Awakenings 5, Digital Artwork on Canvas
Artist Nilo Awakenings 5, Digital Artwork on Canvas
  • Are at that place more than than 10 other people with your proper noun?
  • Is there another professional person creative person with your name?
  • Is there somebody with your proper name who is famous in another way?

If the answer to any of these questions is "aye" then you should strongly consider using an allonym. Fifty-fifty if they aren't artists, everyone else with your proper name is your contest: they'll all brand it harder for people to detect yous online.

For example, allow's look at the common "John Smith." When you type in "John Smith art" into Google, you get over 288,000,000 results. Needless to say, that's quite a few John Smiths that potential customers are going to have to feed through in society to notice the correct artist – you!

How to decide if your name is "confusing"

This can't exist learned through a Google search, merely you should already take a good thought of it. How often do people ask you to spell your proper noun? How often exercise people mispronounce your proper noun? How long is your name? Vi syllables should likely exist the maximum.

Likewise consider the market place you are in. If y'all are planning on marketing your work in a new country, consider the linguistic communication restraints of the native speakers. Some languages don't utilise the same pronunciations of certain letters, so try to get in contact with somebody from that country and ask them whether your name will exist understandable to the general public.

Don't feel like you lot have to hide your heritage. You don't demand to white-wash your name to appease your audience: only see if at that place are some simplifications you can do to make your name more attainable. See what you tin can practice to make your proper noun less confusing without losing your identity.

Personal Life Conflicts

Privacy

Some artists are very open about their personal life. They'll share every concluding detail of their personal biography to anyone who asks. However, other artists prefer to remain a lilliputian more bearding. A pseudonym will let you to create a level of separation between your personal life and your professional life as an artist.

Legality

Many street artists or artists who create very controversial pieces will work under a pseudonym. The fine art world isn't all white wine and fancy parties; some artists are arrested for the work they do.

Multiple Professions

If y'all accept a professional person career other than your art, then you may want to consider using two split up names. For example, if y'all are a physician, you may want to keep your given name for your medical do and use a new name for your artwork. Otherwise, your 2 businesses may disharmonize with each other: when people are looking for your medical practice they may not find information technology if all of the internet results are almost your artwork and vice versa.

Marketing Advantages

Create a new identity

A pseudonym can exist a practiced opportunity to reinvent yourself. Building a captivating new persona requires communicating a clear sense of your identity equally an artist. A new or altered name can be powerful in redefining your narrative and establishing what yous correspond.

Alexandre Ouiary took this to a new level when he pretended to be Chinese for over a decade, creating artwork with an "oriental" theme nether the proper noun Tao Hongjing. His thought process made sense, in a fashion: he knew he wanted to break into the Asian fine art marketplace and that collectors would not purchase Chinese artwork from a French artist. However, the publicity that resulted when his hoax was exposed was very negative, and he probable will not be able to continue working under that name.

Remove any identity

Sometimes, however, an identity tin can interferewith some artists' messages. Ethnicity, national background, and fifty-fifty gender can sometimes create preconceptions that alter how your viewers see your work. If yous would prefer for your proper name to be androgynous, accept a cue from famed authors J.Yard. Rowling or Harper Lee (real names Joanne Rowling and Nelle Harper Lee), who used slightly altered versions of their true names to go along from being gender-identifiable and keep their work from beingness influenced by gender stereotypes.

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Ridges twenty-22 by ASen

Rebranding

If you are almost to start an entirely new mode of artwork, if you've recently come into bad press, or if you're well-nigh to begin a collaboration, yous may want to use a pseudonym to "rebrand" yourself every bit an artist. Many huge companies have undergone a name change: Google used to exist chosen BackRub, Pepsi used to exist chosen Brad'south Drink, and the TV station ABC Family unit will soon exist changing their name to Freeform to attract an older audience.

Exist careful when you are rebranding. Pick a name that "goes" with your new style of artwork. For example, the musician Snoop Dogg uses the pseudonym Snoop Lion when releasing reggae albums, and David Bowie's "Ziggy Stardust" persona was intended to announced otherworldly.

What are the possible disadvantages of using a pseudonym for your art?

If y'all are already established as an artist, it can exist a bad idea to begin working under a new name. You will confuse your followers and possibly lose your audience'south loyalty.

Creating an artist proper name tin can also be addictive. In one case people realize they can "alter" their name, they tend to go overboard, switching up regularly and several times. You cannot build a consistent following if y'all continue changing your name, equally you will lose out on the ability of referrals and name recognition. If you do create a new artist name, commit.

Having an artist name can cause some confusion in your personal life. Close friends and family may not consistently think or respect your "new" proper name. Exist articulate with them that you are using your new proper name to promote your artwork, and ask for them to remember to refer to yous by your pseudonym whenever speaking to new people about your artwork.

Sometimes, creating a new name can lead to some embarrassing mix-ups. For example, the Nokia Lumia translates in Spanish to "prostitute." Just be conscientious when getting artistic about what your new proper name could mean, and exercise some research before you publish information technology anywhere!

How to Create an Artist Name/Pseudonym

If y'all've decided that you need to promote your artwork under a pseudonym, deciding on your new name volition be a difficult and scary task. Here are some simple strategies to create your art alias:

1. Add an initial

If your name is John Smith and you lot're looking to get-go off your career as an artist you lot tin differentiate yourself from the hundreds of other John Smiths out there with a simple extra initial or ii: "John P. 1000. Smith" or "Grand. John Smith" can make a earth of difference and won't actually change your proper noun too much.

2. Combine your names

Many of our artists, like painter DAVO, accept opted for this route to make their names shorter or easier to remember. Shortening your proper name can create a distinct, memorable aura effectually yourself and your art. Information technology becomes an easy and quick to disseminate moniker, something catchy, enduring and straightforward. "John Smith" can become "Jomith" or "Smithon."

3. Use a different part of your proper name

Maybe your centre name or maiden name are more 'interesting' than your current commencement and last name. Some of our artists merely use variations of their first or last proper noun to promote their works, like Mando and Goodash.

iv. Play with words and translations

Agora artist Tony Svensson publishes his photography under the proper noun "Artura Photograph Fine art" with "Artura" being a combination of the words "art" and "nature" – the perfect proper noun for his botanical-centric pieces.

v. Remove some syllables

WhenMark Rothko changed his name out of fear of antisemitism, he only dropped the "us" and "witz" from Markus Rothkowitz. Whether you're changing your proper name to remove cultural associations, or if you think it'south simply likewise long for your audience, see what interesting things can happen when you drop a few syllables and change nada else!

6. Think about what mode of work you are creating and who your audience is

Although something like "Plumpy Pumpernickel" is definitely memorable and eye-communicable, information technology doesn't wait serious or legitimate on an exhibition poster. "Plumpy" might be an appropriate proper noun for a satirical artist or children'due south illustrator, information technology won't work and then well for a professional person portraiture artist.

Once you've come with a proper noun yous're happy with, "test drive" information technology for a few weeks. Say it out loud, tell some trusted close friends. Exercise a signature. If you like it after a few weeks, make information technology official. Start signing your artworks, publish your website with your new artist name, create social media pages, and tell your friends and family.

Do you have any questions for the art experts? Comment below or email united states of america at blogs@agora-gallery.com

With over xxx years of experience, Agora Gallery offers artists the opportunity to present their work to a broad range of national and international art collectors and buyers. Looking for an opportunity to enhance your career? Visit our Gallery Representation And Creative person Promotion page for more information.

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