How to Name Your Artwork: Creative Strategies and Meaningful Title Ideas

6 Jun 2025

1. Intro & Scope

A title is the first impression your artwork makes. It helps curators file, collectors search, and viewers connect. This guide from subjektiv.art breaks down naming strategies from our studio into a clear, fast process. You can finish it in one afternoon. Read start to finish or skip around. Each section is short, about 300 words. The whole guide stays under 3,000.

Why Titles Matter

Recognition – “Starry Night” triggers memory faster than the image.
Search & Sales – Words show up in Google. Brushstrokes don’t.
Signal Value – A strong title shows you’ve thought about the work.

How to Use This Guide

Work through Sections 2–7 with a fresh page or worksheet (see Section 10).

Sections 8–11 help polish and publish the final version.

2. Understanding Your Artwork Before You Title It

A good title captures the core of your work. You can’t name it well if you haven’t figured out what it really says. Start here.

Core Theme, Mood & Message

Write a two-sentence summary of the piece.

Example: “This painting explores urban loneliness through cool greys and fractured skylines.”

Now underline key nouns and verbs. These become title seeds.

Medium, Scale & Series Context

Size shapes tone.

A six-metre mural can feel epic.
A postcard etching might suggest wit or intimacy.

Ask:

Is this part of a series?
If so, should the titles follow a pattern?

Consistency often beats cleverness in multi-work sets.

Identifying Your Primary Audience

Think about who's reading the title.

Is it for Instagram?
A gallery label?
A museum curator?

Your language needs to match their expectations.

Casual works online.
Formal reads well in catalogues.
Poetic gets remembered.
Meme-friendly grabs scrolls.

Pick the tone that meets them where they are.

3. Creative Naming Strategies

One piece. Many angles. These naming types help you try different directions before you land on the right one.

Descriptive Titles

Go literal.

“Girl with Red Umbrella”
Anchors the viewer fast
Best for realism and documentary-style work

Metaphorical / Symbolic

Blend objects and meaning.

“Paper Ships in Iron Seas”
Works when your visuals hint at deeper ideas

Narrative & Story-Driven

Pull from fiction—add story, mood, or aftermath.

“After the Storm Broke, We Slept”
Great for emotional or cinematic work

Conceptual / Abstract Wordplay

Match the title to feeling or process.

“Chromatic Drift No. 2”
Ideal for non-figurative or experimental pieces

One-Word Power Titles

Short. Punchy. Easy to search.

“Reverb”
“Eclipse”
“Pulse”
These play well on labels, walls, and social feeds

Studio Exercise

Write one title in each of the five styles above. Then circle the one that hits hardest. That’s your starting point.

4. Wordcraft & Language Tools

You’ve got the idea. Now sharpen the language. These tools help you turn a rough draft into a title that sticks.

Literary Devices

Use these to add rhythm or punch:

Alliteration – Repeating first sounds:“Silver Silence,” “Crimson Cacophony”
Assonance – Repeating vowel sounds:“Echo of Oases”
Contrast – Juxtaposing opposites:“Fragile Giants”

Use sparingly—just enough to add texture without feeling forced.

Multilingual Flair

Foreign words can add nuance, but only if you know them well.

“Saudade” (Portuguese) works.
Google-Translate-level Japanese doesn’t.

If you borrow, respect the culture. Know the full meaning.

Synonyms, Thesauri & AI Generators

Run key words through a thesaurus to expand your options.Check connotations. Avoid awkward or out-of-place phrasing.

AI tools can spark ideas, but don’t expect them to finish the job. They’re for brainstorming, not final drafts.

Good language turns a good idea into a memorable title.

5. Avoiding Clichés & Common Pitfalls

Overused Phrases & the Untitled No. 7 Trap

Some words have lost their edge:

“Journey”
“Reflections”
“Soulscape”

They don’t say much anymore. If you must go untitled, add a hook: “Untitled (Solar Lullaby)” gives just enough to anchor the viewer.

Ambiguity vs. Vagueness

There’s a line between mystery and confusion.

Mystery pulls people in.
Vagueness pushes them away.

Test it:Ask a friend what the title suggests.If they shrug, you haven’t gone deep enough

Trademark & Copyright Checks in 60 Seconds

Search your title idea in quotes + “painting” or “album.”Example: "Neon Exodus" painting

If nothing major shows up, you’re clear.If the phrase is everywhere, tweak it.

Smart titles don’t explain. They frame.Avoid what’s tired, test what’s unclear, and protect what’s original.

6. Cultural, Ethical & Market Considerations

A title lives in the world. Make sure it holds up across cultures, platforms, and professional spaces.

Sensitivity & Appropriation

If you're referencing a culture, know it deeply.

Understand the language.
Respect the symbols.
Credit your sources.

Surface-level borrowing reads as careless.

SEO & Discoverability

Search engines care about nouns.

Put a strong, clear word at the front:“Neon Exodus (Mixed-Media Diptych)”

That one phrase boosts indexing, clarity, and sales.

Gallery, Fair & Auction Preferences

Some venues require details in the title:

Medium
Year
Series number

Check submission guidelines early. A last-minute title change can cost time—or a spot on the wall.

The right title balances personal meaning with public readability.

7. Testing Your Title

A title that sounds good in your head isn’t always the one that sticks. Test before you commit.

Quick Audience Polls

Use Instagram Stories or close friends.

Post two title options.
Watch for replies—not just votes.
Strong reactions matter more than like counts.

Reading It Aloud

Say it out loud—twice.

If it flows, it’s solid.
If it stumbles, it needs a trim.

Tongue-twisters break rhythm. Smooth titles sound effortless.

Archivability

Think long-term.

Will curators understand the reference in 2045?
If not, consider adding a subtitle.

Example:“404 Error (Self-Portrait Series)”

A good title works in the moment.

A great one survives the archive.

8. Formatting & Consistency

Strong titles help you stand out. Consistent formatting helps you stay organized.

Capitalisation Styles

Use Title Case (Cap Every Important Word).It’s standard for gallery catalogues and labels.

Avoid ALL CAPS unless it’s part of the concept.

Date, Medium & Series Number

Add these only when needed.

For a series:“Tidal Sequence #4, 2025”

For everything else, let the wall label handle medium and date.

Cohesive Naming Scheme

Think ahead.

Will your next 10 pieces follow a similar title format?
Series with consistent grammar or tone build collector trust.

Examples:

All one-word verbs: “Drift,” “Split,” “Fuse”
All conceptual phrases: “Notes for a Future Archive,” “Echo Study No. 3”

Decide once, apply across the board.

Titles aren’t just names—they’re a system.

Keep it clean. Keep it readable. Keep it yours.

9. Documenting & Publishing the Title

Once your title is locked, lock it everywhere else too. Inconsistency breaks trust.

Updating Catalogues & Certificates

Log the final title in:

Your DAM (digital asset manager)
Spreadsheets
Certificates of authenticity

Then sync across:

Website
Captions
Invoices

If one field’s off, it can mess with provenance.

Metadata for Websites, NFTs & Databases

Embed the title in your image file’s IPTC field.

NFT platforms read this when minting.
Online galleries pull from metadata too.
Add it once. It stays with the file.

Version Control

If you rename the work later:

Add the old name in parentheses
Update all connected records

Example:“Urban Fog (formerly ‘Grey #3’)”

Collectors and curators will thank you.

Names travel. Track them properly and your work stays traceable.

10. Subjektiv.art Title Lab - Pro Tips & Resources

Tool	What It Does	Link
5-Minute Brainstorm Sheet	Quick worksheet, printable	subjektiv.art/title-worksheet-2025.pdf
Word Spark	QR to rhythm, thesaurus, idea banks	subjektiv.art/qr-language-pack.png
Inspiration Well	Curated titles from poetry, myth, astronomy	subjektiv.art/title-inspo-list
Personal Help	Book a 15-min Zoom title consult	subjektiv.art/title-consult

Subjektiv Pro Tip: Keep a shared “Live Titles” Google Doc.

Let every team member drop phrases or name ideas.
We’ve salvaged three catalogue deadlines this way.

11. Quick-Reference Checklist & FAQ

Use this to confirm you’ve covered every step—from first draft to final publish.

Title Checklist

1. Defined the artwork’s message? (See Section 2)
2. Drafted three or more title options? (See Section 3)
3. Refined using rhythm or contrast? (See Section 4)
4. Screened for clichés or legal overlap? (See Section 5)
5. Checked tone, SEO, and cultural context? (See Section 6)
6. Tested aloud or via poll? (See Section 7)
7. Locked formatting and naming scheme? (See Section 8)
8. Synced title across docs, files, and platforms? (See Section 9)