A great title doesn't just label your art — it adds meaning, creates intrigue, and increases perceived value. "Untitled" or "Landscape #47" leaves money on the table. This guide shows you how to craft titles that enhance your work and help it sell.
1. Why Titles Matter for Sales
Your title is often the second thing a buyer notices after the image itself. It shapes how they interpret your work and whether they connect with it emotionally.
What a Good Title Does
- Creates emotional connection: Gives viewers a way into the piece
- Adds perceived value: "Golden Hour at Mirror Lake" feels more valuable than "Sunset 3"
- Makes work memorable: Buyers remember and can reference specific pieces
- Improves searchability: Descriptive titles help with SEO on Etsy, Google, etc.
- Sparks conversation: "What does the title mean?" is a sales opportunity
Artists who title their work "Untitled" or use generic numbers sell 20-30% less than those with descriptive titles, according to gallery sales data. A title signals that you care about the work — and that the buyer should too.
2. Title Formulas That Work
🎯 Proven Title Formulas
3. Titles by Art Genre
🏔️ Landscapes
- Morning Mist on Mirror Lake
- Where the Mountains Meet the Sky
- Last Light on the Valley
- Storm Over the Plains
- The Quiet Path
👤 Portraits
- The Reader
- Lost in Thought
- Grandmother's Hands
- Waiting
- Strength
🔷 Abstract
- Convergence
- Between Worlds
- Chaos and Calm
- Emergence
- Dialogue in Blue
🌸 Still Life
- Summer's Bounty
- Morning Light on Copper
- The Last Peony
- Kitchen Window
- Simple Pleasures
🌊 Seascapes
- Tide Coming In
- Endless Blue
- The Fisherman's Dawn
- Salt and Sky
- Where the Waves Break
🏙️ Urban/Street
- Rush Hour
- City Lights
- The Corner Café
- Rainy Night in Brooklyn
- Urban Solitude
4. Common Mistakes to Avoid
| ❌ Weak Title | ✅ Stronger Alternative | Why It's Better |
|---|---|---|
| Untitled | Silent Morning | Creates mood, invites interpretation |
| Landscape #47 | October in Vermont | Specific, evocative, memorable |
| Pretty Flowers | First Blooms | Less generic, hints at story |
| Abstract Blue Painting | Depth | Conceptual, not literal description |
| My Cat | The Afternoon Nap | Universal appeal, not just personal |
| Beach Scene 2024 | Where the Sky Meets the Sand | Poetic, transports the viewer |
Untitled: Signals you don't care enough to name it.
Numbers only: "Abstract #47" feels like inventory, not art.
Overly clever puns: Can cheapen serious work.
Inside jokes: Exclude viewers who aren't "in on it."
Extremely long titles: Keep it under 6-7 words for impact.
The "First Thought" Test
Your first title idea is often too obvious. If you paint a sunset and immediately think "Sunset," push further:
- What time of day? → "Golden Hour"
- What place? → "Golden Hour at Point Reyes"
- What feeling? → "The Day's Last Gift"
- What story? → "Where We Said Goodbye"
Many artists title work too early. Wait until the piece is finished, then sit with it. What feelings does it evoke? What story emerged during creation? The right title often reveals itself after the work is done.
✨ Generate Titles with AI
Upload your artwork and get professional title suggestions based on mood, subject, and style. Plus descriptions and keywords for your listings.
Try Title GeneratorFrequently Asked Questions
Yes. The title belongs to the artwork, not the format. Whether someone buys an original, a canvas print, or an 8×10 paper print, it's still "Morning Mist on Mirror Lake."
Yes, but be cautious. If the piece has been featured, reviewed, or purchased before, changing the title can create confusion. For unsold work, feel free to update titles that aren't working.
In formal contexts (catalogs, press), artwork titles are typically italicized: Morning Mist. In casual contexts (social media, your website), quotes or no formatting is fine: "Morning Mist" or just Morning Mist.
Abstract titles can be: emotional (Tension, Release, Joy), conceptual (Emergence, Dialogue, Between Worlds), descriptive of process (Layered, Intersections), or simple (Blue Study, Composition VII). Avoid literal descriptions of shapes/colors.