Certificate of authenticity for artwork
For original paintings, drawings, mixed media and sculpture. The artwork preset asks for exactly what a buyer, gallery or marketplace expects to see.
Sample in Sovereign. Your details appear here as you type.
A filled example for an original painting
One painting, two designs: Sovereign with the photo beside the details, and the same record in Contour, laid out without a photo. Switching designs in the editor keeps every field you typed.
What to put on an artwork certificate
Three things make it a certificate: who issues it, what the work is, and a signed statement. The rest is what a buyer, a gallery or an insurer looks for later.
| Field | In the example | Needed? |
|---|---|---|
| Issuer and role | Clara Vance, artist The person or gallery who signs the statement. | Required |
| Title or description | Morning Over the Salt Marsh Untitled works: describe them, e.g. “Untitled (blue study), 2026”. | Required |
| Statement | “I confirm that I made the original artwork…” One or two plain sentences. No legal language needed. | Required |
| Artist (creator) | Clara Vance Separate from the issuer when a gallery or studio issues it. | Encouraged |
| Year | 2026 | Encouraged |
| Medium | Oil on linen Support too: oil on linen, acrylic on birch panel. | Encouraged |
| Dimensions, with units | 24 × 30 in Height × width (× depth for sculpture), in or cm. | Encouraged |
| Photo of the work | The whole painting, uncropped | Optional |
| Certificate number | COA-2026-0417 Your own record number, unique to this certificate. | Optional |
| Issue date | October 12, 2026 | Optional |
| Signature | A blank line, signed in pen | Optional |
| Contact or website | Left off in this example Useful when the work is resold years later. | Optional |
Leave the price and the buyer's name off: they belong on the invoice, and the certificate stays valid when the work changes hands. The full checklist explains each field.
Original or edition?
The artwork preset starts as an original. Change it in the editor's edition field if the work is one of several.
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Original
1/1
One work exists. The certificate prints “Original, one of one”. Paintings, drawings, collage and most sculpture.
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Limited edition
7/25
A fixed run of prints or casts. It prints “Edition 7 of 25”, and every print gets its own certificate. See certificates for limited edition prints.
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Artist proof
AP 2/3
Proofs printed alongside an edition and kept outside its numbers. Read how to sign and number prints before you number a run.
Add a photo of the artwork
A photo lets anyone match the certificate to the work at a glance. The whole artwork shows by default, on a neutral mat; it is never stretched, recolored or retouched. Crop or rotate only if you choose to.
Upload a JPEG, PNG, WebP file up to 20 MB. The editor works out the resolution at the size the photo is placed and warns you below 200 ppi. As a rule of thumb, a photo placed at 80 × 60 mm needs about 945 × 709 px for 300 ppi.
| Your photo | Pixels | On the certificate |
|---|---|---|
| Phone photo | 3,024 × 4,032 | 1369 ppi: sharp |
| Camera export for the web | 1,536 × 2,048 | 695 ppi: sharp |
| Small web image | 810 × 1,080 | 367 ppi: sharp |
| Thumbnail | 360 × 480 | 163 ppi: prints soft, the editor warns |
No photo to hand? Every design has a layout without one; the details take the space instead.
Signing it, and keeping a record
A certificate is worth what its signature and your records are worth. Sign the printed sheet, then keep a copy you can find again.
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Sign in pen
The default is a blank line under “Artist signature”. Print the certificate and sign it by hand in archival ink, ideally the same way you sign the work.
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Typed or uploaded
You can type your name in a script face or upload a scan of your signature. Either is a visual element on the page, not a digital signature.
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Keep a record
Designing needs no account. When you download, a free account saves the issued certificate, so you can reprint it, correct and reissue it, or duplicate it for the next work.
When a gallery issues the certificate
A gallery that represents the artist can issue the certificate in its own name. Choose “Gallery / representative” as the issuer: the certificate then names the gallery as issuer and the artist as creator, the statement switches to the gallery's wording and the signature line reads “Signed for the gallery”.
- Artist's wording
- “I confirm that I made the original artwork described on this certificate and that the details recorded here are accurate.”
- Gallery's wording (this example)
- “North Fold Gallery represents the artist named here and confirms that the details of this original work recorded on this certificate are accurate to the best of its knowledge.”
- Gallery preset in the editor
- “On behalf of the gallery, I confirm that we represent the work described here and that the recorded details are accurate to the best of our knowledge.”
More options in statement wording for artists and galleries. Some marketplaces ask sellers to include a certificate with original work; check the rules of the one you sell through, as they differ.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get a free certificate of authenticity for my art?
You can make one here. Choose a design, fill in the artwork details and your statement, add a photo, and download a PDF to print and sign. It is free during launch; a free account is needed only for the download. Start with the certificate of authenticity template or the artwork maker at the top of this page. If you would rather write by hand, print a free blank certificate.
How do I get a certificate of authenticity for my artwork?
If you made the work, you issue the certificate yourself: describe the piece, state that you made it, sign and date it, and keep a copy. A gallery that represents you can issue one in its own name. Authentication of someone else's work by an expert is a different service. See statement wording for artists and galleries.
What does a certificate of authenticity for art show?
The artist's name, the title, year, medium and dimensions, often a photo of the work, an edition number for prints, a certificate number, the issue date, a short statement and the issuer's signature. The full checklist covers each one.
Should I include the price or the buyer's name?
Usually not. Price and buyer details belong on the invoice or bill of sale. Leaving them off means the certificate still makes sense if the work is sold again.
Can I make certificates for several paintings?
Yes. With a free account your issuer details are saved, so you can duplicate a certificate and change only the title, medium, size and photo for the next work. For prints in a numbered run, see certificates for limited edition prints.