Porcelain artists employ various distinctive methods to sign their sculptures, creating permanent marks that serve as both identification and artistic statement. These signatures typically appear on the base or inconspicuous areas of the piece, carefully integrated into the overall design. Traditional methods include:

1. Incised signatures - Artists carve their names or marks into the raw clay before firing, creating subtle indentations that become permanent after glazing.

2. Painted signatures - Using specialized ceramic paints or underglazes, artists hand-paint their marks which fuse with the piece during kiln firing.

3. Impressed stamps - Many artists create unique stamps or seals that leave a consistent, recognizable impression in the clay.

4. Signature styles - Some develop distinctive calligraphic styles or symbolic marks that become their artistic fingerprint.

These markings serve multiple purposes: establishing authenticity, creating provenance, and connecting the artwork to its creator's legacy. In contemporary practice, signatures may include dates, edition numbers for limited pieces, or even coded symbols representing specific collections. The placement and style often reflect the artist's personality - from minimalist initials to elaborate decorative flourishes that complement the sculpture's aesthetic.

Collectors value these marks as crucial authentication elements, while art historians use them to trace artistic development and verify periods of production. The evolution of signing practices also mirrors broader trends in ceramic art, from traditional workshop stamps to modern conceptual approaches where the signature itself becomes part of the artwork's narrative.