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I sign with a brush, a legible, written "Baumgaertner" and the full four digit date. I have seen paintings with an '03, and I didn't know if that is 1903, or 1803, or what. I sign my painting with the expectation that they will be around in a hundred years.
You do not need to put the copyright sign on the paining. It is automatically copyrighted when it is signed, and I think the sign looks commercial, not appropriate for a fine art piece.
For direction on how to sign your name, I look towards the established artists for direction. Does Daniel Green sign his portraits "Dan"? Does John Sanden sign his "J. H. S., '02" Does Raymond Kinstler sign his with block letters? Your signature denotes how much you respect your work. It is very telling that Van Gogh signed his paintings "Vincent." In order to be taken seriously as artists, we must first take ourselves seriously as artists. We need a serious signature. An adult, dignified, classic, serious signature.
Early on I took a sable brush, ink and large sheet of white poster board and wrote my last name, Baumgaertner, over 75 times. (I used "Baumgaertner" only because it is a long name, and I personally don't like initials in a signature. I have no problem with signing with a female first name. I've never lost a commission or been paid less because I was a woman....). I then cut out the individual signatures and eliminated the bad ones. I ended up with 20 that looked pretty good, turned them upside down and picked out the best, then turned those sideways until I had the one, balanced signature. I them copied that signature with a brush until I could do it correctly and effortlessly. I've been using that signature on all of my art work for 20 years.
Peggy
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