Finished…maybe…
The key to finishing is quitting. Just quit painting for a while….and that is different from stopping! Quitting doesn’t mean you can’t go back to the piece tomorrow or next week, but quitting early is tons better than later. In the beginning, the only way I knew I was finished was when I had done one thing too many - and was sorry. I would nudge a painting forward and only knew I should stop when the painting WAS right an hour ago.
It’s a common dilemma and experience helps the most. That’s why I tell people to just paint. Paint, paint, paint until you’ve made every mistake you can — then think of new challenges so you can make new mistakes to learn from.
As far as when a painting is finished, I don’t know the answer. I only know what is right for me. When I start to lose my momentum and doubt starts to creep in then I know I need to step away from the painting. I will actually sit with the brush hover over the piece and get anxious. I now know that I’m searching for something to do so I can keep working on a painting that I’ve become friendly with - a clear sign that the end is near.
Another trick I use is to have a new piece drawn and hovering on the edge of the table. It’s easier to wind up a piece if I have another I’m excited about working on.
It’s all about tricking ourselves —- into making good decisions and staying focused. I’ve learned what works for me - most of the time anyway!
