Finishing a Painting - How Do You Know When It's Done?
Give me a blank canvas any day!
I have no trouble starting a painting - in fact I have more “in process” paintings than room to store them. A clean white surface only beckons me. No fear there.
But when it comes to finishing a painting, that’s my sticking point.
“Mountain Water #1” Acrylic, graphite on Yupo paper. 11” x 14” 2020 ©Amy Guion Clay See on my store HERE:
And it’s not just with painting - my blog is shamefully behind despite scores of unfinished blog posts just waiting for that final brilliant insight - ha!
As long as things aren’t complete, there’s still the chance it will reach it’s idealized potential. It could still be that grandiose masterpiece I wish it to be.
Of course, the cop-out is that by not finishing it, we will never know.
Some of us are naturally “start-up” people, others are “closers”.
I’m the former. I have more ideas and projects in various states of development, but often lose interest when the going gets tedious or tough.
Of course, I’ve finished hundreds of paintings and blog posts too, so I’ve learned not to let my resistance stop me from following through. But it can be hard work. After years of practice, I just know this about myself and therefore pay particular attention to this final phase of the process.
“Mountain Water #2” Acrylic, graphite on Yupo paper. 11” x 14” 2020 ©Amy Guion Clay See on my store HERE:
The fact is, for me, finishing is the most vulnerable stage of the painting. It calls for committing to something, to staking a claim, and there is an irrational fear of no turning back. I’d often rather start something new than finish what I’ve started.
And the trickiest part of the painting is when it is ALMOST, BUT NOT QUITE (done). You might think it’s just a “fix” away, but once that new stroke is made, the rest of the painting might call for something else, and so on, until the painting needs to do a 360 degree turnaround at the 11th hour.
We are often so attached to the painting at this point that we become paralyzed. We don’t want to “wreck” what we have done so we can’t move forward. This is where the adage says - we must be willing to let go of what WAS, for what it could become. Otherwise the work will stay in a state of arrested development. This is true in life and art, no?
I’ve had many last minute turnarounds - one particular painting, early in my career, was refusing to buck up. I simply could not get it to find it’s final place. Out of frustration I stenciled huge letters BREAKTHROUGH onto the painting in a state of surrender. This was the portal back into the work, and it unleashed a flurry of mark making that would lead to a radical departure from my previous work. To this day it is one of my favorite paintings. And while the stenciled word was soon buried under layers of further painting, the history of that surrender was integral to the painting it would ultimately become.
“Mountain Water #3” Acrylic, graphite on Yupo paper. 11” x 14” 2020 ©Amy Guion Clay See on my store HERE:
So if you are almost done, but not quite, here are a few ways that might help you:
Firstly, I never try to finish a painting when I’m tired or it’s the end of the day. My best painting hours are in the morning so I will hold off until I am refreshed the following day. Your best working time may be different so reserve that time for completing.
I make sure I have few distractions. I turn off my phone/computer, play meditative music, and listen deeply. The intuitive self will guide me.
I leave the painting on the easel or the wall, front and center, and spend a lot of time looking and listening. Waiting for clues. I find finishing requires a very subtle presence.
There are lots of “rules” in art making, but I generally don’t adhere too much to them - I’m more inclined to use my intuition. But you can analyze your painting to see if it is:
compositionally well balanced
has enough contrast in tone
harmonious, discordant, soothing or dynamic in color (depending on your intention)
I also look to see:
Does the painting draw you IN? Is it interesting?
Have I been holding back in some way? Have I taken the bold actions I wanted to?
Is it authentic to me? Or have I been trying to please others?
Finally, I ASK THE PAINTING directly if it’s done. This might sound woo-woo but it’s really just asking your deeper more intuitive self for guidance. This tends to be the most honest information, but it is hard for many to hear it and act accordingly.
And then, finally, how do you know when it’s done?
The simple answer is - when there simply is nothing else that beckons you forward in the painting. When there is no big or small impulse to continue further. When you would hang it on your wall with no apology or excuse. When you intuit that it is complete.
And in the end it doesn’t really matter. It may be done for now. I’ve had paintings go out to a gallery for a show, then months, even years later, if it comes back to me unsold, I will continue to paint it. It’s only ever done when it’s done. And then sometimes you just have to call it and let it go.
So, how do YOU know when a painting is done? Are you a starter or a closer? How do you bring your work to it’s completion?