Tips for Finishing a Painting
EPISODE 80
Are you surrounded by unfinished paintings? Is the situation causing you stress? If you answered yes, stay tuned. In this episode, I am sharing tips and ideas to bring more closure and completion to your art practice.
First up, I want to say-this is not about perfection. Quite the opposite. You’ll hear me talking about stopping at the 80% mark, turning the canvas upside down, using time limits, breaking the rules of composition and more!
Plus there’s the usual chit chat about what is going down this week. I’m trying out a tougher stance on Instagram Direct Messages while Richie is getting excited about filming more lessons for our new online class, Modern Mixed Media.
Here’s a quick summary of my finishing tips:
Work on multiple pieces until one becomes your favourite. Allow this one to guide and support you as you complete the others.
Take paintings up to the 80% completion mark and STOP! Let it rest and ask yourself if 80% could be enough.
Bring your paintings out of your studio or painting space. Look at them in a setting that is more like where they will eventually end up, e.g., a lounge room. View them from a variety of angles and distances.
Contemplate an unfinished painting, but not for too long. Try and identify a few things to change (write a short list) and then implement those things quickly and confidently. Setting a time limit can be helpful for this.
Take progress photos. Notice at what stage a painting is at when you love it most. You can also print photos and draw on them with a pen or pencil to test out ideas. This can also be done on apps on your phone.
Turn your painting upside down to check the balance of the painting. See if anything feels off or too heavily weighted in one direction.
Return to your spark/original intention. Ask yourself if the painting has revealed its story. Did you capture the feeling you were after? If you are not sure, ask the painting for guidance. That might sound a bit woo woo, but I find it helps!
Choose a title. The act of putting words and a description on your painting can help you know if the piece is resolved.
Look at the composition of the painting but don’t get stuck on the rules. Things like the Rule of Thirds can be helpful, but there are many examples where artists break the rules with fabulous results. Focus more on how your eyes move through a painting, where the emphasis is, and ultimately, how it feels.
Finally, ask yourself if it feels done. Not, is it perfect but is it done?
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