Completing your artwork - "Is it finished?"
"Art
is never finished, only abandoned”
Leonardo
da Vinci
Although
I agree with this concept, I do think we need to know when to
“abandon” our artworks and call them “finished”.
I
myself am often guilty of overworking paintings. I can become carried
away by the process and don't stand back from my work when I should.
This can result in too much detail, loosing the sense of spontaneity
and expression.
There
are three things I use to help me decide when a painting is
“complete” :-
Firstly,
I was once given this advice....
“When
you think your work is NEARLY finished, then it is most probably
finished” …
This
advice is invaluable, when you think your work is looking good and
nearly finished LEAVE it to one side for a day or so. When you go
back to it with fresh eyes, you will see it quite differently. You
may immediately like what you see and confirm to leave it “finished”,
or see an area that needs more work or correction.
Secondly,
take photographs of your work. Looking through a viewfinder and at
your work on the computer really shows up mistakes in your
composition if there are any. A quick photo with your smartphone can
help you decide if your work is complete.
Thirdly,
always have a selection of pre-cut mounts in a variety of colours and
sizes. Simply placing a mount around your work can make a huge
difference to how it looks.
Don't
forget that less can most definitely be more, you can always add to
it later!
How
do you decide when to leave your work, have you your own tips to
recommend? Let us know in the comments below.
Many years to complete... |
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