The artist, Nicholas Wilton, with his dog, Maisy.
You loved how everything was going, you are on top of the world and then suddenly everything changes. You just went too far. If you had just stopped earlier…. Stopping is a very hard thing to do. This always comes up in the ArtLife Workshops. Here are the 5 ways I use to not overwork my Art.
1 WORK LITTLE AND OFTEN
Over the years I have shortened the time of my painting sessions. I used to slave a way all day long but finally realized that I am way more efficient and can maintain objectivity if I limit my time to about 2 hours per piece. This way, I don’t burn out and am more excited to come back to it the next day. Like a great dinner party, or a very small amazing desert, it is always better to leave wishing there was more.
2 HIGH ENERGY
There is high energy when you are starting something new or when the work is going well. Once things start to get too complicated or things are going in an unfavorable direction, there is a corresponding feeling of boredom or low energy. Pay attention so you can then change the particular process you are involved in to one that generates a more positive sensation for you. If suddenly the feelings shift it might mean it is time to stop.
3 MAKE SEVERAL THINGS
The easiest way to remain objective is to work on several things simultaneously. Try switching after an hour or so to something else. The soul loves change and will reawaken when presented with a fresh opportunity to see and consider something new. Working on a second piece often provides helpful information for the first.
4 SLEEP ON IT
If you can go away there will always be a fresh reserve of objectivity and non-attachment upon your return. By the next day, the particular art issue that concerned me is totally irrelevant. Go away for a day and when you come back all will be thankfully different.
5 IS IT WONDERFUL?
If your work seems pretty great to you it is important to stop. Ask yourself “Does this give me a feeling of Wonder?”
Imagine someone walking down the road and they have just noticed your art lying on the ground. Would they stoop down and pick it up? If they would, then stop working.
You want them to stop and preferably, after they make sure no one is looking, put it in their pocket and take it home with them. In that case you will be happy you stopped.
How do you know when to stop? Please leave your comments below.
Inquisitively, Nicholas
17 Comments
Hi! I’m
Nicholas Wilton
the founder of Art2Life.
With over 20 years experience as a working artist and educator, I’ve developed a systematic approach that brings authenticity, spontaneity and joy back into the creative process.
Join me and artists from all over the world in our Free Art2Life Artists Facebook Group or learn more here about Art2Life.
agree with everything above-also a change of scale is helpful after working on large 6 x 4 foot panels it’s nice to work on 4 x 6 inch postcard size collages-different perspective different rhythm.also Brian Eno’s Oblique Strategy cards/aphorims are usefull
Yes switching scale is good too–hadn’t thought of that one-I find that I am so used to working big that I can’t go much smaller than 12″ x 12″ as I now lack the fine motor skills to work those tiny brushes!-never seen those Eno cards will check them out.
Great tips! I often stop (or at least pause) when I have the feeling that “one more thing” might compromise the piece.
Wonderful tips — thank you for sharing!! I work intuitively which can often turn one painting into many paint overs until I “feel” it’s time to stop. For my paintings I know I’m done when the title of the piece pops into my mind.
I too let the title come to me as I work on it..it just kind of pops into my mind near the end…
Since I do crafts rather than painting, I stop when the glue goes on!
Like the color of my skin
Or the day that I grow old
My life is made of patterns
That can scarcely be controlled
People look for patterns everywhere in what they see as well as what they hear. When painting (especially in the abstract) artists will hear “patterns” of advice. Wow, this will be great “when it’s finished.” It’s “not finished, right?” I have found the best advice on how to finish a painting is 1) To abandon it (like Balzac: a book is never finished only abandoned)…..or to declare it finished and never, ever show it to anyone without it framed, or hung and signed.
© 1965 Words and Music by Paul Simon
This song is available on:
The Paul Simon Songbook
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Finishing it is so personal…saying it is so in a way makes it so!
Paul Klee said something similar to ‘a painting is finished when it looks at you’. This corresponds to my way of working which is that when a painting ‘suddenly’ communicates back at me or radiates towards me, I know it is finished. In other words the ‘flow’ suddenly switches so that I’m no longer ’cause’ but I become the ‘effect’ of the painting. I have learned at that point that if I then decide to “tidy up something” I will loose the whole effect! So instead of loosing the painting and I have lost way too many over the decades with the ‘well I’ll just change this’ or ‘paint over that bit’ or ‘it just needs a little bit of’ type of thinking to make it perfect”!!!! Yeah right!!!) I just stop and enjoy what it’s saying/radiating. No problemo!
I like that idea that the painting looks back at you in a strong or weak way–I get you can feel that…that is a cool way to describe it–thanks
Yes, it is a cool way to describe it! And you’re right! It is a definite feeling!!
I had that saying up on my studio wall for ages!! It’s been my experience that when it looks back at me it’s always strong. I mean it’s finished. It’s saying, ‘OK! That’s enough. I’m here!’ Suddenly that last thing I did caused the whole thing to harmonize or ‘cohese’ into a whole and everything looks fantastic and is communicating an emotion. It definitely radiates “I’m done”. SO if at that point I start to analyse “why?” and “I wonder if it would be better if I just corrected this little thing” and do that little correction it’s ruined. (In other words my mind set has changed from creator to critic and I have begun to look at it critically and work critically.) If I ‘fiddle with it’ as the critic, if I’m ‘on the ball’ I’ll see right away it’s not the same, I’ll loose the whole thing. It’s not communicating the emotion the same way it did before. That little thing I just corrected was in fact contributing to the whole message so I have to ‘eat crow’ and go back and try to make it like it was before. It can be tricky! It’s a very delicate balance sometimes…if I let it go just as soon as the flow has switched and I see it looking at me! Wow! That’s the biggest thrill of all!! :))
all makes a lot of sense and matches my own experiences. thank you!
That is exactly what I do. All of those things. LOL …You must have been watching me. Another thing I do is keep turning the painting that helps me find wonder and renewed vigour and inspiration. Also I take pictures and upload them to my editing platform, so that I can look at it from a different perspective.
I think I am done-then go and take a picture–while adjusting it on the computer, after I save it I see the small icon, then I can see the painting is not quite done! Seeing it as a thumbnail really helps..
All great ideas including Kara’s and Nicholas’ – all things I make part of my routine and approach.
I also spend quite a lot of time quietly contemplating my new work one piece at a time usually but occasionally all together – almost always resisting the impulse to immediately make changes but thinking, thinking, thinking often going to bed and ‘dreaming’ the work (‘some more’ since much of my work is from my dreams), dreaming about the changes I’ve considered.
If I forget the changes I’ve considered or to make the changes I’ve dreamed then that was the right outcome.
If the changes I’m considering are very compelling the work is more likely to be.
It’s really helpful reading the above and below text. I’ve currently underworked a painting ( I think) and overworked a drawing; I’m trying to now save the drawing, if I can. I’ve been painting and drawing all my life and never really got quite this stuck before, aged 43. http://www.skyewilliameade.com
When a painting looks up at me and smiles, I know it is finished.