Monday Motivator: When is a Painting Finished?

“You’ll know you’re finished when there’s nothing else to add.” Gimme a break. That’s just a short response that sounds rich and clever. It doesn’t help.

Think about it: what if your painting needs something removed.

Gregory Manchess, “10 Things: How Do I Know When I’m Finished“, 24 February 2021

I tend to forget to think about what I might take out of a painting, what might be simplified or softened, and instead think about what I might still add to a painting Sometimes the answer lies in a bold sweep of opaque colour to simplify things, to take out extraneous details. Joan Eardley was good at this:

Joan Eardley Paintings in McManus Museum, Dundee

Share Your Thoughts

%d bloggers like this: