I recently began a discussion on the above question at Linkedin.com in the group True Artist: Living The Art. Specifically, how and when does the artist know, while in the process of doing a piece of art, that the work is not going anywhere and must be destroyed or redone.

Here are some interesting insights from other artists on my query, with my responses in bold. Artworks in this post are a few paintings of mine that didn’t make the final cut (or did, depending on how you look at it).

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Question:

“I know you’ve heard the question ‘when is a painting finished?’, my question–when is a painting ‘finished’– ready for the trash?”

Responses:

“It’s finished, when you finally realise that that feeling of disappointment with yourself does not go away the more you work on it.” E. E.

“I am never disappointed enough with a painting to throw it in the trash! I consider it a learning experience and note the things that do not work, and then, if I don’t want to work on it anymore, I paint over it…” M. D.

“…I paint layer upon layer upon layer of paint and depth and soul. Sometimes it is hard to know when to stop. It is very easy to destroy something in an attempt to make it perfect…Then again, I am more abstract and I let images emerge from the canvas so it would be different if I were painting from life.” J. U.

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  • I find that I want to emphasise a shape, or better, movement revealed by shape, as the main, visual point in a work. - posted on 25/01/2012 13:38:57

  My Twitter, by Xhanch

“Taking the Artist out of the equation, a work of art is “Finished” (Trash) when no one wants to take care of it any more. No one wants to dust it, no one wants to display it, no one wants to preserve or store it.” M. D.

“I am usually finished when I get bored with the piece and can see no measurable improvement. Sometimes, I continue to work on it, knowing its not achieved any excellence, but to experiment and see if I can pull something out of it…it breaks my heart to know that some of those canvases I cover over, I have invested so much time – and it leads to feelings of self doubt as an artist.” L. E.

“When I have a clear vision of what I want a piece to be, before I begin, these are more apt to reach completion. It’s when I don’t have that clear understanding that things seem to go bad and I work and I work and I work because, in reality, I’m searching to produce something that I have know idea about. I’ve often thought and said that having something to say is paramount to your art…”

“MT – I want to state that you explanation of a clear vision was so expertly written I was impressed and inspired. You said it so well – clearly – and comprehensively explained. I heard many years ago (maybe 30?) that a good artist has a clear vision of what they are doing when they go to the canvas. When I have enquired of other artists, I have found that the most talented of the bunch always came to the creation with a clear vision of what they intended to create.”  L. E.

“Generally, if I feel a painting is “finished” in terms of ready for the trash, I strip the canvas, re-prime it, and paint a new one. I don’t like the thought that many years down the road some curator or art critic may try to find out if there is another painting underneath the one I completed and am happy with.” S. B.

“I think about that also…–if anyone cares enough one day to look underneath a painting of mine. But my main concern(s)…whether the paint on top adheres well…and from a technique point of view, painting on top can hinder the application of thin color over bare canvas… Another point…I have several paintings that I did years ago…that were not “gallery worthy” in my opinion but were somehow worthy in their own right to exist…had some areas of accomplishment in them…”

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