IS MY PAINTING FINISHED?
5 Ways to Tackle Tricky Work-in-Progress Pieces
Sideways thinking… how to decide if a painting is finished.
There’s a peculiar moment in the painting process, when you find yourself staring at a canvas, asking: Is this done? Or is it just stuck? You’re not alone. Almost every artist runs into a piece that just… won’t cooperate. As I tell myself and my students don’t bin it because with a bit of sideways thinking this could be your best piece yet!
Sometimes it’s not that the painting is bad, it’s that something’s off and you can’t quite name it. When your work feels unresponsive or unresolved, here are five key ideas to help move it forward:
1. Step Away (Literally)
Distance gives clarity. Walk away for a few hours or even a few days if you can bear it. Better yet, hang it somewhere else in your space so you can catch glimpses without actively “working” on it. Fresh eyes reveal what fatigue hides.
2. Flip It, Mirror It, or Photograph It
Changing perspective is powerful. Try turning the painting upside down, looking at it in a mirror, or viewing a photo of it on your phone. These tricks can spotlight awkward areas or imbalance that’s hard to see head-on.
3. Zoom In on One Area
Sometimes, it’s not the whole painting that’s the problem, it’s one section pulling focus. Examine each quadrant independently. Are the colours harmonious? Does the composition flow? Identify the discord without judging the whole.
4. Ask It a Question
Treat the painting like a collaborator. Ask: What are you trying to say? What’s missing? What am I avoiding? It sounds abstract, but art often reflects what we’re not consciously addressing.
5. Make a Bold Move
If it’s not working, you’ve got little to lose. Add an unexpected colour. Cover a section. Introduce texture. Bold moves can shake the piece out of limbo or confirm it was finished after all.
