We’ve all been there…
We’ve all been there. Whether you are in the middle of the creative process, or feeling stuck at the end, you will come to the moment where you stop and ask yourself, “Is this painting done?” In today’s episode we share 10 elements to look for in your painting to help you answer this question and confidently say, “Done!”
What To Look For To Determine If A Painting Is Done
When you are trying to determine if a painting is done or not, some days this question is easier to answer than others. But as you take a step back and look at your piece there are a few items to check for that will make the decision making process easier.
Use the following list to evaluate your next painting! Download a FREE PDF version of this list here:
The Big Three - Value, Contrast, Chroma or saturation
Very often, if a painting seems correctly executed but something just seems off, first check your values and contrast as often fixing one of those will resolve the painting.
Value - black and white, is there enough of a range, check lightest vs. darkest colors
Contrast - lightest color next to darkest color
Chroma or saturation - mostly bright, mostly muted? A somewhat muted color can look bright right next to a neutral.
Surface Quality
Smooth vs textured areas
Orientation
Does your painting go vertical or horizontal or can it go any which way?
Entrances and Exits
How does your eye move through the painting? Where does it enter? Where does it exit?
Zones and Quadrants
What is put in each zone or quadrant?
Tip - Don’t have any lines splitting your canvas in half (unless it’s on purpose), make sure there’s interest in every quadrant (not all corners the same)
Focal Points
Where do you want the viewer’s eye to focus? There can be more that one focal point to help the eyes travel through a painting
Design and Movement
Composition is the placement of objects in a picture. Are they arranged in a way that makes sense to you? Are the propositions correct based on your intended design? You can use composition rules such as the rule of 3rds or golden ratio to construct a strong composition.
Do the brushstrokes convey the movement you’re going for?
Spatial Depth
Does the scene look flat? Do the mountains look as though they’re out in the distance? Or too close to the forefront?
Hot Spots
Hot spots are places where there are colors that vibrate when next to each other, like hot orange-red and electric blue. Hot spots can be used strategically but use them judiciously. Too many hot spots can be distracting. Sometimes muting one of the two will alleviate the effect.
Ask yourself, “Is It Finished?”
At the end of the day, only you can answer that. Often it’s better to pause before you think you’re finished, re-evaluate, then determine what to do next, if anything. Much easier than trying to fix an overworked painting.
TIP - Often you need fresh eyes from the distance (or view as a small thumbnail) to determine if it needs more. Try getting it up off the table and hanging on the wall to see how it will read.
Additional Questions To Ask:
Is it balanced? Use the 80/20 rule!
Ex. 80 cool colors vs 20% warm colors
Ex. 80% thin lines vs. 20% thick lines
Ex. 80% calm areas vs 20% active areas
Is there enough variety? Opposites attract!
Ex. Controlled vs expressionistic
Ex. Calm vs energetic
Ex. Representative vs. abstract.
Does this work convey your message conceptually?
This is a larger conversation that only you can answer. Why do you make art?
Are you process-oriented?
Are you making paintings for a specific person or audience? Or a commission?
Are you making paintings to convey a specific social message?
Remember, every painting does not not have to be “perfect” and every painting does not have to do all things.
Podcast Music By Corey Claxton:
Website: https://www.coreyclaxton.com/
Instagram: @thecoreyclaxton
Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3gMzkkK
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