Sometimes the finish line is foggy. (Image credit: kimberlyfaye on Flickr)
Thanks to John for passing this along!
On Facebook we’ve been asking a series of questions about art, being an artist, inspiration, etc. The responses that are being posted each day are wonderful.
Because they made us smile, we thought we’d share with you a sampling of the responses that have been posted today to our question:
While working on a piece of art, how do you know when it’s “done”?
Here are some of the answers:
Luke: When someone buys it!
John: When you’re sick of nit-picking at it
Puppet Industries: When the cops catch ya.;)
Nick: You never do, that’s why it’s a piece of art.
James: When your mum calls you down for dinner. (Note from Wooster: Our favorite!)
Jasper: “Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away” – Antoine de Saint Exupery
Frank: When the check clears.
Anita: When you feel satisfaction!
James: Paintings are never finished, only abandoned. – Picasso
Sarah: When you’re afraid you’ll destroy it if you do anything else to it
Nathan: When you feel like there’s more work to be done, but nothing you do to it makes it better than it already is.
Josh: When it starts to piss me off.
Will: When efforts at improving it just screw it up.
Logan: When I ruin it.
Pierre: When i stop looking at it as an actor but as a spectator, no more acting obsession, when i can forget it….
Misha: When its 6 am and i’ve got to be at work at 8
Dan: When somebody loves it
Angel: When you are scared about putting something else in it.
Victoria: 10 years later
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How about you? How do you know when something you’re working on is “done”?
{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }
“when it starts to piss me off” is my personal favorite. when it comes to my photography, after i finish with post-processing i tend to lose interest. so going the extra mile to do prints or a photobook takes herculean effort!
Kris – first, let me give you due credit for being the one to flag this for John, who in turn sent it to me!
Second – for me, “When efforts at improving it just screw it up” resonates most… I remember in an art class in high school, working on a charcoal drawing of a girl, and my teacher loving it when I put one streak of orange in her hair. I then started added more orange and she practically yelled at me: “Stop!” One streak was interesting – adding more took away from that effect. I always think of that experience when I’m unsure of whether to continue tinkering with something.
I was gonna attribute it to Kris too… :)
For me, the answer varies widely based on the medium and the piece itself. I guess I’d say that if I’m not sure that it’s done, then it’s not done.
But, since my art has virtually no audience, there’s little actual effect to stopping or not stopping. :) And in the digital world (in which I work almost exclusively), the concept of “Undo” erases the nothing of having to worry about where to stop.
As the art I produce dies shortly after its born, I can’t say when it’s “finished.” However, I agree with your favorite: “When efforts at improving it just screw it up.” Studio 360 had an episode on this about a year ago. If their archive was working right now, I’d send you the link.