How long does it take to finish a painting?I've been asked this question so many times. And of course like many artists I could say, "A lifetime"....because the years you've taken to develop your skill plays into it. But it also depends on each painting. Take these two paintings for example. I began Red Umbrella last week. I worked for days and it was a struggle the whole time. Finally I decided to set it aside and work on a new one. "Caramel Macciato" almost painted itself. It just happened....every stroke was right, the colors perfect, the inspiration flowed! It was finished in a day and a half.
Then I went back to Red Umbrella, painted out 3/4 of it, and began again. It still struggled some, but it did come somewhat easier....and finally I was happy with the result. Not as happy as I was with the other painting, but still satisfied. And that's how it often is with paintings. Some flow right onto the canvas....others have to be struggled with and reworked and reworked. I am not sure why this is, but I have often heard the same comment from many of my artist friends. Every painting is unique and there really is no magic formula. But that is part of the joy of making art. The struggle makes you appreciate those inspiration paintings all the more. And yet some of my favorite paintings are those created through the struggle!
