Is a Painting Finished When You Sign It?

Art Maker

13 Aug

In an ideal world, yes. Once you’ve signed your name, your painting is ready for varnishing and framing. Your signature marks the moment when you’ve done all you can do with that piece, at that time.

But here’s the thing: this idea of “signing equals finished” is really just one of those “rules” that people throw out there as gospel.

In reality, a painting is complete when you, the artist, decide it is.

You might want to live with it for a while, see it in different lights, or even carry it around the house for days to get a fresh perspective. I’ve done this plenty of times.

There have also been times when I’ve worked on a painting right up to a deadline, finishing it with a paintbrush in one hand and a hairdryer in the other! That painting was done and dusted without any fuss or second-guessing. The world didn’t stop spinning AND as it was a donation, my kids’ school made some money for the cause.

Ultimately, only you can decide when your painting is finished.

An experienced teacher can offer guidance, but the final call is yours. If you see something in your work that you can fix and you know how to fix it, then it’s your job to make those adjustments. You shouldn’t need someone looking over your shoulder directing every correction - so what you can see first.

Don’t let mistakes linger if you know how to correct them. Fixing these issues doesn’t just improve your work—it transforms you as an artist. When you take responsibility for your work, you grow more quickly and your art improves over time.

And the thing is, if you don’t know how to correct them, that’s the stage you are, with your painting skills, today. It is what it is. You’ll learn more tomorrow and do things a bit differently every time you learn something more.

It comes down to making art fearlessly. You’re making a statement that this is what I know about art making… TODAY.