Final Tweaking-End stages of a painting.

     There's a saying out there that in art, a painting has no beginning and no ending, it just stops in interesting places.
     So often, I get asked How do you know you are finished a painting. Recently I have been giving a hand out in my non beginner-ish workshops, that leads one to know when youa re nearing completion, and what to do about it.
     Over the last few years, I have SO many pieces that were done in class, as demos, or pieces that I just couldn't finish while teaching. These are all pastel.  I have all those pieces, and as part of my daily work, I have chosen one piece each day. It sits on an extra easel, where I can see it, while I work on whatever I am working on. I casually note to myself what needs to be done to it. To enhance, without overdoing it. Taking the time to think about this, while busy with other things, allows me to think and not act. Which can be good for making critical decisions. Patience!

     This was a piece I featured earlier, (see post- Monday Nov. 4rth). The paper was a strong turquoise,and I intuitively chose 6 pastels for a limited pallette, then assigned value areas they could go. What ended up happening was bright, and very pure. So today when I took it out, I wanted to add some neutrals, not to tone down, but to make a more sophisticated arrangement of colours. It's just the mood I was in today.I wanted reds to play more in the piece. Neutral reds.
     There are other things I don't like about this piece, but I'll save that information, and pay it forward to new work, new compositions. These cups are handmade porcelain, 8 sided, and a fun challenge to draw them and observe how the value changed with the directional light.
I have so many pastels pieces! Some done en plein air, others done in studio. I can't afford to frame them. Any ideas what I can do with them? I am listening.