FAQ "How Long Does it Take to Finish a Painting?"

I am regularly asked this question. Unfortunately the answer is "How long is a piece of string?"...

Let's firstly consider when a painting actually begins...
I create my work essentially from nothing (ie a blank canvas) and an idea from within my head (in my recent video I make reference to this using the quote of Teresita Fernandez - "being an artist means always starting from nothing"). In the case of landscapes in particular, that idea may be aided by one or more photographs and/or drawings. As I mentioned in my previous blog, I take a heap of photographs when I'm out walking/tramping or kayaking. Sometimes the photograph may have been taken weeks, months or even years before I even begin a painting. Or the idea may have been written in one of my many 'ideas' books long before I decide to develop it into concept drawings and eventually a painting.


Now lets consider when a painting finishes...
This is one I think all artists struggle with! Knowing when one is 100% happy with the work created. Sometimes I can feel completely happy with a painting, leave it for a while and then look at it again and see something I can improve on. Sometimes I do this on purpose, especially if I am using a new set of colours, techniques etc. I guess this arises because there is a certain amount of closeness between myself and my work and it can take putting it aside (or even sending it to an exhibition!) and doing some other paintings, before I might see ways of improving it that I hadn't noticed before...


Such was the case with 'Kepler Tops' below (the one on the right is the final, final one!) 

So in conclusion: there's no real answer to the question "how longs does it take to finish a painting?" because it depends on many factors, and to be honest (and in true artist fashion) I don't keep a specific record of when I start and when I finally complete something!!!!