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Today, I think I finished my snow leopard painting that I have titled Snow Cat. In yesterday’s blog I mentioned that I paint what I know. I have a zoo that is two hours away from here that has a snow leopard that I have gotten to know over the years. I used to take my bio 2 students over to this zoo and to the aquarium at the Mall of America so that my students could see some of the critters that they had studied. It was a great opportunity for them to see this elusive and rare big cat. 

The compulsion to paint this leopard finally became too strong to ignore. When the impulse took hold, I was well entrenched in another project. Focusing on my children’s science books is a priority for me right now. This leopard would not let up, however.  Creating an oil painting that would show it in its natural habitat was how I had always envisioned it. A pastel portrait, however, would allow me to finish the piece much faster than an oil painting. The oil painting could wait until I had the time that was needed to work on it. When I would need to take a break from the books that I was creating, I would work on the leopard painting. During this time, I was also working on a still life oil painting while taking breaks from the books. So the medium of choice for the leopard was to be pastel on Wallis paper. 

You might have noticed my red signature on this piece. Why do I say that I think that I am finished, yet I have signed it anyway? Signing a painting became a drawback for me several years ago, so I came up with my own solution.  

Many years ago, I really struggled trying to figure out when I was “done” with a painting so that I could sign it. It got to a point that I would really stress out wondering if there was anything else that I could do to it. So, I decided that I would sign each painting when I thought that I was about 95% finished with a piece. That allowed me the option to still make a few corrections and took it the pressure off of having to decide it was completed before I could sign it. Sometimes, once I sign a piece, a few problems will immediately become apparent. Just knowing that my painting didn't have to be "done" before I could sign it allowed me to continue the creative process until I felt ready to stop.

When I turned 50, I decided to sign all of my paintings with some sort of red color, to signify that I had completed it after I had turned a half of a century. Oh my… I shudder when I write that, but alas, it is true. I am a late bloomer when it comes to art.  My trompe l’oeil paintings are the exception to my red signature. A signature that is “carved” into the wood is my most common way of signing those creations. If you have looked at my tromp l'oeil paintings, did you notice that?

How do I know when I am done after I sign it? It is mainly a gut instinct. Similar to the feeling I get when I design a remodeling project or decorate our home. It just feels right.

How do you know when you are finished with a painting?

I hope you have a wonderful weekend. I hope that you can carve out the time to create something beautiful.