The Artist's Dilema or How to Quit While You Are Ahead

Every artist I know has had this happen to them. You feel your painting may be finished, but you're just not sure. Perhaps if I added a little more here, and a little more there, it will be perfect. Or maybe we should lift off this area (with watercolor we do this a lot.) Before you know it we have ruined the painting. I had this experience very recently in fact. I had finished (or was it?) a watercolor painting and had it sitting out in my studio. Several family members and visitors commented on how beautiful it was. It did look nice, I'll have to admit. But I thought it should be better. So what did I do? I started working on it again, fussing over this part and then that part. Before I knew it I was left with a painting that was ruined. It was not the spontaneous, lively painting it was before.

So how do we avoid this? Here are some tips that help me and I need to REMEMBER them!
1. Continuously step back and look at your painting from a distance. It is easier to see any mistakes this way. Also you will see what you need to do to correct it (hopefully!).

2. Join an artists critique group. I know this can be frustrating sometimes because you get so many tips and advice it's confusing to know what to do. But remember, YOU are the artist so you can decide what advice you want to follow and what changes you want to try. The benefit of doing this is there will be many more pairs of eyes looking at your painting and they are also seeing it for the first time. Sometimes we get too close to our own work and become very myopic and obsess about every little thing we think is wrong.

3. STOP before you think your painting is finished. Put your painting away out of sight for a week or two. When you look at it after this time has passed you will see it as if you were looking at it for the first time. Any mistakes or errors will show up right away.
Or you may find it is perfect just the way it is.

I'm sure there are many other tips other artists have used to avoid this all too common dilemma. Feel free to post your suggestions here in the comments.

Happy Painting!