When is a painting finished?

How do I decide a painting is finished?

The great thing about painting in oils is that it doesn't dry for so long and you can fiddle for days, weeks and months.

Leonardo da Viinci worked on the Mona Lisa for 16 years, so if you're not sure when you've finished, you are not alone.

I could probably work on this painting; "Join Us", forever - each time I look at it I ask myself questions - should I change the colour of the table? Am I happy with the faces? Should I change the drinks to short glasses? I could go on.

So, when is it finished? When you've given up making it better? When you feel you arem making it worse? Sometime? Never?

I guess in the end it is when it is displayed - or more accurately, when it is sold - but at some time the artist needs to decide "that's enough - I am moving on" and varnish it.

For me, when I'm getting less excitement working on it I know it is time to stop.

But before that, I've just thoguht of one more thing.....