Finally finished a piece after 8 months of on and off work

I started a digital painting back in January, got stuck on the lighting around March, and basically let it sit. Last week I finally opened the file again and pushed through the shadows and highlights in 3 straight evenings. It's not perfect but I actually like how the hair turned out, which was the part I kept redoing. The whole thing is just a portrait of a friend's dog, nothing huge, but finishing it felt good. Has anyone else had a piece sit for months before you could figure out the last part?

2 comments

2 Comments

walker.julia15d ago

Why would you push through a piece that clearly wasn't working?

maxl9315d agoTop Commenter

The whole "push through it" mindset is a trap I've seen everywhere (not just in art, but in work and even relationships). We treat quitting like it's a moral failure when sometimes a piece is just a dead end and that's fine, you know? I'd rather stop early and save my energy for something that actually clicks rather than forcing a broken thing just to prove I can finish it.