How to know when a new artwork is finished.

I imagine that I am not alone in knowing when a new piece of artwork is finished. For me, since I am detail oriented, there can always be more detail added. However, there is a super fine line as to when enough detail is enough. Each person will have to reach the point at which we put the pencil down for the last time as we sign our name and call it done.

One thing that I do is walk away for a day before making the final decision. Then when I am standing or sitting in front of the piece if I do not see something in the first 2 minutes that catches my eye then it is done. Another technique I use is to take a photograph and view it from another source. Seeing it on a screen can help pull out small things that need adjusting. Lastly, over time, with patience and resilience, each artist develops an inner knowing. Some say stick with that. I say try all 3.