Are We There Yet?
(How Long Does It Take You to Finish A Painting?)
I’m at an art show and someone inevitably walks up and asks “How long does it take you to paint these?” I grin sideways and tell them what everyone doesn’t want to hear, a non-answer. “It all depends.” It also depends on what you consider the painting, versus the entire project.
Oddly enough, I do obsess over these details. Time is our most meaningful resource and one we can never get back! I work full time as a registered nurse, so when I have the opportunity to be painting, I do want to have a relative idea on how long I plan to be at the easel. Because I’m also juggling a social life, hobbies and near-constant home projects in our 1940’s house with my wife.
How Long?
When I answer the question “how long?” I’m answering, with pride, the amount of time it takes me to paint the actual painting. I am answering how long it takes me to sketch, paint and finish the creation aspect of the item I'm working on. That is all and good. But, I feel like it is important to hear about what happens on the back end. How about the prep that goes into the painting? The process? The finishing touches!? The actual painting can be an afterthought when you are considering all the additional necessary things that go into getting your piece ready.
Let’s talk about that.
What’s Your Favorite Subject(s)?
Perhaps you’re viewing my work and thinking to yourself, the artist must be pretty decent. Well, I want to tell you that I certainly can struggle with particular subjects and have more difficulty painting this versus that. And those factors will no doubt affect the time it takes for me to finish a piece. I’ve definitely been standing at my easel, hands covered in paint, sweating, squinting up my eyes at the image to see if it made “sense”. Many times, I call in a second set of eyes to make sure my work is understood to someone besides myself. When someone gives me a more difficult subject, I always see it as a challenge and opportunity for myself to grow as an artist.
Typically, people and faces are going to be a higher difficulty level than a dog or cat. That being said, the most important focus in any of my paintings will be the eye’s of the subject. Human’s connect instinctively to eyes, so the soul of the subject can be expressed through the canvas if done right. Animal subjects are no different.
If you’re reading this, then you know my favorite subject to paint are people’s pets. I want that animal to make a connection with the viewer. I want that to elicit a feeling. Research shows that when a pet owner locks eyes with their pet that the chemical oxytocin is elicited from the brain, causing a “feel-good” or love response, reinforcing the bond between human and animal. Another effect oxytocin is responsible for can be the formation of trust. My paintings are not just dog and cat art; they are to serve a greater purpose, to encourage feelings of love, trust, loyalty, and of memories of someone’s beloved pet. These are paintings for the sake of connection, the very human connection that we can have with our animals.
Now, imagine if there are multiple subjects? I’m working on a commission right now that has two dogs and a cat. Three sets of eyes, different proportions, different personalities to capture, and that all adds to time to complete. This is why I have to charge a little more for each subject added for a project, and it definitely adds to the length of time I need to complete a project.
Size Matters.
Yes, this is true; the size of a painting definitely makes a difference in how long it’s going to take me. The bigger ones, 2’ x 3’, are going to historically take me between 10-15 hours from beginning to end. The smaller 12” x 12” canvas can take me between 3-5 hours, typically. Everything in between may be around 7-8 hours. It is amazing how quickly your brain correlates the time spent on creating to the value of the piece, but I’m going to tell you it isn’t always true. Much depends on the difficulty of the subject(s) and honestly, how I feel about the overall composition.
Drafting Process
When a client commissions a piece from me, we begin by choosing an image or images to work from. I then complete a drafting sketch and palette for them to approve and make any necessary changes to. All of this planning has to be completed before I even start prepping my canvas. Depending on the client, this time frame generally only lasts a couple days, if that.
Dry Times = No Joke.
Let’s talk about dry times! I work in acrylics. So, in comparison to oils, it’s pretty fast. The first drying time to pay attention to is when preparing the canvas. I paint multiple coats of gesso, which is a painting primer applied to the canvas before the start of the painting. This is absolutely necessary. I have found if I don’t prime my canvas myself (even on pre-primed canvas) I’m placing my piece at potential risk of my paint clumping to the unprimed surface, colors not being as vibrant, or the canvas fabric texture being too pronounced for my liking. Each coat can take around 2-3 hours in between coats. Of course, it’s important not to rush it, because you don’t want the underlayer of paint to be still wet when you actually begin painting on it. Once I’m finished with the piece, I wait another three days before I seal it with varnish. Acrylic paints do take 48-72 hours to thoroughly dry. If you varnish it before it’s dry all the way, the paint can risk discoloration and even spreading/ smudging. There are several coats of varnish that are applied, and those take 3 hours between each to dry. I do not count the dry times in my timing of how long it takes me to complete a piece, but these items are important to appreciate how long the entire process generally takes from beginning to end.
All at Once?
The last thing I’m going to touch on is that I quote an average time period of 6 weeks on my website for all commission pieces, which starts counting from the moment in time where I receive the initial deposit towards the piece. Why so long, when I clearly have stated that the longest painting takes perhaps 15 hours? There are multiple reasons, but the very best is that I have an ongoing commission log, where I am nearly constantly taking on projects. All of these projects need their time frame, and I have found out through experience, that 6 weeks is typically the amount of time for me to enjoy the process of creation without it strangulating the joy of painting. If I’m having fun painting it, then there is a high likelihood that it will turn out to be everything that I envisioned it to be and my client will be happy. And that is the whole point!
Can I get a Rush on That?
I do get requests for rush orders on commission projects. I’m going to tell you, if I can accommodate it, I will do my best, absolutely. What I won’t do is rush something just to complete a project. This goes for all my artistic endeavors. I’m a perfectionist. If I can’t get it right, the guilt will literally eat away at me.
Proportion Distortion
Another important topic here are those sometimes tricky multiple subjects. As an artist, I need to pay close attention to proportions, light, and shadow to make sure your painting holds the correct depth and realism that it needs. I find this particularly strenuous if I’m “Frankensteining” images of pets / people together that weren’t originally together. That’s why I need as many pictures of the pet/ person as I can. Even better if they are alongside the second or third subject. This way I can really see their dimensions according to reality. You know it is all relative! It can be very easy to distort proportions and cause the small dog to look similar to the big dog on the same canvas together. Just take your hand and place it in front of your face. Stare at it, squinting, and you’ll recognize it may appear much larger than the coffee mug on your table, feet away. It’s all perspective! This is another reason that painting multiple subjects can be more time consuming and may require longer time estimates for completion.
I hope all of this information has been beneficial, even amusing, to my readers. If you have more questions, are interested in working with me, or even just want to talk, email me through the contact page or find me on social media. All of our links are at the top of the website page.
Cheers!
Resources and Further Reading
https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2014/04/does-your-dog-or-cat-actually-love-you/360784/
