It’s not rare for me, or any artist for that matter, to just stop working on a piece. Call it healthy, a stepping stone, a lack of motivation, boredom, or just plain burn out. Sometimes you just have to leave pieces behind. 

Last time I made a post I was working on a piece for an upcoming art show in July, and had said I hoped to finish it in a week’s time. 

Not only have I not touched it since then, but I don’t think that I will be finishing it- at least not for a while, if ever. 

While it isn’t rare for me to stop working on something, I wouldn’t say it’s common practice.

I always have a lot of ideas for drawings, and while I don’t think it’s a bad thing to have a constant stream of ideas flowing through my head day and night, that doesn’t mean it doesn’t impact my work. 

This was one of those times, and for, whatever reason, I had really, really wanted to draw a chair. It was all I could think about. I had idea after idea of chair drawings, the only question was which one should I do first. The second I had that thought, I put my pencils down, knowing I probably wouldn’t be picking them back up for that piece. I might be slow to finish a drawing but they usually get done in time. But the second I start working on a new piece I don’t go back to the “older” one. 

This idea had a hold on me and I couldn’t stop thinking about it until I drew it. 

I had a rough idea in my head of where to start, a few months ago I had made a drawing with two of me in it. (seen below) This was a struggle, I had never drawn two of me interacting before and the proportions reflect that. It’s an awkward pose, too stiff and rigid. 

I had been itching to redeem myself so to speak. I wasn’t looking for perfection, only improvement. And what better way to improve than to push yourself? My new, almost finished drawing, has not one, not two, but three figures, and just because I could- two chairs. 

I struggled a lot with the composition of this piece, I wasn’t quite sure how to get three figures and two chairs all in one space. Actually, this piece was originally “completed” a week ago. It only had two figures and one chair. I finished it in four days, but something didn’t feel right with it. It was still awkward and to top it off this piece now had an uncomfortable amount of negative space. (seen below)

I let it sit for a while (went on a week-long vacation and had no choice but to leave it behind.) And all week I did nothing but think about this piece, I thought about abandoning it as well, I thought about more chairs, I thought about adding an angel statue I found in my dining room, and I thought about just leaving it as is. Calling it another stepping stone to figuring out proportions. Calling it complete. 

But none of that felt right with me. I could feel that this piece just wasn’t done, there was something missing. And finally, on my six hour flight home, I had an idea that seemed so simple I couldn’t believe it took me a week to think of it. 

I would just add another me in there. And another chair just because I still felt like drawing chairs. 
I had work the day after I got back and couldn’t start this last addition until late last night but I think  now I can say I’m almost done.