While studying art in college, a professor posed an important question.
When is a piece of art done?
Oil paints are malleable for a long time after they are on the canvas, and there is always the option of painting over whatever has dried. One can work, and rework, and redo again ad nauseum. When should an artist sign the lower right hand corner and call it a day?
The question stuck with me as I began a career in graphic design. In commercial art that is driven by budgets and deadlines, the determining factor of a piece's completion often is dictated by the number of remaining items on the project list or amount of billable hours already accrued. That is not a satisfying answer though, because the urgency of the moment should never serve as a litmus test for the completeness of artworks.
As the Redline Project album begins to take shape, I am developing a twitchy habit of cycling through each track, finding something to tweak or adjust, saving and closing, opening the next, and repeating the process. On ocassion, I have de-adjusted a facet I readjusted the day before and then re-readjusted the same detail the following day. I am tending towards obsessiveness as this project rolls along.
I have no answers for this. Feedback is helpful and welcome.
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