How many completed paintings do you produce?

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How many completed paintings do you all produce in a year? Meaning the ones you are willing to show to people . Too many of mine go straight in the bin. lol
Hmmm...probably six, tops. Go through periods of inactivity then get fired up again, which eats weeks faster than you can imagine.
I could answer that if I could remember one year from another - I'm constantly surprised on Facebook to discover them showing me paintings finished around 3 or 4 years ago which, had you asked me, I'd have sworn were painted a year ago at most. But the answer is - not that many; discounting watercolours which I tear up, as occasionally I have to do out of sheer decency (not that they're pornographic, just too awful to inflict on an unsuspecting world) I suppose I'm in the 7 to 8 region, if that. I have bursts of frenetic activity - then a lot of mucking about, to be quite honest. If I made a living at it, rather than luxuriating on a pension (ho ho) there would be more, and were.
I used to produce about a dozen when I first started but that included making their frames as well.
OK, thank you. I don't feel so bad now.🙂
paintk (7/26/2017)
How many completed paintings do you all produce in a year? Meaning the ones you are willing to show to people . Too many of mine go straight in the bin. lol
Why do they go in the bin paintk - they show your journey as an artist. What percentage of yours do you keep?
Hello Annette - welcome to the forum. It would be lovely to see some of your work. A lot of us had to find confidence to first show our paintings.
I complete about 7 or 8 each year to a standard that I am happy to put on show but most of my efforts are sketches (mostly plein air) and studies that I use for worked up paintings or discard. I have posted plein air sketches in the gallery as I believe that, in common with most other efforts, they have some interest.
Stub is right paintk, lots of us are interested in all aspects of art on the Gallery. You sound a little worried that you are not working to your full potential but unless you are professional and working as an artist, then you don't need to count the number of paintings you complete in a year. Many of us here are "hobby painters" and as a hobby we produce as and when we want to. There are no hard and fast rules to art, despite what some people or books may want you to believe. Do you really want to do watercolour or are you open to other media. It doesn't suit everybody. There are plenty of other mediums to choose from nowadays - take a look on the gallery and see if you are inspired to try something else. Above all, relax and enjoy your art, whatever form it takes.
My problem is producing 7 or 8 finished paintings a year but over the recent past only selling 3 or 4 per year. My son and daughters are getting less overwhelmed with surplus paintings as Christmas and birthday presents!
Well I must be a quick painter too, I've done about 26 plus a few birthday cards this year always using watercolour (I had to go and count them!!) I've probably put about a dozen or more in the bin! Welcome to the forum paintk, it took me ages before plucking up the courage to show any work in the gallery but I'm so glad I did. It's very encouraging if you get a comment on your work and you can learn lots on this forum, so why don't you take the plunge!
Well I know that I'm a quick painter, always have been so it isn't too surprising that on an average year I will 'churn out' or let's say 'turn out' around 200 or so finished pieces plus many rapid sketches and so on. Obviously I don't sit and paint all day seven days a week, I do have a life outside art, normally my current work (as in today's offering that Dawn has put on the Home Page Gallery as an example) will take around an hour or so to complete. So, at that rate I work 4 hours a week but of course there is preparation time and I will sketch most days when I am out and about in situ. I went to Abersoch at the weekend on a bit of a painting trip with my younger daughter and completed 10 en-plein-air oil sketches, most of which I consider complete, so that was a busy time and not the norm. For me, a finished painting will show the hallmarks of enjoyment, enthusiasm and a positive approach to the subject, yes, I just love the art of painting.
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