I'll have to make new ones. I have so much fun with these. 😃

I’ve recently been working on small figurative paintings. I’m interested in keeping the structure abstract and economical, but still specific enough to get a baseline understanding of the image/quick mood read from across the room. A recurring wall is knowing when the painting has already reached its strongest point. I often establish the large shapes and energy fairly quickly, but once it begins working, I start explaining it too much: correcting anatomy, adding modeling, or clarifying details--and often lose the ambiguity or tension that made it interesting. Sharing progress shots of this painting because I’m still unsure where the strongest stopping point was. I nearly gave up on it at one stage (image 3), left it for a week, and then came back and found a way through. But now I’m questioning whether I over-rendered the clothing. Does it still read as one large structural mass, or has it become too descriptive compared with the rest of the painting? I’d love to hear from you all: what signs do you use to recognize when a painting feels "done"?

Basically the apex of my existence thus far. Hope it’s ok to share here, I am immensely, immensely proud (and immensely, immensely exhausted!). I have big feelings I can’t name and I can’t stop crying! Even this last year has been inordinately challenging and to still have achieved this is taking a lot of processing. (My phone’s camera likes to be “helpful” so the temperatures are all over, but I hope you can get the gist of it.)

Vanessa Bornes joins us from Espana! @vanessa-bornes-5352 Joined Jun 16, 2026 Vanessa, can you tell me what you are most interested in engaging with in the membership? See some of Vanessa's lovely work attached.

Karlie Kirkaldie @karlie-kirkaldie-5258 "Restarting my painting journey after a 15 year hiatus." Joined Jun 3, 2026 Amsterdam, Netherlands Here is one of her paintings.