One of the most important and hardest things to overcome when designing is to understand when the piece you are designing on is actually finished. while creativity is sometime boundless the end result should always be the result of a clear objective, the end result. I often get caught between creativity and completion and from the emails I’ve received, I have discovered im not alone .So we asked the experts.

Before the answers I’d like to thank all designers that answered this question. And a special thanks to Justin Maller for the great help. Also we’d love to know your opinion, so leave a question telling us when do you think a design is finished.

Chuck Anderson - http://nopattern.com

When any more would be too much and any less would be too little. Knowing when something is finished comes down to an eye for composition and detail, in my opinion. If I can look at the image and it has good balance and just “feels” right. It’s hard to explain, you just kind of know when it’s time to stop. Of course, if you’re working for a client, it’s time to stop when they say it’s time to stop!

 

James White - http://www.signalnoise.com

I see my artwork as one big organic process. If I like elements and methods I developed in previous pieces, I am prone to re-use them again in a different way for a new work. Art is constant exploration, so in a way I am never finished my work. However, when I feel an individual design is going well the best thing to do is close it and step away for a while. I let my eyes rest for an hour or so. When I return to look at it again errors and inconsistancies tend to be very obvious. In the end, if I can look at a piece of my art the next day and it still looks okay, then I’m on the right track. Everyone has to think about their personal workflow to find the proper balance of achieving your goal with a given idea, while not overworking it at the same time.

 

Solid Gold Bomb

Justin Maller - http://www.superlover.com.au

I know a piece is finished when I set it as my wallpaper and don’t notice any flaws.

 

Guilherme Marconi - http://brain.marconi.nu/

I always ask myself the same thing, like if it has met my expectations.

It’s done when I let my feelings tell me if everything is OK. I use the same thing to choose colors, where to add shadows, and the most important, if the process to get to that point was pleasant and satisfactory. That for me is more important than the end result, and for me, it’s done. Then it’s just save it and show to my fiance, my main critics.

 

Collis Ta’eed - http://eden.cc, http://collistaeed.com/

“I know a design is finished when every time I add something or adjust something it seems to get worse. I often create a set of history snapshots of the design trying different things - additions or small alterations - and then show them to my wife - who is also a designer. When we both agree that the original is already complete then I delete the snapshots and stop there. Of course sometimes adding one more element can lead you down a whole other path of design, and I have wound up totally reworking a look. But that’s the joy of design, there are always many solutions to a problem!”

 

Alberto Seveso - http://www.recycledarea.co.uk

well.. i don’t know! I’m never sure when a piece is ended or it seems good, I try and risk, but I have a small secret to say, I never look the illustration of forehead when I believe is ready, I tilt my head of 45° on my left side and I look the monitor, if I like from this
position I consider done.

 

Phil Dunne - http://www.lovetherobot.com

As Andy Warhol once said about art, ‘If you don’t think about it, it’s right.’ When I start to get goosebumps while I’m working on an illustration, it feels right. That’s when I know it’s time to stop.

 

Erik Finsrud - http://www.thenorik.com

My work is normally never finalized till I’ve received feedback from my peers, they will always see something in a way I haven’t. I enjoy involving others in my process.

 

James Wignall - http://www.mutanthands.com

When the deadline is met.

 

taken from abduzeedo.com

 

 



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