Quality vs. Quantitiy

Poll for those lazy enough to reply http://www.strawpoll.me/12842762

I'm a beginner also interested in this all of my art is half finished or just random body parts to get better.

As total beginner you should get as much mileage as possible and just drawn and sketch a lot. From life, observation, imagination, do it all. Once you're at intermediate level you should start doing more finished pieces and really try to push them to the best of your ability while doing a few selective studies whenever you feel like they are needed for whatever you are currently working on.

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Don't completely half-ass your studying in an attempt to get more done, but don't work on something beyond what's necessary.
ie: Don't polish turds.

>>2958404

Work at a methodical, comfortable pace.

>And set a time limit.

>Don't "polish the turd"

>Don't be afraid to "ruin" a piece. You'll get faster as time goes on.

>>2958404
Personally, I don't spend more than 3 hours on a piece, I'm of the idea that you can start and finish a painting in that time, which doesn't mean I personally can, but failing to do so shows me blatant mistakes that slowed down the painting, these mistakes tend to take 90% of the time of most pieces, that's when I take note of them and drop the piece.

>>2958445
You should start spending more time on the phase where those mistakes usually happen instead of trying to spend a maximum of 3 hours no matter what.

>>2958452
Once I note them I focus on fixing them on the next pieces since most of them are so broad that I should almost restart the piece.

I would say, don't polish a turd, but finish drawing your turd.

>>2958467
Good post.

It's better to make a lot of unfinished pieces as well as a few finished pieces.

If you constantly and exclusively make unfinished pieces you'll never learn to render/complete an image, but if you spend all your time making finished pieces you're going to be spending 80% of your time polishing turds at the start.

Polish the odd turd for the practice, but I think a priority of volume for mileage is better at the start.

>>2958404
In my case Quality, because I appreciate much more a fine piece of art over many 'unfinished' pieces.
With the time I can see my progress improve.

I paint in oils mostly. I find it hard to progress because I simply don't know where I want to go. I've tried still lifes, landscapes/seascapes, figure & portraits, but if I spend too long doing one area, then I feel I prefer to do one of the others.

I've been painting in oil since Jan '15 and have no idea what style or genre to do. I paint nearly daily, but sometimes feel I'll never get a clear pathway.

It's not either or. Do both. Try to finish your piece with your best effort after you finish take a day if you have to, then go to the next and so on.