Any drawing could have another line, any painting another dab of color. When artists are creating art, how do they know when their piece of art is finished?

That question was posed to art students at Ralph Downs Elementary and Putnam City West High School. Below are their answers:

"When I know I’ve finished an art piece, I get a feeling inside."
—Evan, Grade 4

"You can really tell if your artwork is done by the feeling you get at the bottom of your stomach. It’s like the feeling you get when you fall in love."
—Daniel, Grade 9

"I get a mental picture of what I want it to look like. Then I try and change it so it can be better than I had planned. Then I get the feeling kind of like when your leg is waking up after you sat on it."
—Anthony, Grade 12

"I know when I’m finished with a piece when I put all my energy into it and stand back and feel at peace. A good feeling assures me that I’ve done all that’s possible."
—Laney, Grade 12

"You know by knowing! You know you’re finished when you think you have done everything you can."
—Jacob, Grade 3

"To me, a painting is done when I feel it is done."
—Dan, Grade 12

"It’s finished once it is colored, drawn, painted, or built and is as good as you can get it."
—Lacey, Grade 3

"I know when my pieces of work are finished when I can look at them and believe what they are. If I look at the piece of art and something isn’t right, I know it. That is why a finished piece can tell a story when an unfinished piece is just a drawing."
—Katie, Grade 12

"Once you think it has enough detail, have done a good job and have done enough."
—Rachael, Grade 3

"When the contrast and figure of the object I’m drawing intrigues me, I’m done."
—Ben, Grade 11

"When you feel like it has enough texture, line, form, value, and color."
—Marianne, Grade 4

"My artwork is finished when the paper is filled up."
—Ann, Grade 3

"Usually before I start I get an image in my head of what I want the picture to look like. Then I work on it until it looks like that image."
—Ron, Grade 12

"I think an art piece is done when after you walk by it 100 times and make changes and the next time you walk by it you can’t think of anything else to change."
—Kacie, Grade 5

"I know a piece of artwork is finished when there is nothing more that I can do to make it better in my own eyes. If there is nothing more I can do and all I want to do is look at it, then I know it’s done."
—Tim, Grade 11

"To true artists, there is no finishing point within their souls."
—Kim, Grade 12

"An art piece is never done. There is always something to add."
—Demetrio, Grade 5