The other day, I came across a painting time-lapse video. Jane from MyArtShine starts with a triangular canvas, which she paints black. Then, she adds some tape and paints the borders in rainbow colors. The tape comes off, other bits are added, and the real work begins: a moon floating in a dark sky above a glistening lake, a mountain range, some shooting stars. The scene is nothing short of mesmerizing.
From the shapes she added in the beginning, we know Jane has both a girl figure and a dolphin waiting for us still. But before the two are revealed, oh my, what’s this? In one fell swoop, a big black streak runs right across the entire creation. “No, Jane! What are you doing?” As it turns out, Jane is adding a tree. Then, the tree gets branches, and leaves, and roots. Within 45 seconds, around half of the original landscape is covered in shrubbery.
The dolphin comes out, and so does the girl. Now, the painting is rather crowded. It’s almost as if someone had stuck a bunch of stickers on top of what was originally a beautiful still life work. The last tape bits come off, and the rainbow borders are once again revealed. But Jane is not done—because here comes the glue. And the glitter. Uh-oh. By the time the video ends, we see a lot of sparkles glow in the dark, but you know what’s missing? The moon. That beautiful, glowing moon. Behind all the glitter and characters and plants, I can barely see it.
There’s something gut-wrenching about seeing a pretty creation getting taken one step too far. “Don’t! Wait! What’s with the frosting?!” you want to scream. Why douse your favorite cake in frosting when it’s already finished? The comments on Jane’s post echo as much. “The glitter ruined it.” “It was better without the tree.”
One person carries a different sentiment: “This is art. Nothing is ruining anything. Let the artist express themselves the way they want. If you feel like you could have done it better, then do it according to how you want it to be. Just let the artist be.”
I want to share this opinion. Go ahead Jane. You do you. But I’ve also been there. I added too many frills to art that was already finished, thus obscuring the very point I most wanted people to see. Perhaps, as so often, the truth lies in the golden middle: Stick to your artistic vision, yes. But remember that the mark of a good artist is to know when to stop. Don’t just plow through the work. Pause. Reflect. Stop at each crossroads, and wonder: “Is ‘more’ the way to go here? How about less?“
The time-lapse video that ends up on Instagram might be short, but the way of art itself is long. Don’t carry anything more than the essentials. After all, art is about essence—and sometimes the sprinkles are just a distraction.