At this point in a painting or drawing, I generally feel halfway done. The painting is blurry, full of mid tones, and has an unfinished feeling.

I’m using oil pastels, and I’ve found that things can go really bad when I’m at this stage. Adding in more layers can create a heavy, dull look. Putting in the darkest shadows can suddenly create weird purples or blues, and relying too much on black can be overwhelming.

When I return to this image from the start of it all, I can reassess what I’d like the finished piece to look like—a complicated set of branches with sparrows peeking out here and there, a big sky behind it all, and a focus on texture and pattern.

Best to leave it alone to see if this is still what I’d like to achieve. Letting a piece sit for a few days is the best way to figure out where you are.