Whatever You Do, Do it With Love, Do it 100%

I went to my uncle's funeral a few months ago. During the service, the vicar mentioned his perfectionism and the fact that he always used to say "if a job's worth doing, it's worth doing right."My dad, who died years ago, used to say the exact same thing. It runs through my head like a mantra any time I'm tempted to take the easy way out.Like now ... when I have 15 paintings to prepare for exhibiting. I'm experimenting with various ways of sealing and UV-protecting my work, but my favourite way currently is to apply clear levelling gel and then cover with a cold wax finish.The levelling gel is a thick paste that looks a little misty when it first goes on, but which dries overnight to a clear, highly glossed finish. The benefit of this is that the gloss really brings out the colours and strengthens the areas of contrast. It's like turning a bright light onto the piece. But in most cases, I find the surface just a little too glossy and so I then finish the painting with a coat of cold wax. Once hardened and polished, this wax has a really nice sheen - not too matt, not too glossy.I paint on wooden box panels and, during the course of the many layers I apply, paint drips over the edges, making stains and uneven spots. The levelling gel also tends to drip onto the edges. So, once the painting is sealed and waxed, the edges need to be tidied up. This means sanding them to restore the smooth surface, and then painting them so that they look neat. I do this whether or not they will eventually be framed (because if a job's worth doing...).I suspect the people who see my paintings will have no idea how much time and care went into the finishing, but I don't think it matters.I poured my heart and soul into this series. Each painting was made with love. I owe it to them to put just as much care and attention into the final touches.