Boing Boing references a Time Lapsed Picasso painting appearing in Neatorama.  I would put the Google Video on ArtNewYorkCity but the Word Press software does not accept embedded videos for some reason.

“…..In 1955, Henri-Georges Clouzot filmed Picasso as he painted – the result is a time-lapse photography of the fantastic way Picasso created his artworks. Hit play or go to Link [Google Video] – via Tinselman“.

In the process of creating the work in question, I noticed Picasso started out with an abstract painting – a few basic shapes which got developed, improved on, as he continued to work on the painting.  Also, at several points it looked like he was done with the painting (at 1:48 minutes into the movie – see below).

To me, this is as far as Picasso needed to go – he could have stopped right here, and the painting would have, pretty much, worked – been more satisfying to view (except maybe to him). Instead, this is what he ended up with (below):

 
I don’t know when someone stops work – but I think even the cape (though I don’t like it that much) has a logic to it – I can understand why it’s there – why it’s painted that way. There’s constantly great stuff, and Picasso destorys it and creates something else.   I understand the process.  Everything is in the process of being destroyed and recreated – it’s all where you decide to stop – to say your “done”.  If anything, the movie shows me the process of how you paint is more important (and often more interesting) than the final result.