Spontaneity in the creation of art has received a lot of good press. It seems logical enough: a process where inspiration from beyond the top level of consciousness is allowed to influence the art. How many times have you heard artists explain they don’t really know where the idea came from? There is a richness of ideas and images that come when open to spontaneity.
But in equal measure, working and reworking and overworking the same composition can produce creative breakthroughs on many different levels. First of all, spending great lengths of time on one particular project gives a greater understanding to the subject matter. Also, there is no reason why a little spontaneity might pop up here and there within those longer time frames. Taking the time to get to know your subject can reveal the unexpected. As an experiment, try taking a work of art to its completion seven times before considering it done. Move it through seven major revisions, or repaint it seven times. Be open to ideas that come up and new works that might be fostered by such in-depth research.