Issue when painting at easel

@lisawrites, no, this isn't a new thing that I know of since I've had my Sim paint since the last update the other day and I was able to stop and start like normal. 🤔 The first thing I would check then is do you have an Mods or Custom Content (CC) in your game? Even if we think a Mod or CC shouldn't affect a certain aspect of our game, it still can!  😞   If you do use CC or Mods, then temporarily remove all CC and Mods, then check your game.  If the problem no longer happens, then you know it is the CC or Mods causing it, and then you can slowly add them back to see which exact one(s) is(are) the culprit.  If this doesn't solve the problem, (or if you don't use CC or Mods) then you know your problem is something else.  😉  

Also, have you tried to exit the lot (like to visit a park, restaurant, museum, etc.) and returned? This will often fix some problems.  It seems to act as a reset. 🙂

Next, I would try repairing your game through Origin. To do that, go into Origin, choose "My Game Library" and then right click on The Sims 4 and choose "repair" from the menu.

If any of these don't work, then please tell us so we know your problem isn't one of these usual reasons that give people problems!  (But please return here and update us if one of these fixes your problem,  and tell us which one did the trick and mark the post with as an Accepted Solution so it can help others with a similar problem! 😉 )

Best of luck! 

@lisawrites

Are you sure it wasn't another Sim that started the painting? That would explain the message.

@jpkarlsen, thank you for adding that! ❤️  I didn't even think of that! 😳

@lisawrites, thank you for the additional information! 😇  I was really hoping that @jpkarlsen's suggestion was causing the problem.  At least we dont' have to mess with removing and testing your CC/Mods!  It is so much easier to troubleshoot without those! 🤨

Since we have narrowed it down to the $100 Landscape option, I will test that in my game to see if I get your problem or not. 😉   I will also test some emotional paintings.  I only tested the Small and Medium Classical paintings so far. 

Edit:   I just checked my game and since I already had my Sim in a "Very Playful" emotional state, I had them try a Playful painiting.  They started, stopped to go to the bathroom and pet their cat, and they were able to resume painting.  Then I tried the $100 Landscape painting.  They started it, stopped, and then cooked and ate dinner, then resumed the painting without any problems.  Therefore, I don't think this is a new bug (unless there is some other factor we aren't aware of that makes our experiences different.)  

My game is up to date (with the latest update a couple of days ago).  I have all the packs installed, but I do not have any CC/Mods either.  

Try to have your Sim travel somewhere (where you actually follow them to their destination) and do something and then when you send them back home, try to have them resume painting and see what that does.  If that doesn't work, then I would repair my game through Origin.  

Please update us on what happens!

Best of luck! 😇

(i also replied to this, here.)

i tested on a small Classic painting: started it when the Sim was at home. i then had her stop and travel (i think to a park) and, after returning home and clicking on it, the only option available was "scrap painting".

as soon as i can play again, i'll test others.

Thank you @unseenlarks , for including that link! 😇 @lisawrites , apparently it is a problem that other people have had, so you aren't alone!  So I would now call this a bug, based on that information.  I don't know why I have not gotten it (yet) in my game. 🤔  Also, usually having your Sim travel to another lot while still controlling them and then returning fixes many glitches in the game, but this seems to possibly cause the problem.  ☹️  I need to test my game and have my Sim leave the lot and see if that triggers the bug. 🤔

Thank you @unseenlarks , since I forgot to test it yesterday (too busy playing Jungle Adventure and I forgot to pack an easel before My Sim left for vacation! 😳 ) 

@lisawrites, strangely, it seems that this bug is tied to leaving the lot and then continuing!  (Usually leaving the lot fixes glitches in the game).🤨  I'll have to see if I can find anything more about this. 🤔

Update: I just tested a small Classic painting by starting it and then going off the lot to the Spice Festival and returning home. ☹️  When I returned home I could only "Scrap Painting".  So this bug had been in my game for as long as everybody else's, it is just I didn't know about it since I must have never left the lot when a painting wasn't completed! 🤨