Backgrounds

[pampe]

I am getting a sense from recent posts that we don't always plan our backgrounds BEFORE we paint


Do you?

Can you tell others how to plan for the background?

Have you any hints?

Let's talk about backgrounds:

[Christie]

Mostly, I paint lanscapes, so the background is a given.

Now that I am starting to do some other stuff, I would have to say that it depends on the subject.

On my graphite work, I prefer not to have backgrounds, but the watercolours sometimes seem to need something. I just wish I knew what it was they needed....

[Blueyog]

It depends. If the background is a part of the "story", yes, it's planned. But if I only want to paint a character, I sometimes forget to think of an appropriated background. And then I hate myself

[chookbrown]

I've worked mostly in pastel and colored pencil up til now so my backgrounds were as detailed as the focal point for the most part. I am finding the transition to a watercolor background different in the wash look .. um, the not so detailed but blurred look.. I need to do more reading/study on that area for sure... But I do still plan where I want to put the color and for what reason.. getting the desired effect is the hard part..

Good question.

Chook

[Kari]

Well, I don't exactly plan them. I do them first though. I guess that's why I like doing close up flowers, less background to do. I like doing very dark backgrounds with sunlit flowers, mostly because I like the contrast, but also because I don't know what to do with the backgrounds. I've tried wet in wet, just floating in colors, but it never looks very good.
Good thread!

[lyn lynch]

Yes, I always plan them. If it's other than washes incorporating all pallette colors though, I can't do them.

I'm w/Chooks on wanted a "blurred" look, but still learning so I put in more detail than I had planned. Chooks and I learn together from WC! folks....So glad Chookie learning watercolor and we see more. Hipp0- Birdie, Chooks.

I have hint: Plan all paintings to have white of paper backgrounds.

[painterbear]

I think backgrounds are very important and incorporate mine from the get-go, otherwise they tend to look like afterthoughts.

That doesn't mean they have to be detailed, but they should contain some of the same colors that will be used in the focal area of the painting and vice versa so they are integrated. This is difficult to do if they aren't planned ahead of time and just tacked on at the end.

Like Kari, I tend to paint my backgrounds very early in the painting process. I add color all over my paper so that isn't hard for me to do.

[Uschi]

I always paint my subject first and ALWAYS agonize over the background
Uschi

[mchew]

Originally posted by Christie
Mostly, I paint landscapes, so the background is a given.

Me too!

When painting still life and other stuff, I'll try to compose the back ground in my head so that I don't regret later...an exception is my current zodiac series since the gallery wants a blank bg.

[pampe]

Originally posted by Kari
Well, I don't exactly plan them. I do them first though. I guess that's why I like doing close up flowers, less background to do. I like doing very dark backgrounds with sunlit flowers, mostly because I like the contrast, but also because I don't know what to do with the backgrounds. I've tried wet in wet, just floating in colors, but it never looks very good.
Good thread!

made me smile

if you don't "plan them"...how can you do them first?

I LIKE FOOKIE'S HINT!!!!

[mustcreate]

the dreaded background!!!

scares me most times!!

why do you think I compose most of my florals without a background? !! (not entirely true, wanting to focus in on the star of the show is another reason)

but I am proud to say I am conquering my fear of backgrounds by planning them well in advance. I am doing that by paying closer attention to the photo composition. I am learning more about photography and how to blur backgrounds and I am one happy camper now that I've gotten a few backgrounds like that in recent reference photos.

background guidelines I try to follow.....

applying the same colours in both subject and background to unify

having lost and found edges...again to unify

using my underpainting helps greatly to keep the painting as a whole integrated with the background.

em

[noreenemc]

I always do. Since we're painting "backwards" in watercolor, seems like you have to at least try. I dislike trying to outline around things.

[wilmas]

I try to plan a background (flowers)But I find it hard to do backgrounds.But I notice allmost everybody has this problem.I did a few flower paintings and the backgrounds are getting better.

[laniers]

I usually do my backgrounds first. The reason is, on one painting I did the background last. The colors looked rich and dark against the white paper, but when I painted the dark background in things looked too light.

[yahooserious]

I'm too much of a student right now. I'm planning to jump into the image area soon, but right now that water looks coooold!!! Most of what I paint is either done in class or is from one of the many how-to books I possess.

I've still got that "big chicken" syndrome....*.skwaaaak...bock,,bock...feathers flying everywhere

Emilie