From the article: How to Paint a Background
Do you paint a background first, before you start on the subject. Do you paint it last, when you've finished everything else? Or do you create the background at the same time as you paint everything else? Which approach do you find easiest, and why? Share Your Thoughts
background
- I am a visual artist and find with an overall ground coat it really does not matter. In saying that, it is better to do background first if doing 12 or more glazes in oils.
- —Guest Marlene
Background first if not an abstract
- If your painting is abstract with no subject I think it makes no difference, background or foreground first, as the painting will change to suit yourself. But if you have a subject then the background should be laid down first and the subject cover it.
- —Guest SAM EASTERMAN
Depends. Visualize, don't use a formula
- I plan my subject matter and then visualize how to progress. I believe painting is sometimes logical, sometimes premeditative and sometimes completely right brained, so think about what you want your painting to end up looking like and then try your best to stick to it. Paint often and paint from life and it will become more natural to do. I paint a lot of still life and really try to see my visual image before I start. If it does not turn out, it is usually because I have not stuck to my plan. I have to think it through.
- —Guest Judy Crowe
Background last
- I am pretty much an abstract painter and I rarely premeditate what I am going to do. When I do paint a narrative my "plan" is very loose and I let the story develop first and then fell in the background at the end. I am very loose and prefer that my work to be very fresh and unstructured.
- —Margidy
top first
- I work in watercolor and find starting at hte sky works best for landscapes but other than that I paint in the light areas first.
- —spam2007
Background first
- I do the background first, especially if I'm doing a portrait. That way I can work the hair in more naturally. Of course, if I decide the change the background, then the outline of the portrait needs to be reworked.
- —Lokerose
Background First
- I paint the background first. It sets the mood (colorwise) for the foreground.
- —Guest Jean G.
Depends
- I paint an undertone to give the painting an overall unity. Then, I work on the background and subject at the same time, moving back and forth. If I am doing a landscape, I take on a different approach. Still using an undertone, I complete the background first.
- —Guest Lynn Logan Roselli
How to paint a background
- Very cool demo. I've been painting for a while and never thought about putting the darkest color where the light is coming from. It totally makes sense and I can't wait to start a new piece.
- —Hanapepeartist
Background first, finish to front
- I have painted many landscapes or portraits, and find painting the background first puts the picture you view and plan in your mind. Do it first and your picture develops.
- —Guest Benny7star
Background first
- I always do the background first, like doing research, the background sets up the rest of the painting.
- —StarrpointHost01
Back to front
- I always start with the sky then the farthest background then work my way forward progressively.
- —Guest BFJ
Depends if I plan
- When I’m using acrylics, most of the time I don't plan my paintings, I just start and it develops as I go along. With oil though, I find that I have to plan them out because of the drying time and the fact that mixing the colours makes them muddy. I'd do the entire background in one colour first or do a sky/ground combo and then take it from there. The figure would go in afterwards.
- —Guest Ruthie
Underpainting
- I usually do an underpainting, with either monotone or complementary colors, depending on the outcome I want. I do start with the furthest, less detailed view. I will rough in the overall painting, then start with my hazy shapes. I will add just enough detail to define it. Then I will work forward. I will also work top to bottom and try left to right, but not religously. I find after I get the underpainting done, and the basics roughed in, I need to work back and forth to balance the painting.
- —Guest Starrpoint
Wet on wet first
- When I use oils, I usually paint the center of interest first. After that, I just paint whatever I want next. With acrylic I do the background first . I find it's harder to paint around things with acrylics, or is it just me? With watercolor I do the wet on wet part first, so that would be the sky and background.
- —Guest Brenda
Sky first
- I usually paint the sky first, but I don't worry about getting it perfect at this point. Then I do the farthest background and work forward. But, most of the time, I like to key in the base color of my foreground objects. I want to get a feel early on how the colors are going to all relate. ”For example, in a painting I did with a harbour scene, I had the white of the boat in very early, as I was doing the water. It helps to have a plan before you start; do a good drawing first. You need to know where the main subjects are going to be placed. It’s best to have the majority of the painting planed but leave room for those happy accidents. But I have done paintings without much planning, planning as I go. Both ways are good.
- —Guest Brian Rice
