How To Paint Your Background
When painting a still life one of the most overlooked components is the background. We spend so much time arranging our objects and painting them, that often the background becomes an after thought. Sometimes that isn't a problem, but if your subject is particularly complicated and delicate, then painting around it can be brutal. In this class we'll give you some things to think through before you get into that predicament.
When should you paint in your watercolor background?
I get asked this question a lot. I wish it had a simple answer but the truth is ... it depends.
Since watercolors are not as easily modified as acrylics or oils, you definitely must plan ahead a bit more. If your background can easily be painted around your subject, then you can add the background last. That said, my personal preference is to mask my drawing of the subject first, let it dry completely and then paint the background wash over and around it. In this way you can feel completely free to work on the background without messing up your foreground image. Once the mask and background are dry, you can rub off the mask and paint in the foreground subject free of worry.
If you paint the subject first, you could try masking it (after it has thoroughly dried) with masking fluid but this method has caused me quite a bit of pain at times. Inevitably, at some point in your painting journey, part of your painted image rubs off with the mask.
With these included grapes on the vine pair of paintings, I did somewhat of the back and forth method. I drew in my grapes but haphazardly layered on the background letting some of the background purples overlap into the grapes. This way I can have the look of soft gauzy grapes in the background, but still some crisp ones. I didn't want every grape to be clearly definable, only some of them.
I get asked this question a lot. I wish it had a simple answer but the truth is ... it depends.
Since watercolors are not as easily modified as acrylics or oils, you definitely must plan ahead a bit more. If your background can easily be painted around your subject, then you can add the background last. That said, my personal preference is to mask my drawing of the subject first, let it dry completely and then paint the background wash over and around it. In this way you can feel completely free to work on the background without messing up your foreground image. Once the mask and background are dry, you can rub off the mask and paint in the foreground subject free of worry.
If you paint the subject first, you could try masking it (after it has thoroughly dried) with masking fluid but this method has caused me quite a bit of pain at times. Inevitably, at some point in your painting journey, part of your painted image rubs off with the mask.
With these included grapes on the vine pair of paintings, I did somewhat of the back and forth method. I drew in my grapes but haphazardly layered on the background letting some of the background purples overlap into the grapes. This way I can have the look of soft gauzy grapes in the background, but still some crisp ones. I didn't want every grape to be clearly definable, only some of them.
Notice how some of the grapes are blended into the background and don't have distinct seperate edges.
Notice how the edges are crisp and clearly delineated from the background in this painted section
In this example, the background is kept a very distinct and separate color from the foreground image.
Another reason that you might want to change up the order and start the background with no mask is if you are first doing an under painting. In this scenario, you might want to wash layers of color over the entire painting. Let it dry, and then work back and forth. Building up layers of the background and the subject (foreground). This works well when reflected background colors are actually showing up in your objects. It ties the subject to the background which can bring nice unity to your piece. Again, it comes down to planning. Thinking these things through ahead of time can be used to create certain effects and moodiness. Soft, lost edges in parts of a painting can provide different areas for the eye to linger and explore.
To simplify, it comes down to if you want to keep your background and subject distinctly separate or not. If you like the idea of merging them, then no need to use the mask. If keeping distinctly separate, then use the masking fluid before painting the background or painting on the background around your subject at the end, would be the way to go. Below are 2 examples of both of the different described scenarios.
To simplify, it comes down to if you want to keep your background and subject distinctly separate or not. If you like the idea of merging them, then no need to use the mask. If keeping distinctly separate, then use the masking fluid before painting the background or painting on the background around your subject at the end, would be the way to go. Below are 2 examples of both of the different described scenarios.
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Look at your lighting
Study the light source. We'll have a class just on lighting later, but for now, give it some notice. If you don't have a dominant light source you may want to consider having one. It can greatly affect your background. If you have strong lighting on your subject, you'll have an interesting shadow appear behind it that you may just want to include. The example on the right shows the lighting set up I had for the San Pellegrino piece. Having a dominant light source helps give some interesting shadows so plan and preserve them well. |
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Consider where your horizon line will be
You may want to have a horizon line where the back wall, meets the table or it may all be one fluid wash of color behind your subject. There is no right or wrong here, the idea is just to plan and think it through ahead of time. In the example on the left, I have a loose horizon line that is not clearly delineated. |
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Use color choices that help lend vibrancy to your subject
Using warm, bright, crisp colors in the foreground and cool recessive colors for the background can help to add drama. The rule to keep in mind is that you want your background to support your subject, not to be a distraction from it. Put in some interesting touches or textures without overwhelming what you have in the foreground. Often the background only needs to be simple variations of color, value and texture to do the job. In the piece on the right, contrast was created by keeping the foreground subject's edges crisp and firm. This allows the background to be more muted and blurry in nature, giving a little pop to the grapes as they visually move forward. |
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Here I'm showing the progression of the background and the still life itself. I gradually build up the background layers until I'm happy with it.
Pro tip: It may help you blend your background if you wet the paper first and then work the watercolor paint into the wet area. Keep in mind that your background will dry significantly lighter in this case as the more water is used, the lighter the color will dry.
* Click on the videos to see them enlarged
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Darken around the subject
Not only do crisp edges give pop to your subject, but high contrast in values do as well. In this scenario, the background is darker and more contrasting from the foreground to add contrast and interest. I also like to vary the colors of the background. No need to stick to all one color. It's fine to vary it slightly in certain places. Just make sure it looks intentional and not like you got your mix of colors wrong because you ran out of paint. |
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Suggestions for colors
When I'm painting my backgrounds, I like to include colors from my subjects. By limiting your palette like this, you unify the piece. If your focal point is blue and your background is green, perhaps mix up the green from the blue and a yellow that you have used in your focal point.
When I'm painting my backgrounds, I like to include colors from my subjects. By limiting your palette like this, you unify the piece. If your focal point is blue and your background is green, perhaps mix up the green from the blue and a yellow that you have used in your focal point.
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Experiment with different techniques
You may want to experiment with our different textures on the background. Try adding course salt and let it dry or blot at the background with tissues for different effects. You may also want to throw a little splatter or water droplets into the foreground. This will keep it interesting and look like something subtle is happening back there. You'll be much happier with your background if you keep changing up the texture. You may even want to add some flying white or spots that you "miss" : ) |
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Consider using soft, lost edges around your foreground subject
As was stated above, at times you want the background to bleed into the subject and overlap it a bit. Every painting doesn't call for the foreground to look like it was cut out and glued on the paper. The video on the left demonstrates this concept. |
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Don't forget the cast shadows
Adding in a little bit of cast shadows beneath your objects will tie them into the painting and help them to look like they are not floating in mid-air. They should be the very darkest right underneath your object and can lighten up from there. It doesn't have to be much of a shadow, but it does have to be there. |
For Your Homework
Paint a very simple still life from an object in your home on an 8X10 or 9X12" paper. This time you are going to add in a background. Decide if you want to use liquid mask to block off parts of your foreground so that you don't have to carefully paint over it, or if the background is fine to intermingle a bit with your subject.
Feel free to post process pics along the way.
I can't wait to see how they turn out. If you are not on our Facebook Group Forum, feel free to e-mail your work to me and or to the class for feedback.
Feel free to post process pics along the way.
I can't wait to see how they turn out. If you are not on our Facebook Group Forum, feel free to e-mail your work to me and or to the class for feedback.
