Why backgrounds deserve attention
A background is not empty space. It sets the mood, defines the edges of your subject, and controls how far forward the subject appears to sit. A good background helps the focal point read clearly. A poor one competes with it or makes the subject look pasted on.
You can make backgrounds work with a few ideas: keep them simpler than the subject, vary the edges, and think in terms of value, temperature and softness.
Does everything have a background?
Almost every picture has one, even if it is a plain wall or an out-of-focus area. In a portrait or still life, the background may be a simple tone. In a landscape, the “background” may be the sky and distant hills, and it is a major part of the picture. A helpful habit is to think of a portrait as a small landscape, with the figure in the foreground and an environment behind.
When to paint the background
There are two common approaches.
- Early: Block in the background along with the rest of the picture in the first layers. This lets you judge the subject against its surroundings from the start, and it avoids the problem of a subject that looks cut out.
- Later: Paint the subject first, then adjust the background to suit it. This works when you want to choose a color that complements the finished figure.
Many painters work back and forth, adjusting the background as the subject develops, as part of the broader oil painting method. Keep in mind that oil dries slowly, so you can often blend the edge between subject and background while both are still wet.
Techniques for a background that recedes
Keep value contrast lower
Detail and strong contrast attract the eye. Making the background’s value range narrower than the subject’s helps the subject stand out. See value in oil painting for how to plan this.
Use soft and lost edges
Where the subject meets the background, vary the edges. Some should be crisp, near the focal point, while others can be softened or disappear into the background. Soft edges can be made by gently blending with a clean, dry brush or a soft blender, or by painting wet into wet.
Shift temperature
A cooler, grayer background tends to recede behind a warm subject, and the reverse can also work. Atmospheric landscapes follow this idea: distant objects look lighter, cooler and less detailed. Our article on oil painting color theory explains temperature and saturation.
Lower the saturation
A muted background lets saturated accents in the subject stand out. Mixing complementary colors on your palette is a reliable way to make a gray with a color bias, which usually looks richer than a gray from the tube. A limited starter palette makes these grays easy to mix.
Thin or textured paint
Thin, smooth paint in the background and thicker paint in the focal area can add emphasis. Some painters do the reverse for expressive effect. Choose deliberately, and remember that thicker, fatter layers belong on top of thinner ones, as described in the fat over lean rule.
Background ideas to try
- Simple tonal field: A flat or slightly graded tone, a staple of portraiture and still life.
- Gradient: Lighter near the subject’s dark side and darker near its light side, which strengthens edges by contrast.
- Broken color: Several close colors scumbled or dragged together to give life without detail.
- Environmental suggestion: A few simplified shapes, such as a window, shelf or horizon, to hint at place.
- Atmospheric landscape: Layers of receding hills or trees getting lighter, cooler and softer.
- Dark background: A very dark field can create drama, but keep a little variation so it does not look like a black hole.
Best background color for oil painting
There is no single best color. A mid-value neutral often suits beginners because it is easy to judge subjects against it. Consider these points:
- Choose a color that harmonizes with the subject’s dominant colors.
- Check that the background value separates from both the light and shadow sides of the subject.
- Test options with small color studies or with a digital mock-up before committing.
If you are working on a toned canvas, letting bits of the ground show through the background can unify the whole picture.
Changing the background when working from a photo
Photographs often include cluttered or distracting surroundings. You can simplify, crop or replace them. Adding a plausible light source and keeping the edges consistent with the subject’s lighting helps it look believable.
The 80/20 and 70/30 ideas
You may see “80/20” or “70/30” guidelines in painting advice. These are not formal rules, and different teachers use them differently. A common use is to divide the picture so about 70 to 80 percent is quieter and supports the remaining 20 to 30 percent where the interest is. That idea echoes the balance of emphasis discussed in oil painting composition. Treat the numbers as a prompt to keep most of the picture simple, not as a requirement.
Common mistakes
- Painting the background too detailed or too contrasty.
- Using a flat background color straight from the tube without any variation.
- Leaving a hard outline around the whole subject.
- Letting background colors be more saturated than the subject.
- Waiting until the end and then rushing it.
Brushes for backgrounds
Larger flat or filbert brushes cover areas efficiently and give soft, broad strokes, and a soft blending brush can help in smooth passages. See what type of brush to use for oil paint for more.
Frequently asked questions
Which is the best background for doing oil painting?
It depends on the subject. A mid-tone neutral that harmonizes with the main colors is a reliable start, and a toned ground helps you judge values as you paint.
What are some creative techniques for painting backgrounds?
Try gradients, broken color, scumbling, wiping back with a rag, atmospheric layering and suggesting a setting with a few simple shapes.
Should the background be painted before the subject?
Either order can work. Starting it early helps you judge relationships, while finishing it later lets you adapt it to the subject.