The Painter in oil

the outer covering of the skull, and of necessity follows the curves of the skull; and
there is a back part to the skull which you cannot see, but which you can feel-can
know the presence of, because of the way it is connected with the front part by the
sides. All this you must make evident in your painting, as well as the facts which are
on the side of the skull turned toward you. How make it evident? By values and
directness of brush-stroke.
Background. - Never treat the background as something different from the head.
The whole thing must go together. The slightest change in the background is
equivalent to that much change of the head itself. For the change means necessarily a
different contrast, either of color or light and shade, and it will have its effect on the
color or relief of the head.
Paint the two together, then. Make the head and all that goes with it or around it
as equally parts of the picture, which all tend to affect each other. Your background
is not something which can be laid in after the head is finished. True you can paint
the background immediately around the head first, and then, after painting the head,
extend the background to the edge of the canvas; but the color, tone, and character
of the background must be decided upon at the time the head is painted, and carried
on in the same feeling.
It is never good work to paint the head and then paint a background behind it.
Particularly if this true when there are windows or any objects whatever in the
background. It is most important that the whole thing shall be seen in the same kind
of light, and in the same relation of light. This is hardly to be done when the head is
one painting and the background another.
This is not rigidly true, however, in cases when the whole thing is planned
beforehand, and studies made for each part, as in elaborate portraits and
compositions which include several figures or special surroundings.
But the principle holds good here also. The relation must be kept of the head to the
surroundings, and the effect of the one upon the other always kept in mind.
Complex Portraits. - It is often possible to pose your model so as to bring out
some characteristic occupation. This is often done in portraits of distinguished men.
Such a treatment gibes opportunity for composition both of the figure and of the
various objects which may make up the background.
In such pictures you should study arrangement of line and mass, to make the thing
aesthetically interesting as well as interesting as a portrait. Composition in mass, -
the consideration of the head and shoulders in relation to the space of the canvas, - is
necessary in the simplest head; but as soon as the canvas takes in a representation of
action on the part of the figure, line and movement must be considered, as was done
so beautifully in Whistler’s portrait. In this the study of composition is your
problem. You may study it all the time and in every picture you do, but it should be
worked out before you begin to paint.
Plan your canvas carefully always. Know just where everything is coming. When
you leave things to chance, you are pretty sure to have trouble later.