Most colorists focus on the main design and leave the background white. Adding a background can transform a good piece into a jaw-dropper.
Gradient Sky
The easiest and most impactful background technique. Use 3-4 shades of blue (or sunset colors), starting with the darkest at the top and gradually transitioning to lighter shades. Use heavy pressure for rich color and blend where the shades meet.
Simple Ground Line
Add a ground beneath your subject with a horizontal line of green, brown, or grey. Color it more densely near the bottom and fade it upward. This instantly grounds your subject in space.
Textured Fill
Instead of solid color, fill the background with a repeated pattern:
- Stippling: Thousands of tiny dots. Meditative to do and looks amazing
- Crosshatching: Overlapping lines at different angles create rich texture
- Spirals: Small spirals packed together create an art nouveau feel
- Stars: Tiny asterisk shapes for a night sky effect
Watercolor Wash Background
If you're comfortable with watercolors, paint the background first with a loose wash, let it dry completely, then color the main design with pencils or markers. The contrast between the soft background and crisp coloring is beautiful.
Leave It White (Strategically)
Sometimes a white background is the right choice - it makes the colored design pop and gives a clean, modern look. The key is making it intentional rather than just "unfinished." A thin colored border around the design can frame it and signal that the white space is deliberate.
Practice backgrounds on our animal pages - they often have clear subjects with open background areas.