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Often in the placement of the figure I may have to make a quick decision to deal with a problem. In this case, I needed to get the head off center but to do this I had to shift the whole figure to one side on the canvas. That may not have been the best solution. Nevertheless, I had to resolve this issue in my mind as quickly, and as best I can and stick with it. Since in the short time allotted to finish the painting I cannot mull the situation and take my time as I please to reach a better solution.

Often friends ask me what’s all this in the background? My way of looking at this is to do my utmost to balance the painting as far as value and color. As to what I include in the background is immaterial as long as I feel the painting is balanced. The choice I make is more by instinct although I get cues from what I see in the vicinity of the figure. I look at the painting as a whole rather than as parts and consider it a combination of shapes rather than a person, a landscape, or a still life.