Interlocking Shapes

One of the puzzling things for many beginning artists is what to do with the background. When they describe the problem to me, it seems they are more concerned about what to include in it or what colors to make it. I am more focused on making sure that the background shape interlocks with the foreground shape and that those shapes are interesting.

Interlocking shapes are like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle. They fit into each other. An example of two shapes not interlocking is a painting of the sky and the ocean meeting at an absolutely unbroken horizon line. The resulting two shapes would probably be two rectangles...very static and boring shapes.

Look for ways to break into any static lines to form shapes that interlock with each other.

In this painting of a tugboat (which is actually a restaurant in Boothbay Harbor), trace the outline of the tugboat with its stacks and the roofline, and you'll see that the background and sky also become a more interesting light shape.