Pansies

They are beautiful and I feel that you should leave the background here white. I'm no expert on flower painting but think that if you want to paint in a background colour on a new painting, you should mask out just the small areas that you want to leave white and then start with a variegated pale wash over the whole surface of the paper. Once dry, you can start painting the flowers. This is how I'd do it and I hope that it helps!

Nice work Louise.What you can do now if you want to put in a background,is wet the paper up to the edge of the petals and just casually,here and there, drop in a mid to lightish tone of say Cobalt Blue.If you do choose to try this, just work in sections,making sure the paper is wet beyond where you are working.This way you won't get hard drying edges.It won't have to be all blue,leave white as well for clouds- this takes the pressure off as well.If you like.....

Christine I am no expert on backgrounds, if you look at my flowers the majority of them have no background (a cop out I know). Larry's comments will work well because you have already painted the flowers - make sure you drop the colour in a little way from the edge of the petals although wet the paper to the petals and that will give the paint chance to settle without leaving a hard edge, if one does happen gently dampen it with a small brush to take the hard edge away. Good luck. The pansies you have painted are beautiful and delicate and I do like that particular colour pansy.

Thank you all for your suggestions. I will certainly try them. Although I usually leave the background white I do think that a subtle background of some kind can add a certain vibrancy to the painting, especially sky, so I will have a go.

Such pretty pansies, well done.

ps. I have spoilt paintings putting in background last. I have masked out flowers before then let rip with background colours, I think this works better for me.