In developing a painting, I believe equal amounts of time, should be devoted on objects in the foreground, and the elements of the background. There should be an equal balance between the two in the initial stages of a painting. There shouldn't be any significant white remaining on canvas or paper, before dedicating working on a specific objects or areas. Remember that color is relative to adjacent color or background.
Never development a work by painting one "object or thing" at a time, and then moving to the next. Instead, develop the painting as a whole entity
First Example, from a book:
The painting evolves after each layer. One object wasn't painted!
The work evolves and changes.
Second Example, from another book:
The painting evolves in layers.
Light washes.
Developing painting in layers
An example, of how I painted a work of Stevens Brook in 2019. First I drew lightly, with a pencil. Then using a thin acrylic wash, of Cadmium Orange and Ultramarine Blue, I quickly drew with my paint brush. Just trying to place the trees and brook on the paper
Next, I slowed down, and started using thicker paint (Quinacridone Violet). I am working on both the foreground and background.
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Addition of greens and charcoal .
Using thicker paint and my love of vivid color. .
Adding more paint .
Notice, that most of the paper is covered.
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