Sargent strikes the perfect balance between open- and closed-form painting. I have been thinking about this lately because I noticed my own work growing increasingly closed form. Since I started painting again, I am focusing on my technique more. In the past I neglected the surface quality entirely. I would work on one portion of the painting without keeping the whole surface in mind. Now, before I start painting I apply a thin glaze over the entire canvas which helps to keep the surface unified. In addition, I work at accentuating the color instead of letting the colors get muddy. Despite all of this, I don’t want to stray too far from the qualities I love in Sargent’s work. In Sarget’s painting El Jaleo, most of the painting is loosely painted helping to create a sense of movement. This painting is also relatively monochromatic, yet still beautiful.