Guys this is pretty delicate stuff. I see Timothy's point and I too take issue with the term "scumble" as I know it. Scumble is something a bit fractured and raw in my book best used in textured passages. I normally hate it as it's most often done poorly [to hide?] mistakes in the previous passages... WB excepted. In truth apart from backgrounds, I see little true scumblings. I contend that WB oiled up dry passages as he moved back into these from a previous session. The skin tones flow too gracefully and seemlessly to be done (1) in one passage or (2) without using this method. As you know, dry paint, even that without varnish or turps, is a different color than wet paint. I am absolutely sure Sargent did in nearly every formal portrait. He even said as much. I'm surprised how few painters even understand the procedure.
"Color fields" - I still don't know what that means.
