Backgrounds... sigh

Like many artists, I find backgrounds a bit troublesome.  In scratchbaord trying to create the impression that something is out of focus or not as sharp as your primary subject can be difficult.  And if you don't make it recede from the main subject it can often compete with it, sometimes making your main subject get lost in the mix.  I am attempting to put in some aspen trees behind my pair of wolves.  So far they are started but still need a lot of work.  They are being completed with very fine grit sandpaper.