portraits

I just have engaged in, what might be the most challenging task of my photographic life..:

I am teacher at a highschool here in Denmark, and untill about 1980, all the former headmasters was portraied for us to see. Then it for some reason stopped...

We have discussed this from time to time - and time runs, so now I decided to try and make portraits of the headmaster and his wife, from the tim ewhen I was student here...
Very intimidating actually.. If successfull, these portraits are ment to be the "official" portraits for all in the future to see.....

I have chosen bromoil printing as a base here, as I wanted the images to be seen as a hybrid between photography and "Art"... (yes! : here in DK, photography isn't art!!)
I also wanted the pictures to look schetchy - almost unfinished, and here, liquid emulsion is a great help.

first I photographer the couple: that was the easy part!
Then I applied liquid emulsionon a rather big paper (50x105cm or approx 20x 41") - marking the forms of the couple first, so I could put on the liquid emulsion whew I wanted...
Then developing (difficult, as my trays are not nearly big enough...) - and then the bleaching (even harder...).

I have now put on two layers of paint on the pictures - first warm brown - then some more black, to highten the contrasts..
Not sure I liked the result, I then added some strong coffee... to give warmth to the pictures...

Almost there - my question now is, whether I like the almost white background.... Or if I should do something to it ?

I consider three options (if any):
1:oilpaint (not as bromoil, bit as a "real" oilpaint)
2:Coffee... to make the background more dark and warm...
3: cigarette ashes... (can give a beautiful greyish tone!....

I am sorry to bother you, but I thought I'd give you a chance to see the "almost finished" portraits before I (maybe) destroy them.....

(In any case, this is a "secret" - the school doesn't know about it, so I can just throw it all away if not satisfied....)