Think of a field as a set of scalar field strength values, one value at every point in space. It's not a "thing" you can grab or see. The field strength value

Think of a field as a set of scalar field strength values, one value at every point in space. It's not a "thing" you can grab or see. The field strength values are based on the distances to and the magnitudes of the "particles" have have {charge, mass, color, whatever} (with the complexity that the particles themselves are really just standing waves, thus the scare quotes).