Edges: Hard, Soft and Lost

An edge is where one shape meets another. How sharp or soft you make each edge is one of the most powerful (and most overlooked) tools in drawing and painting. Edges control focus, describe form and create atmosphere.

Three kinds of edges

• Hard edge: a sharp, clear transition. Attracts attention. Found on hard objects, cast shadows near their source and planes that turn abruptly (like the corner of a box).
• Soft edge: a gradual transition. Recedes and feels gentle. Found on rounded forms (the terminator of a sphere), blurry backgrounds, soft materials.
• Lost edge: the transition disappears because the two values are almost the same. The viewer's eye fills in the missing part.

What edges tell the viewer

• Form: a soft terminator says "round"; a hard one says "angular."
• Material: hard edges for glass, metal and stone; soft edges for fur, clouds and skin.
• Distance: things farther away and out of focus have softer edges.
• Focus: the hardest edges and highest contrast pull the eye. Use them at the focal point and soften elsewhere.
• Movement: soft, blurry edges suggest motion.

Lost and found

Artists talk about lost and found edges: an edge that appears sharp in some places and disappears in others. A figure in shadow might merge with a dark background along one side, then reappear sharply where the light hits. This creates mystery and elegance and ties the subject to its environment.

How to control edges

• Pencil: blend or use lighter pressure to soften; use a sharp point and an eraser to sharpen.
• Paint: wet-into-wet or a clean, damp brush for soft edges; dry paint and a crisp stroke for hard ones.
• Digital: soft brushes, the blur and smudge tools, or a hard brush and the eraser.