Tip: Creating Edges

Hard and soft are terms used to describe different types of painted edges (the terms found and lost are also used for the same purpose). A hard edge is defined by a sharp contrast between adjacent colors. The contrast is typically due to value differences but may also be attributed to differing hues or intensities. Soft edges are less distinct, to the point where the edge is almost lost in the transition.

One of Diego Velazquez' early paintings is the "Water Seller of Seville". It incorporates a clever use of light and shadow, and is a realistic portrayal of nature. In this work Velazquez used a mix of hard and soft edges.

Hard edges attract the eye more than soft edges. The first areas you see when looking at this work are probably the hard edges (those that are easiest for the eye to find). For this reason hard edges should be used sparingly, just like with highlights. A hard edge can greatly enhance the focal point on a painting but it can also distract if used inappropriately. A good approach to edge development is to keep your edges soft until you are ready to add details, just as you do highlights.

Let's take another look at Velazquez' painting. In this version the soft edges have been highlighted in blue and the hard edges in pink. If the edges were hard to differentiate before, they should be easy to see now.
Another interesting aspect of soft edges is that they often produce more realistic images. In fact, when you look at nature you see many more soft edges than you do hard edges (this is not always true with manmade objects and structures). Unfortunately, soft edges are much harder to paint than hard edges. A hard edge seems to come naturally off the brush while a soft edge requires a bit more effort.

Soft edges can be created using a variety of techniques but all of them tend to lessen the differences between adjoining colors.

Several of the most common techniques are described below:

Merging Brushstrokes

While your paint is still wet, you can drag your brush lightly along the length of the edge. The colors will be blended slightly which will soften the contrast between the two colors. Clean your brush and repeat the same stroke until you obtain the look you desire.

You can also soften an edge using several short brush strokes that run perpendicular to the edge. This will give a soft look to the edge if the strokes are close together and consistent, or the edge will look more broken if the strokes are irregular or placed further apart.

You can get a similar effect by pushing the tip of your brush from one color into the other. Then pull some of the other color back into the first. Continue pushing and pulling along the length of the edge in a zigzag motion.

Dry Brush

Dry brushing or scumbling is a technique where color is applied to a dry painting surface using a stiff brush with very little paint. The paint is applied heavier on one side of the edge than the other so that the original color is still visible on the second side.

A similar effect can be obtained by thinly applying transparent colors using almost any brushstroke.

Intermediate Colors or Values

You can soften an edge by adding a third color that is a blend of the colors on either side of the edge. This intermediate color will make the edge appear softer. Add multiple blended colors and the edge will appear softer or be lost altogether.

You can also soften an edge by introducing a different color that has a value that reduces the contracts between the color values on either side of the edge. Using an intermediate value will not soften an edge as much as an intermediate color and value.

Blending Techniques

You can soften edges by passing a larger brush with soft bristles over the edge which will blend the colors and blur the edge. Fan brushes and sable brushes can be used in a similar way. The same affect can be obtained using a finger or other blending instrument.

Optical blending or stippling can also be used to soften edges. This is done by dabbing spots of color side by side on the canvas without actually blending them. When viewed from a distance, the adjacent colors will appear blended.