Edges: where the eye stops and where it travels

An edge is the place where one shape meets another. Beginners outline everything with the same crisp line, and the result looks like a coloring book. Painters treat edges as a choice. How sharp an edge is tells the viewer whether a form turns away gently, meets another form abruptly, or dissolves into the background.

Four edge types

• Hard: a razor-sharp change. Use it sparingly, for strong contrast and the center of interest.
• Firm: clear but not cutting, the workhorse edge of most objects.
• Soft: a gradual transition over a short distance, typical where a round form turns away from you.
• Lost: the edge disappears because the values on both sides are the same. The viewer's eye completes it.