More about Edges and Composition
by Stefan Baumann
One of the keys to creating movement in a composition is allowing the viewer to flow from one object to another. Decreasing the use of hard edges facilitates this. Balance is the key to beauty, and having a variety of both hard and soft edges is the secret to creating a masterpiece. By softening the edges of the objects, the eye is able to move through the objects so that the entire composition is experienced. Having too many hard edges makes a painting seem small. A painting with all hard edges has many individual objects cluttering the composition, with each object isolated and separate from the rest of the painting. The focus of the painting becomes these objects rather than an integrating focal point that you want the viewer to notice.
Try this exercise with your next painting. Paint a painting with soft edges or no edges on the objects. Choose one small area in the painting that is the most important part of your painting. It should not be larger than the size of a quarter. Then, sharpen the edges of the objects in this small area, and “wow” the viewer by painting a bright highlight on that spot. Notice the power you can deliver in your painting when you emphasize a specific area that you want the viewer to notice by using sharp edges and highlights.
