Art Tips: Edges

Of all art’s fundamentals, probably the most fascinating to me is edges. At first, the beginning artist learns about edges in their most simplistic form: a round object (like a ball) has softer edges in its shading, while a sharper object (like a cube) has harder edges between its tones. This is a good starting point: you can begin to observe the different qualities in how abruptly a form changes direction, and apply the appropriate edge to it. Great!

But edges don’t end there. In fact, that is merely where they begin.

Edges have a whole lot more depth to them - something that is often hidden from even intermediate artists. They have the profound ability to mimic how we experience the real world!

It’s a realization I made during my many adventures in plein air painting. I was standing there on the street, trying to capture what I was seeing. I kept looking around - darting my eyes from this window, to that doorway, to that car, to that stoplight, etc. And of course, everything I chose to look at, I would see in all its infinite detail … which I’d subsequently try to replicate in my sketchbook.

The realization I made is: that is not how we experience reality! The vast majority of the time, we are fixed on a single task. Walking through a room to get to another room, crossing the street, running to catch a bus. When we do these things, we are not looking at all that is available to see.Not even close! Our eyes do not even have the capability to see much detail outside of the fovea, and that is only a small area of our vision. Most of the world registers to us as broad-swath suggestions.

Edges can mimic that fundamental human experience! Try structuring the edges in your next painting from a ‘meta’ point-of-view, where your focal point has the largest range of razor sharp -> hard -> soft -> lost edges, while the areas progressing further away receive less of that range. Specifically, take away the hardest edges first, leaving behind a series of softer ones. It is very similar to playing with ranges of value contrast. For me, it opened up a whole new world of possibilities. Give it a try!

FUN FACT: A grasshopper’s eye has thousands of lenses, each set at a different angle, allowing it to register a full field of view, at roughly the same resolution, without having to move its head. A human eye, in comparison, has just one lens.

*Learn to see like a painter ... with edges! (2020)*

What I’m Working On

I am toying with the idea of making a children’s book. Actually, this isn’t really new: back in 2017 I wrote a few children’s book manuscripts in search of an idea. I even have several folders’ worth of concept art and even some finished illustrations that never made it to a final product.

I think a roadblock I had then was … well … I didn’t have kids!

Not that having kids is an absolute requirement to create a children’s book, but it did make me feel a little out of place - like I was faking it, or something. I do have kids now, though, and it’s reignited my desire to dive back into the project. There are so many little avenues and ideas that open up when you have little ones running around the house and telling you what’s on their minds. They are like little inspiration machines, the way they see the world. I still don’t know if I should try the kickstarter thing, or use some of the publishing contacts I’ve made over the years to do it more traditionally. I guess we’ll see!

The Art Industry: Career Path

I consider myself a halfway decent art teacher - in that I can usually answer questions and relate them back to the fundamental skills one needs to accomplish their goals.

However, I am not a great business teacher. I know this because sometimes my students ask what path they should follow to achieve their income/work/career goals … and I usually just don’t have great answers for that.

The path I took to get to where I am, I largely forged as I went. I did not have a long-term plan when I started. One thing I did know, though, is that I did not want to freelance right away. Instead, I sought positions at animation studios, where I could work alongside a team. (I’ll admit here that I was fortunate to live in Toronto, Canada - a fairly robust animation-hub.) But these days there are so many productions big and small with remote possibilities, that I think the smartest move is to try and get on a team. The networking then comes for free, and it’s a much more effective way to get in the door.

Worth Checking Out: The Triplets of Belleville

The early 2000s were a great time for movies. I don’t think we knew it then, but there was generally a healthy appetite for unique stories and filmmaking visions, something I think has largely dwindled today (for a plethora of reasons that I won't get into.) Anyway, one such example is The Triplets of Belleville - an animated feature from 2003. It is a totally odd-ball film - one that defies genre conventions, and takes so many narrative and aesthetic risks … yet with just enough traditional filmmaking foundation to pull it off. It is mostly a silent film, making it accessible to nearly everyone. I can’t quite tell whether it’s funny, or tragic, or dramatic, or thrilling … maybe it’s a little of all those things. But it is worth your time!

PS. I have new video lessons on Total Guide to Figure Drawing! Have you seen them? Feel free to comment on the newsletter website or reply to this email!