Lost Edges
Lost Edges
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Lost Edges
courseDrawing BasicsFull course (181 lessons)
$159
LESSON NOTES

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We review lost edges and go deeper into how to actually use them. A lost edge happens when you match the value of two neighboring shapes so they merge completely. I’ll show you how to do this in low contrast areas, and how to "cheat" values to lose edges even in high contrast spots.

We discuss grouping shapes to simplify your image and why you need to get over the fear of losing details. You’ll learn how lost edges control visual hierarchy, create atmosphere, and add depth to your work. I also explain the "squint test," a simple technique to help you decide exactly where to place lost edges to make your drawing look more professional and engaging.

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ASSIGNMENTS

While you wait for the next lesson, here's a project to practice lost edges.

Spend some time looking through some of your favorite artists and try to find lost edges. Find as many as you can, and post them in the comments below.

Personally I love looking at artwork with beautifully designed lost edges, so I think turning the comments section of this video into a treasure trove of lost edge inspiration would be exciting and very useful.

Deadline: This project does not have a deadline or a critique video.

Scott
16d
Federico Barocci
Scott
16d
Giotto
Pamela D
16d
i have just seen some art by Donna Young, an American artist and I like the way she looses her edges into textiles, combining a graphic look with realism.
Maria Bygrove
These are very cool! They remind me of this series of works, sadly no idea who they're by, that I've stumbled across on Pinterest. The visible part of the body is handled realistically, the fabric is graphic and really all that is rendered is the pattern in gold, the rest is lost into the background.
Scott N
16d
Number 1: Album Cover by David Stone Martin Number 2: Landscape by local Australian Artist H Olsen Number 3: The Cricketers by Russell Drysdale
Maria Bygrove
I recently came across the artist Kei Meguro and I love how she just lets her lights blend with the paper.
Pamela D
17d
These are beautiful Maria and so refreshing to see.
Dennis Yeary
So here the portrait assignment I did in July 2015 the other I did before the start of the basic course and the last I did today i was wondering if I made improvements
Juice
20d
Coming new project soon?
@amha10
21d
Teagan White - James Gurney - Wylie Beckert I was struggling with backgrounds and I'm starting to realize it's because my background colors contrasted way too much with everything and I didn't have any elements fading into the background or close to the same value/color. I also kept thinking of lost edges in terms of messier styles or abstract styles like smudging or paint but I think I like either graphic style stuff or foggier, ghostlier looking stuff a lot more and hadn't considered not overcomplicating it and just making things similar values. I'm glad I decided to gather references instead of skipping ahead. I'm super excited for the next lesson!
Scott
22d
Shiori Matsumoto
Scott
23d
Lucy Campbell
Rachel Dawn Owens
Dreamy ☁️
Scott
23d
Louis Jover
Scott
25d
Jerry Fresia
Scott
25d
Fritz Scholder
Christina
25d
Zorn
Scott
27d
Richard Bunkall
Caroline
29d
1. Carl Gustav Carus 2-4. J.M.W. Turner Turner used lost edges a lot.
Scott
1mo
Anton Mauve
Juice
1mo
Art from the banncars Artbook made by Nicolas Bannister. They both made the book. So i don’t know who did what. I can also recomen this websi6e where i can go to find artists i didnt know before. And buy cool art books. They have a lot and they have pictures from the books that many stores have not. Like who want to buy an art book without get a picture about the art first? Liberdistri.com is the site.
Juice
1mo
I started to look after the lost edges in my art book shelf. Here is art from Sam Yang:
@danaedg
1mo
Some interesting examples from Francis Bacon!
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