Diagnose / Causes / Edges
Edges mistakes
Hard, soft and lost edges.
- All edges equally hard, no lost-and-found edgesOil. Every object, figure, and shadow contour has a sharp, razor-crisp boundary. Rescue
- Blending everything with a finger so edges vanishCharcoal. The drawing looks like it is viewed through steam or smudged glass. Rescue
- Blending fails: hard streaks and brush marksAcrylic. Transitions that should be smooth gradients appear as segmented bands of colour with visible ridges. Rescue
- Hard outlines in ink around every shapeWatercolour. Every building edge, window frame, and roofline is trapped within a uniform, solid black ink line. Partly
- Outlines of equal weight and hardness everywherePencil. A dark, uniform line encloses every single object, edge, and internal feature with equal thickness and intensity. Rescue
- Using hard brushes everywhereDigital. Every boundary between forms, cast shadows, and turning planes has a knife-like, razor-sharp edge. Rescue
- Wobbly lines from drawing too slowlyInk. The drawn contours have micro-tremors, uneven thickness, and abrupt pauses. Partly
- Edges ragged where paper is wet by neighbouring paintGouache. Clean silhouette lines feather and bleed uncontrollably into adjacent areas. Rescue
- Fur painted with hard strokes on wet layersWatercolour. Individual hair strokes have exploded outward into uncontrolled, soft splotches. Rescue
- Hard strokes never blended or layeredPastel. Individual pastel strokes sit side by side as hard, isolated lines without forming continuous forms. Rescue
- Leaving no white paper: lights painted overWatercolour. The painting has no sparkling, clean highlights. Partly
- Sunk-in patches: dull spots where oil sinks into the groundOil. Certain areas of the finished painting look flat, dry, and sunken, while neighboring patches retain a rich, lustrous shine. Rescue
Other causes
- ObservationDrawing what you think exists instead of what you see.
- MeasuringProportion, angle and placement errors that checking would catch.
- MaterialsPaper, paint, tools and how they behave.
- Drying and timeWaiting, layer order and drying behaviour.
- CompositionHow shapes sit on the page.
- ColourMixing, temperature and saturation.
- FinishingFinal stages, protection and presentation.