Erratic edges fit naturally within impressionist works that are composed of distinct brushstrokes and seek to portray the light and atmosphere of a scene over the detailed rendering of the objects. The splotchy blurring of the edges might be broader in places and narrower elsewhere in order to emphasize certain edges.

Erratic edges can read as an indication of atmospheric conditions, but they can also read as sloppy irreverence in crudely painted/drawn works. They can also serve as an expressionistic element, revealing the hand of the artist as the edges are broken and smeared in various ways.

Featured: Rouen Cathedral by Claude Monet.