Chiaroscuro (ki-ɑ-r-ə.skʊr-oʊ, –skjʊr-oʊ, Italian for light-dark) is a term in art for a contrast between light and dark. The term is usually applied to bold contrasts affecting a whole composition, but is also more technically used by artists and art historians for the use of effects representing contrasts of light, not necessarily strong, to achieve a sense of volume in modeling three-dimensional objects such as the human body.

A hanging pear painted using Chiaroscuro.

Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio [1573-1610](remembered just as Caravaggio, after the small town he grew up in) was a reckless rebel of a painter whose work greatly influenced the Baroque period. While Caravaggio made his living painting religious scenes for the Church, he didn’t lead the life of a quiet church-goer. Instead he was a man of quick temper and little patience, often found brawling in public and constantly in trouble with the law.During one fight he ended up killing a man and was forced to escape Rome in a hurry before he could be arrested and tried for murder. Caravaggio remained on the run for the rest of his life, painting in various towns throughout Italy while keeping one step ahead of the law until his death in 1610.

*Give your sketchbook a 1” border.*Using a compass draw 7 circles on your paper in a creative composition. (You must overlap a few, slightly or run one off the side of the page.)*Vary the size, position, etc. while filling your space.(Remember things closer to you will be larger and lower on the page.)*In the margin, lightly place a star where your light source is located.*Using your pencil(s), smoothly shade using CHIAROSCURO. (Means: light and dark in Italian)