What They Don't Tell You About Chiaroscuro In Painting

Learn some hidden truths about chiaroscuro painting.

Chiaroscuro meaning

Chiaroscuro means light and dark. It's an Italian word. As an art technique, it means creating a bold contrast between light and dark.

Tenebrism vs. Chiaroscuro

A similar term is tenebrism. Tenebrism usually refers to a painting with an overall darkness, a boldly lit focal area, and an exaggerated sense of chiaroscuro lighting.

In art school, you're likely to learn about chiaroscuro lighting. You'll learn how to recognize it. What they don't typically tell you is why you should use it or how to do it.

Look at the following two photographs of flowers. The first was taken in daylight. The second was taken using chiaroscuro lighting.

Notice the amount of detail visible in the first compared to the second. With chiaroscuro lighting, about a third of the details in this photo are veiled in darkness. They become shaded and vague.

Why chiaroscuro lighting makes painting easier.

Because a portion of the details are obscured by darkness, there are fewer details to paint. Details that are shaded become indistinct. They have soft edges and muted colors. Some have barely any defining shape at all. Isn't a painting with fewer details easier to paint?

Does chiaroscuro makes painting faster?

One could argue, and I will, that because chiaroscuro reduces the sheer amount of detail to be painted, it could speed up the painting process.

Does chiaroscuro make a painting more dramatic?

Of course it does.

Learn how to paint chiaroscuro.

To create a chiaroscuro painting, you need to set up, or take advantage of, chiaroscuro-like lighting.

I take chiaroscuro photos at night. I turn off the lights and use a single light source light a candle or flashlight. Narrowing the beam of light creates a spotlight-like chiaroscuro effect.

Working in a dark room or space requires longer exposure times. Longer exposures allow the camera shutter to remain open longer, letting in more light.

Set the camera to manual. Raise the camera's ISO if necessary. Adjust the shutter speed and F-stop for proper exposure. Aim for a slightly darker exposure. The goal is to minimize or eliminate detail within the dark areas of the photograph. Aim to capture sharp detail in the lit areas only.