Render Chiaroscuro

I want to share my recent investigations with you, to go more in-depth into the photorealistic topic: The Chiaroscuro, the key!

Always make sure your renders have ‘Chiaroscuro’.

To understand if your work complies with this idea, look for “Gradients” and “Detached” in your Light Balances. Realistic representation started in Italy (yeees!) with the genius Leonardo da Vinci [ IMG1 ]. In this details of his painting “Virgin of the Rocks“, you can perceive the volumes, the tridimensional effect: this is the result of Chiaroscuro.

The good ‘signs’ are basically two: Gradients on curved surfaces and Detached on the edges, [ IMG2 ]. Thanks to these two markers we are able to model volumes, and these volumes will be coming out from the canvas, from the picture, from the render! In the [ IMG3 ] you have a clear example of how this image is modeled by gradients and detached.

You know, V-Ray is just a tool, but it’s very important to understand that the light itself is a tool. Only Chiaroscuro is the Goal! You know my philosophy, spend the minimum energies on the technical side, and invest all the time in being a great painter, a great photographer. Use the light and remember that finally, the only thing we really need is CHIAROSCURO.

Get Chiaroscuro in your render, and 90% of your work is done
* I treated this topic in my last speech @Autodesk University, it seems I’ll be awarded as Top Speaker

IMG 1 – Virgin of the Rocks / Leonardo da Vinci

IMG 2 – Gradients on curved surfaces and Detached on the edges

IMG 3 – A light balance to clearly see gradients (green lines) and detached (red points)