<P> Chiaroscuro (English: / kiˌɑːrəˈskjʊəroʊ /; Italian: (ˌkjaroˈskuːro); Italian for light - dark), in art, is the use of strong contrasts between light and dark, usually bold contrasts affecting a whole composition . It is also a technical term used by artists and art historians for the use of contrasts of light to achieve a sense of volume in modelling three - dimensional objects and figures . Similar effects in cinema and photography also are called chiaroscuro . </P> <P> Further specialized uses of the term include chiaroscuro woodcut for coloured woodcuts printed with different blocks, each using a different coloured ink; and chiaroscuro drawing for drawings on coloured paper in a dark medium with white highlighting . Chiaroscuro is a mainstay of black and white photography . </P>

What role does chiaroscuro play in creating the illusion of depth
find me the text answering this question