Chiaroscuro is a technique used to create which illusion?

• A. the illusion of flatness
• B. the illusion of rounded forms
• C. sharp edges
• D. strong color saturation

Answer: (B)

Chiaroscuro uses light and shadow to model form on a flat surface, giving the impression of three-dimensional volume. By placing highlights and deep shadows and letting tonal transitions gradually wrap around the contours, the eye reads rounded shapes catching light. That sense of volume and solidity is the specific illusion this technique aims to produce. Flatness would come from a lack of shading, sharp edges emphasize boundaries rather than rounded surfaces, and strong color saturation focuses on color intensity rather than the modeling of form.