Relief modelling using the Chiaroscuro technique: A project work among student-sculptors

: Relief modelling is a very peculiar task that requires the creation of three-dimensional forms onto two dimensional surfaces to depict depth and volume in a composition. Preliminary research revealed that students in the Sculpture section in the Department of Painting and Sculpture in the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology faced the challenge of producing relief sculptural pieces to give them the three dimensionality that suggests volume and depth. This project work that utilized studio-based research approach rooted in the constructivism theory was aimed at experimenting on how to overcome the flaws in relief modelling using the chiaroscuro technique. Twelve (12) student-sculptors participated in this project using the stratified sampling technique. They were taken through practical sessions in modelling compositions of geometric forms, still-life, and human figures, with drawn or image references with the chiaroscuro technique as the focus. After the project, the student-sculptors were able to interpret the illusion of three-dimensionality in picture reference into the actuality of depth and volume during modelling, rendering compositions in its right planes or surfaces. The study recommends the application of the chiaroscuro technique in relief sculptural practices such as relief carving, repoussé, and other relief related sculptural practices

several purposes in different fields, from imaging through; drawing, painting, photography, and time-based media such as movies and animations. Students of Michelangelo Merisi da Caravaggio and himself identified a new technique of figure representation methods by employing a very contrasting light quality, which amplifies the information shape and material properties and builds more emotional and allegorical opportunities in their paintings applications. Through the use of Chiaroscuro, artists have conveyed a dramatic mood., capturing simulated views from other periods, applying allegorical meanings to the character and environment representations, and so on (Lally, 2010). On a two-dimensional piece of paper or a canvas, using the Chiaroscuro technique, the illusion of three dimensions is created using tones, shades, shadows, and highlights. Clarity and darkness are the two Italian words that describe chiaroscuro, a technique that dates back to Renaissance times in English translation: "light-dark" (Harmon, 2021).

Chiaroscuro in drawing
"Chiaroscuro" is the use of light and dark to create the illusion of three-dimensional volume on a flat surface, according to Scott (2019). Chiaro-scuro means "bright-dark" in Italian. The drawings below clearly exhibit this concept, by rendering three-dimensionality of forms, using tones of lights and shades, to bring out the illusion of three-dimensionality. This is seen in both the geometric forms and the still-life composition, as indicated in Figure 1 and Figure 2. It depicts three-dimensional illusion of distance, thickness, and volume all onto a twodimensional surface. or support. In the compositions above, the artists expressed the chiaroscuro technique to attain an illusion of threedimensionality in form. Here, the artist played with two elements, which are; light and darkness. The interplay of tones of light and dark enabled the artist to create three-dimensionality on a flat surface, indicating a foreground; on which the objects rest, and the background; the space, behind the composed objects. The artist depicted in this imagery with graphite and charcoal pencil, interplaying the contrast of white support or paper, and dark or shade effect from the graphite and charcoal pencil. The shading bring-out the tonal gradation in Journal of African History, Culture and Arts (JAHCA) form, turning a line into shape, a shape into a form, that manifested the three-dimensionality on a surface with the use of the chiaroscuro technique.

Chiaroscuro in painting
In paintings, chiaroscuro employs strong light-dark contrasts. This technique is often employed by art historians and artists to define the application of contrast tones in a painting to attain a sense of volume. It is a bold contrast to light, which influences the whole structure. Caravaggio, Gerrit van Honthorst, Leonardo Da Vinci, Rembrandt, and Vermeer are known for the development of the chiaroscuro method. The fundamental concept of the technique of chiaroscuro is the solidity of form, best depicted with light (Koehler, 2020).

Chiaroscuro in photography
When it comes to photography, the term chiaroscuro refers to high contrast lighting. To create an arresting image using the extremes of dark and light. For colour or black and white photography it is suitable (Mateer, 2020).
Through a medium that is based solely on the capturing of light; photography represents the first major technological evolution in the representation of chiaroscuro in the media. The chiaroscuro effect in classical paintings is more closely related to photography that uses artificial lighting, and most implementations of the technique have some overlap with its representation in film, which was heavily influenced by early Journal of African History, Culture and Arts (JAHCA) photographers' methods and techniques (Lally, 2010). Image references from photography, are mostly referred to when modelling relief pieces, because the medium of photography, betters captures the concept of chiaroscuro for easier understanding and rendition.
In this study, the researchers encouraged the participants to use more photographic media as references for practicing relief works, this is because photo references have higher imitational qualities as compared to drawn references. Though, drawn references help one to have an in-depth understanding of tones of lights and shades their relation to relief modelling.

Chiaroscuro technique in relief clay modelling; the project work of student-sculptors
From the results of the study, as depicted in Figures 7 and 8, students were able to depict effects of light and shade distribution in picture references, creating an illusion of three-dimensionality by drawing and shading.
Here, the study participants were taken through a series of drawings and shading, focusing mostly on still-life drawing and descriptive drawing. The participants were given the liberty to select objects for the still-life drawing and also choose an existing picture for the descriptive drawing. It was observed that participants were familiar with creating a three-dimensional illusion through drawing and shading. This is because, the concept of chiaroscuro is conventionally ascribed to two-dimensional Visual Art practices. This exercise was taken to      piece. The facilitators, upon giving the instructions, asked the participants to form groups of three, in the above mentioned postures, and take pictures of themselves as the photo reference for the exercise. This exercise was undertaken to ascertain how the participants could relate to multiple planes, maintaining good levels of rendition for each figure in the three-figure composition. After the exercise, participants expressed a good sense of understanding of the concept of chiaroscuro and; were able to apply the technique to actualise three dimensionality from illusions in two-dimensional photo references, used for modelling the relief pieces. Figure 15 is a prepared clay slab onto which the relief modelling practice was done, using the concept of chiaroscuro. The support (clay slab) became the ground on which the renditions were practiced, splitting them into both foreground and background. The facilitators for this project-based study, made the participants to draw relations between the slab, and other two-dimensional supports for Visual Art practices, which the participants were able to relate. The clay modelling relief practice using slab enabled students to actualise threedimensional illusions in their two-dimensional visual art practices. The clay is filled into a wooden patterned board lined with a polythene sheet. The clay is prepared into a plastic state, allowed to attain leather-hardness to prepare the slab ( Figure 15) to avoid excessive shrinkage and sagging of the slab from the board. Journal of African History, Culture and Arts (JAHCA) Figure 16 presents the participants in one of the practical sessions of the project. The picture captured the participants in the Sculpture Studio, modelling a nude male figure, with a printed photo at the bottom left side of the slab depicting the concept of chiaroscuro. This is one of the quick sessions for; testing how the participants actualise three-dimensional illusions in images into right planes or surfaces. Here, the task was to block the figure into the right planes with reference to the printed photo used.
The immediate participant in Figure 16 shows how the participants employed the grid-scale technique to capture the right outline of a nude male figure, before using the tones in the printed photo reference to work out the planes or surfaces, thereby, actualising three-dimensionality in the modelled figure. In this study, the practice was done by modelling into (carving in) the slab, rather than modelling onto (adding on) the slab. This was to