If an artist employs a developed sense of chiaroscuro to define shapes in a picture, the rewards are numerous. Chiaroscuro, which means "bright and dark," is a technique used to show how light strikes a figure. It also demonstrates how three-dimensional shapes get darker with shade as they travel away from the light. In order for chiaroscuro to be effective, there must be contrast between light and dark. If all the areas were the same tone, it would not be able to demonstrate form. By using this unique visual language, artists are able to create more than just pleasing pictures. They are also able to express important ideas about life and humanity. Leonardo da Vinci is often cited as one of the first artists to use chiaroscuro effectively, but others such as Albrecht Dürer and Rembrandt van Rijn also did very well with this method. There are two types of chiaroscuro: hard and soft. Hard chiaroscuro shows exactly where light hits the subject while soft chiaroscuro gives the appearance that light is diffusing through the subject. When creating paintings that employ this technique, artists should be aware of where the lights and darks fall on their subjects. Lights should be placed high up on the canvas or else they will cut into the faces of the people in the picture.