sfumato
/sfuˈmɑtoʊ/
noun
- A painting technique that creates soft, blurred edges and smooth transitions between colors and tones, often used to give a hazy or smoky effect.
- Many Renaissance painters mastered sfumato to create depth in their portraits.
- The art teacher explained how sfumato helps make shadows look more realistic.
- Leonardo da Vinci's Mona Lisa is famous for its use of sfumato around the eyes and mouth.