Video games are, or at least can be, art. But how many games about art are there?

Probably more than you’d think. Probably more than I’m aware of. And probably not nearly as many as there should be.

chiaroscuro is, in some ways, my attempt to fill that void.

What is ‘chiaroscuro’?

Simply put, it is a low fantasy, choose-your-own-adventure style interactive fiction game in which you play a young American artist in Rome. Her goal is to seek out inspiration, determine a direction for her life, and maybe even find her muse. Her companions are creatures of light and shadow, whom she can choose to feed or starve—and these choices will shape both her worldview and her fate.

A Text-Based Game About Art

chiaroscuro is a game about art in the sense that the protagonist is an artist and that much of the plot and character development revolve around the experience of creating, appreciating, and exploring the possibilities of visual art.

However, it is also a game about identity, self-acceptance, and expression. It is also a game about eating good food and exploring a beautiful city while hanging out with a couple of otherworldly creatures who may or may not be real.

Is the game itself art? I’ll leave that up to you to decide.

What Does “Chiaroscuro” Mean?

“Chiaroscuro” is a word I have been in love with ever since I first heard it in a high school art class. It’s derived from the Italian words chiaro (“light”) and oscuro (“dark”). In the art world, it refers to a technique that involves using a balance of highlights and shadows to give compositions depth and definition.

Leonardo da Vinci seems to have been the first to use it; Caravaggio took it to new extremes by using higher contrast for a more dramatic effect now known as “tenebrism.” Rembrandt, Peter Paul Reubens, Diego Valazquez, and Artemisia Gentileschi (who doesn’t get nearly enough attention these days) were all known for employing it expertly in their art as well.

The origin of the word was only one reason why I eventually set the story in Rome. Aside from the obvious appeal of such a beautiful city, it’s also true that several of the masterpieces that best exemplify this technique also happen to reside there today.

And there was one other reason, which I didn’t come across until I was well into the research phase of this project… the vendecolori.

What’s a Vendecolori?

The vendecolori, or color sellers, were men and women who sold materials for creating pigments on the streets of 16th century Venice. Some were street vendors; others successfully established brick-and-mortar shops. Though premixed pigments soon made their trade obsolete, they remain a subject of scholarly interest to this day.

My own interest in them wound up shaping an entire subplot of chiaroscuro—one that you will need a keen eye and an open mind, however, to unlock.

Also, there may or may not be some magic involved. Again, I’ll leave that up to you to discover and judge for yourself.

When Will ‘chiaroscuro’ Be Released?

Considering the challenges I’ve been facing for the past (checks calendar) few years with The Dragon’s Last Flight, I’m a little tentative to announce a specific release date just yet. 

However, the script is complete (barring revisions, soon to be applied) and as a short, simple Twine game, it shouldn’t take a massive amount of time to code. My goal (and I know I’ve said this before, but this time I mean it) is to release it before the year is out. 

To find out when exactly… you’ll just have to stay tuned for now.

chiaroscuro is an upcoming interactive fiction novella about art… and other things. Click here to learn more. Or, visit the official itch page here.