" He developed a number of innovative artistic techniques including chiaroscuro, which produces subtle shadings of color and bold contrasts between light and dark. Chiaroscuro grew in popularity among artists in later centuries. Leonardo is also credited with creating a technique called sfumato, which produces a hazy effect that gives his paintings a look of softness rather than harsh detail." [ Lifelines 50]
Notebooks - kept recordings of his works and findings - had to do with studies of the human body [ex. muscles, brain] - brought new understanding of the human body to the world
"Other notebooks contained da Vinci's anatomical studies of the human skeleton, muscles, brain, and digestive and reproductive systems, which brought new understanding of the human body to a wider audience." [ history.com]