Even his paintings are different in that he took painting to another level. We read that Leonardo believed that "art should be considered a form of creative knowledge, on the same level as science and philosophy" (Pedretti). As a result of this different approach to painting, Leonardo's art stands out because his method was that of a master. He incorporated sfumato in his painting, which is the technique of "placing colours next to one another rather than demarcating contours with clear cut lines" (Leonardo Online) and by doing so, he reached a "point that nobody before had reached: a way of representing living and vivacious reality" (Leonardo Online). The Mona Lisa, Leda and the Swan, and the Virgin of the Rocks illustrate Leonardo's technique that brings his subjects to life. His genius was not limited to thought and because he was able to organize his thoughts and put them on paper, he was part of a new generation that would leave a lasting imprint on the world.

Leonardo di Vinci is thought to be one of the originators...

He was one of a handful of men that thought of mankind and life in different ways, focusing not on what had been noted before but on what had not been contemplated. His concepts of anatomy and science demonstrate the mood and tone of the Renaissance in that they yearn for something more and embrace knowledge and the hunger for it. Leonardo di Vinci forged a different path for others like him to follow.
Works Cited

Leonardo di Vinci: Renaissance Man." Museum of Science Online. Information Retrieved January 02, 2008. http://www.mos.org/leonardo/bio.html

Leonardo di Vinci: Scientist." Museum of Science Online. Information Retrieved January 02, 2008. http://www.mos.org/leonardo/scientist.html

Pedretti, Carlo. "Leonardo's Life." Leonardo Online. http://www.leonardonline.it/en/leonardo-da-vinci-biography.html

Leonardo and the Renaissance." Leonardo Online. http://www.leonardonline.it/en/leonardo-da-vinci-reinassance.html