Chapter 741 - 338: Technique Is Adorable (2)

Old Yang found it interesting, but not exceptionally so.

There’s definitely a sense of aura.

To put it bluntly, it was just a matter of being at the right time, in the right place, meeting the right people, mostly due to luck.

So, what’s the use even if the colors are well mixed?

Mural restoration is a niche field, and modern industrial paints have developed very well.

An artist isn’t like a "Breaking Bad" meth cook. What painter has the time to ponder raw material formulas all day? They need to be careful not to poison themselves with heavy metals.

It’s not that Old Yang wants to look down on Gu Weijing.

Being able to research authentic paints, the grasp of color coordination and intuition is certainly not bad, which is probably why Elder Cao was willing to make that wager.

But to convert such intuition into solid skill, there’s still a very long way to go.

Often in units of five to ten years, only true geniuses have the chance to shorten this time slightly.

Yet at this moment, two or three months later, this skill worthy of the term "entry into the hall" clearly appeared before Old Yang.

The brushstrokes were dry when they needed to be dry, and moist when they needed to be moist, lively yet orderly.

Chinese painting emphasizes spirit; capturing the wind-blown scattering of petals and leaves is actually very difficult.

Because there needs to be a lofty and scattering spirit in the leaves and petals, but also an overarching structure, appearing scattered in form but intact in spirit. One cannot let the audience feel that the painter was drawing randomly, as if flinging a mop, poking aimlessly on rice paper with a stick.

Gu Weijing’s brushwork in this painting achieved this excellently.

Old Yang’s first impression from the photo was that the petals and leaves scattered across the paper appeared as if blown apart by a bomb, floating and spread all over the sky.

Calming himself slightly.

He discerned a deeper flavor from it.

All the flower and leaves on the rice paper have their own patterns.

They fly, they spin, like purple floral bunches floating in the air, and through the trajectory of flying leaves and falling petals, one can capture the breath of the wind.

Closing his eyes, Old Yang could imagine the feeling of spring rain, with moist air and the fragrance of flowers brushing faintly against his cheeks.

The air, granular in texture, with a barely visible mist is of the same fresh purple hue as the Wisteria flowers’ petals and leaves, forming a gigantic purple cloud of blossoms, at its center stands an ancient, intertwined, thousand-year-old flower tree.

The petals and leaves in the photo were spirally swirled by the wind, and Old Yang’s heart spiraled and floated along with them.

Authentic!

Truly authentic!

To simply summarize how authentic the brushwork in this painting was—Old Yang felt that, with his own craftsmanship, he could not possibly paint such distinctly ordered, clearly layered, and thoughtfully conceived artwork.

Don’t underestimate Old Yang who can serve tea and water for Elder Cao.

He managed to get into the Central Academy of Fine Arts in the 1990s, secured a government-funded spot to study at the Royal Academy of Arts for graduate school, in the most competitive places for art students, surpassing numerous small-town painters to reach the peak of his life.

Who doesn’t have a few tricks up their sleeve when picking up a brush to talk about painting skills?

In his own life story, Old Yang is a "Van Gogh" in the eyes of neighbors, isn’t he?

Even if you toss him into the list of experts and masters that went to the Shwedagon Pagoda earlier this year.

Not to say much.

In terms of technique, whether Chinese painting or oil painting, Old Yang isn’t necessarily worse than Gu Tongxiang, the local family registration book artist used to fill in numbers.

If discussing social status and the ability to grasp art trends, haha, even if you tie three Gu Tongxiangs together, and encounter them on the street, Old Yang wouldn’t even bother to raise an eyebrow.

This assessment is truly not low.

Thinking about Gu Weijing’s age, recalling his own years of shadowy training in the cold winds with a flashlight and steamed buns to hone his shape abilities.

Old Yang found the damned heavens truly tmd unfair.

All having two legs and one nose to breathe, how can there be such a big difference?

He initially had very low expectations for Gu Weijing’s hastily created work under Tang Ning’s criticism.

[Vulgar brush intent] — these four characters.

Old Yang had already stamped them on Gu Weijing’s forehead in advance.

Now looking at this painting, he couldn’t help but want to lick them off.

This brushwork is indeed solid.

The key is, the magic of this painting absolutely doesn’t just lie in the good brushwork.

Even just through a layer of the photograph, with Wisteria blossom leaves clearly falling on paper leaves, there is a feeling of the floral rain pouring down upon you. And staring at the painting for a long time, Old Yang felt a surge of inspiration and his eyes lit up.

Like there’s a Lin Zixiang beside him holding a microphone singing: "Proudly facing the surging waves, hot blood like the red sun, courage as iron, bones as refined steel..." as a BGM, making him feel like he wants to challenge the heavens.

These two points cannot be simply summarized by the words brushwork level.

This is an expressive power that is only shown by a very rare and rare portion of the master-level works in art galleries.

Old Yang could feel its heart-stirring impact, wanting to dig deeper, where this feeling came from, and how it was painted... that had already exceeded the field he could comment on.

If he had that level, why work as an assistant relying on a big tree?

Running his own exhibition as an artist served by assistants, wouldn’t that be nicer?

"Remarkable."

Old Yang had never thought that in the realm of painting accomplishment, Gu Weijing and Tang Ning currently had any position to be equated or compared.

This idea that would make people laugh had never crossed his mind for a moment.

Even he felt that Elder Cao himself never had such a thought.

Cao appreciated him for sure.

Maybe Gu Weijing truly got lucky entering the door of Cao Xuan, and if the elder lasted another ten years, keeping Gu Weijing by his side.

Ten years later, Gu Weijing might have the chance to compete with Tang Ning of twenty years ago.

But that’s certainly not now.

Artists shouldn’t belittle themselves, saying things like the ancients must be stronger than modern people, or lamenting about disparaging modern times.

But for younger, mid-generation painters who are still learning and growing in their painting techniques.

Growing a decade older each year, the maturity of brush and ink style would visibly change.

This is not a tortoise and hare race; It’s not a fairytale where you can catch up just by working hard. You’re working hard, and the seniors are also working hard, possibly with better talent and conditions.

Why should you be able to catch up?

Given the age gap between them, for Gu Weijing to have a real right to speak face-to-face with Tang Ning, even if everything goes smoothly, it would have to wait until he’s fifty and starting to grow gray hair.

Old Yang even felt a bit sad because of this.

No matter whether Gu Weijing truly succeeds, it would be many, many years after the passing of the old gentleman beside him; Elder Cao would definitely not live to see that day.

Now.

Placing Gu Weijing’s "Wisteria Flower Painting" together with Tang Ning’s "Hundred Flowers Painting" from back then, Old Yang compared them in his memory.

If someone gave him the choice to pick one, then... don’t think twice, Old Yang would grab the "Hundred Flowers Painting" and run, hesitating for a second would be disrespectful to Tang Ning’s market value of one million dollars.

But if asked, which painting is better or more likable to Old Yang.

Old Yang truly couldn’t say for sure.

He sided with the "Hundred Flowers Painting" because of position and interest.

Siding with the "Wisteria Flower Painting" was because... it was painted adorably.

Adorable.

Oh heavens! He actually felt this kid from Yangon painted a work cuter than the original "Hundred Flowers Painting" he mimicked.

That was Tang Ning’s most important masterpiece in life.

Doesn’t this mean Gu Weijing’s painting level has reached the level to win a gold medal at the Shanghai Biennale?

He’s even two years younger than Tang Ning was back then.

When Old Yang discovered this thought in his mind, he felt like he was going insane.