The Versatile Master Artist

”Not a little brother, but a private assistant.”

Gu Weijing corrected the gatekeeper’s words: ”And please forgive me, I must ensure your character meets my standards before I hire you.”

Uncle Ah Lai was nearly amused by this young man who seemed to not know the heights of the sky.

Gu Weijing, however, was serious, taking out a newspaper that he had clipped to his sketch board and handing it to Uncle Ah Lai.

”National Hero Under Investigation for Misappropriating One Billion Myanmar Kyat in Public Funds” — read the headline on the front page in large letters.

After hearing from Old Dad Koko about Uncle Ah Lai’s background, he went to the archives to browse through old newspapers, and sure enough, found some traces in a Myanmar Mirror from many years ago.

”The photo should be you, would you mind explaining it?”

Uncle Ah Lai asked with some amusement: ”You don’t trust the Mirror’s report?”

”I don’t believe an uncle who has calmly watched over the orphanage gate for so many years would be a corrupt official with billions in Myanmar Kyat.”

Uncle Ah Lai seemed momentarily touched by Gu Weijing’s response and turned his head.

”How do you know I won’t deceive you then?”

”As long as you tell your story.”

Gu Weijing smiled and sat on the small chair Jasmine used to do her homework at night, taking out prepared sketch paper and a pen.

Every task provided by the system was very interesting.

It’s not simply about fulfilling a particular goal,

In the process of completing this goal, he would always learn a lot.

For example, field sketching.

Field sketching is something that every painter must learn.

No matter how great the master, the refinement of painting skills and pen proficiency can only achieve sheer technical perfection.

To endow the works with that elusive touch of soul.

Field sketching in actual scenes, the spiritual communication with landscapes and models, is an indispensable process.

That touch of soul’s leap is even more important than skilled craftsmanship at the pen’s tip.

In pursuit of this ounce of realism in artistic works, critical realist painters in Tsarist Russia, while painting barge haulers on the Volga River, lived and ate with them, and spent whole weeks in the cold Tsarist noble estates talking with the generational servants while painting serfs.

This is why paintings from critical realist painters could often crush their artistic rivals — the academic school painters of Tsarist Russia, who were mainstream in Russian oil painting at the time.

Aside from their fervent sympathy for their suffering compatriots in Tsarist Russia,

Their works were also filled with soul,

Through field sketching and conversations, they could reflect the inner true emotions of their oil painting subjects by capturing stories they heard, which in return made them great.

Painting for kings, emperors, or busy aristocrats didn’t involve sharing inner stories or having the leisure to chat all afternoon.

To complete these twenty line illustrations with ”Heartfelt” goals.

Gu Weijing’s sensitivity during field sketching improved greatly.

If Mr. Tree Sloth taught him how to capture character images from fictional art.

Then, the line illustrations he drew for Jasmine, preaching, and even Miss Sakai gradually helped Gu Weijing learn how to capture the emotions of models from real life.

”My drawings will give me the answers.”

Gu Weijing raised his pen and smiled as he spoke.