The Versatile Master Artist

Chapter 43: Chapter 30: Heart and Intent in Harmony, the Finishing Touch

”I told you before, a gentleman’s virtue must not be tainted by alcohol, lust, wealth, or temper.”

Elder Cao held a paintbrush, his wrist suspended in midair, seemingly exchanging glances with the images of all beings on the mural.

He did not rush to make the final stroke but instead spoke softly to Gu Weijing.

”The ’temper’ here refers to bad habits. Naturally, it’s best to avoid bad habits, but a painter must have a certain spirit within them as support.”

”This spirit is the righteousness that desires to draw the sword and assist when witnessing injustice. It’s the anger at seeing the country in ruins and the people displaced. It’s the joy of achieving top honors and wedding celebrations, or it might be the bleakness felt when seeing withered vines, old trees, and a gaunt horse in the west wind...”

Elder Cao’s voice was calm yet not serene.

There is a kind of spirit even in calmness.

”Good temperament can indeed make a good painter.”

The old man said, ”But a timid nature cannot make a good painter; without this driving spirit, the painting lacks a soul to support it.”

”It won’t stand or stay upright.”

”Soul, that is emotion. A painter is human, and the biggest difference between humans and machines is that we have emotions, and we can inject our emotions into paintings to influence and move more viewers.”

”Without emotion, a painting is just an empty shell, and much of the meaning of painting ceases to exist. My teacher said, one might as well be a photographer then, as the shutter click is much faster than the meticulous depiction of stroke by stroke.”

Cao Xuan chuckled.

”This is bias. Over the years, I’ve come to realize more and more that good visual art, whether painting, photography, or installation art, all possess rich emotions without exception.”

”Remember my second lesson to you, technique, knowledge, and emotion must complement each other to create a satisfactory piece.”

Elder Cao stopped speaking, gazing silently at the pale eyes of the mural figures.

As for technique, the old gentleman has entered the transformation realm.

There is a legend that the grandmasters of Chinese painting had the skill of drawing the eyes of a dragon, like the great painter Zhang Sengyou of Liang dynasty, who had the legend of a painted dragon flying away upon being given eyes.

He was adept at concise painting techniques and rich in variation.

As mentioned in Zhu Jingxuan’s ”Record of Famous Paintings through the Ages” — Painter Zhang Sengyou often painted horses and carriages with seemingly haphazard strokes, flowers, and water, sometimes a dot or a stroke...

Mr. Cao prepared to emulate the ancients, using lively and freehand dotted strokes to bring life to the mural.

Knowledge.

He has spent his life visiting thousands of ancient temples and has seen countless depictions of Bodhisattvas and fierce ghosts by famed artists across ages.

His conversation with Gu Weijing was not only to teach the younger generation, but he was also waiting.

Based on Elder Cao’s experience, the gaze of the canonical figures in this painting needs to emphasize a sense of compassion, peace, dignity, and solemnity.

Therefore, the ink on the brush must be just right, too dry and it will be stiff, too wet and it will be seductive, neither is good.

Elder Cao waited for the ink on the brush tip to reach that perfect balance of not too dry or wet.

When it comes to emotion.

At the age of nine, he followed a grandmaster painter from Jiangsu and Zhejiang of the late previous dynasty to learn painting.

He had seen the romantic splendor of Old Shanghai’s bustling streets, painted the trendiest champagne parties in modern clubs, observed bankers riding in Rolls-Royce entering and exiting ballrooms. He had also wept while sketching the life and death struggles of impoverished ordinary people near soaring Art Deco buildings in the concession refugee camps.

He had been slandered, mocked, and endured disdain from art critics, yet in Paris, he once became famous with a single painting, with collectors bidding millions of US Dollars for it.

Elder Cao had witnessed both the peaks and valleys that one may experience in life, experiencing ups and downs, and in his old age, he found peace, becoming a Buddhist layman tuning a monochord and studying the scriptures.

This trip to Yangon might be the last time Elder Cao picks up a brush in his life.

He is very thankful for destiny, grateful for all the hardships and joys destiny has brought him, and is also thankful for this trip to Yangon, meeting such an interesting little fellow, which might give his painting career a perfect ending.

This little child claimed to have discovered the paint formula himself.

Did Elder Cao believe it?

Of course, he did.

In the art world, the gifted are indeed often unreasonable, and how can one aspire to be a sect-founding master without a touch of genius?

He even viewed this as a gift from destiny.

The most important thing is... to be responsible for the work.

”Even the mural... can open its eyes.”

Silently, Elder Cao recited in his heart.

The little old man gently tapped a brush at the design, and compassionate yet solemn eyes appeared below the brows of the central figure on the mural.

Gu Weijing took a step back in shock.

This feeling is hard to describe.

Even though born into a family of calligraphy and painting, Gu Weijing always thought that the so-called ”dotting the eyes of the dragon” was merely an exaggerated idiom, just boasting about a painter’s superb craftsmanship.

In essence, it seemed no different from mythological stories everyone knows like ”Kuafu chasing the sun” or ”Jingwei filling the sea” — fictional legends.

After all, a painter is not a magician.

Dotting the eyes would make the dragon fly away; how could that be possible?

Yet at this moment, although the figures on the mural didn’t step out of the mural, the entire painting truly seemed to come to life.

Including the meditating god Buddha at its center.

He could even tangibly feel a Zen aura emanating from the Buddhist sect within the mural.

A heavy bell rang from afar.

Instantly, silence enveloped everything, and Gu Weijing could hardly distinguish whether the bell came from a nearby temple or echoed from within the painting.

This painting indeed has a profound religious solemnity, akin to intention born from the mind, and precision hitting the mark.

A young monk from the neighboring temple who came to help tidy up the brushes and tables happened to witness this moment. Although not a professional art scholar, he genuinely felt awe at that instant.

In Pali, he uttered a verse from the Great Treasury Scripture.

As if witnessing someone’s thorough enlightenment.

As if seeing the Buddha accompanied by celestial maidens scattering flowers, descending the golden and silver stairs.

The monk sat cross-legged peacefully on the spot, bowed his head, and chanted a Buddha’s name in Burmese, seemingly enlightened, and began meditating and practicing on the spot.

This is the influence of a master whose heart and mind align, and who wholly devotes himself to his work! His entire artistic skill has long melded with the multitude of figures on the mural.

Could painting actually reach this level?

Gu Weijing was immensely shocked.

”Whenever I think I’m somewhat an artist myself, seeing the teacher paint makes me realize my insignificance.”

Lin Tao sighed from the side.

In his impression, even for Elder Cao, it’s not common to achieve such excellent effects in a painting.

Moreover, painting on hard walls makes it much more challenging to render sufficient emotional impact than on paper, silk, or linen canvas.

Even having completed such a magnificent work, Elder Cao wasn’t particularly excited.

He merely assessed the painting’s effect blandly, nodded slightly, seeing that the main figures and the various common people’s faces had all been restored.

Regarding the details around the edges of the mural, Elder Cao thought for a moment; he appeared either tired or disinterested in continuing to paint.

He handed the paintbrush back to Gu Weijing.

”You take over, Xiaolin, watch him.”

Despite being advanced in years, he was still ”Xiaolin” in the teacher’s words.

”Alright. Teacher, you rest. I’ll teach my apprentice well.”

Professor Lin Tao readily agreed.

Faced with the teacher’s partiality, he had come to terms.

Since Gu Weijing was to become his disciple, Elder Cao’s bias towards him was essentially bias towards himself.

”You’re not yet eighteen; are you preparing a portfolio to apply for university?”

Elder Cao suddenly asked.

”Professor Lin Tao wants me to go to the Central Academy of Fine Arts, to his studio. If possible, I would be honored.”

Gu Weijing glanced at Lin Tao and saw the professor nod slightly, allowing his heart to find peace.

”Don’t underestimate things,”

”Look at how Lin Tao acts timidly in front of Elder Cao, it depends on who he’s comparing to.”

”If it were ordinary circumstances, even as a painter like his grandfather, getting a response from others might still be uncertain.”

”Having such a master willing to take one as a disciple is an opportunity I cannot refuse, nor do I have any reason to.”

”It’s genuinely not exaggerating to say that becoming a disciple of Master Lin Tao could save ten years of struggle on the artistic path even conservatively speaking.”

”Being recognized by such a person is an honor; one mustn’t be arrogant.”

”I don’t think that’s good.”

Lin Tao was just about to cheerfully pat Gu Weijing’s head in approval, but upon hearing these words, he froze suddenly.

It turned out that the person speaking was none other than Elder Cao himself.