The Versatile Master Artist

Gu Weijing also tried to get slightly hands-on, rubbing his fingertips over the surface of the linen canvas, a rich tactile sensation came from the skin of his fingertips.

He could sense the creamy paint seeping continuously into the depths of the canvas under the pressure of his fingertips, mixing with other layers of paint around it.

A similar tactile experience, Gu Weijing also felt when painting knife painting. The difference was that the sensory ability of the skin directly in contact with the paint was far more sensitive than that of the metal painting knife.

Whether through a layer of medium or directly zero-distance contact with the paint on the skin receptors, the feeling is completely incomparable.

Under the sensation of the fingertips,

The texture of oil painting is no longer just a visual word but becomes a richer tactile vocabulary, also allowing the paint layers to be extremely light and thin.

”Shengzi, do you think it’s better to use the index finger or the thumb?”

”I like using the index finger, the thumb has its advantages too, the skin contact area on the picture is larger, under the same strength, the paint can be pressed more dispersedly.”

”Makes sense... you’re really smart.”

”Uh, Mr. Gu, did you paint finger gouache when you were little? Just by dipping your fingers in paint and painting gouache. The fingering of these two painting techniques actually has similarities. It’s just that oil paint is more ’elastic’, more malleable as well, the fingertips need to be slightly gentler.”

”No, is it fun?”

”Hmm, hmm, I thought it was quite interesting in kindergarten, we can try it together again sometime...”

”... ...”

Gu Weijing attempted to use his finger to transition the gradient colors of highlights, Miss Sakai was beside him sporadically exchanging opinions with him.

The atmosphere was very pleasant.

After handling a few different colors, Gu Weijing felt more the advantages of combining the finger smudging method and the new style painting.

Nevertheless, as he appreciated the interesting, unconventional texture on the canvas surface created by the finger smudging of oil paint,

Gu Weijing looked at his colorful fingers and gradually understood why the creators of the ”new style painting,” those Qing Palace Painters did not think of this very fit painting improvement method.

It’s not just a problem of art techniques,

But more of a problem with painting scenes.

Gu Weijing, leaning together with a soft girl, painting finger by finger, looked warm and interesting as if it were a date.

But change it to a little old man dressed in high official robes, using fingers randomly on the canvas, and the scene immediately becomes strange.

Titian, Turner, Da Vinci, when painting, many traces of fingers assisting brushes to smudge on works could be seen.

While of similar era, even much later, Lang Shining never thought of this method to transition colors.

It’s not necessarily a lack of creativity.

Art is an accessory of power — even if Gu Weijing doesn’t like this phrase, he has to admit that since ancient times, across the East and the West, it has a certain truth.

In human history, often the aesthetic tastes of the upper society determined the trend indicator of an era’s art movement.

Impressionism from the sideline to gradually being accepted by the world, replacing its rivals ”Academic School” to become a prominent sect in the painting world.

The iconic event was Impressionism being recognized by the wealthy class in the New Continent United States without the constraints of secular tradition, and then influencing Paris and even the entire Europe mainland’s aesthetic tastes.

And in the East.

After the Song Dynasty, Dongxia’s painting and calligraphy were very particular about literary interest.

It’s an aesthetic tool for scholars to cultivate sentiments.

Simply put,

Not only should the paintings look good, but the process of painting also needs to be handsome and elegant, even the basic pen holding posture is very particular.

In childhood, Gu Tongxiang detailedly talked to him about it.

For true great painters using Chinese Painting brushes, it requires ”fingers immobile but the wrist is maneuvered, with the wrist and elbow both suspended, during writing the whole body must exert force.”

This rigorous painting method is known as the [Dragon Eye Technique].

Whereas when painting or writing, if the body moves and wobbles up and down, it would only be a lower grade [Pig’s Trot Method], laughed at by literary scholars.

According to the records in the Chapter ”Book Qualities” of the famous book ”Coral Net” compiled by the Ming Dynasty collector and bureaucrat Wang Keyu,

This painting and calligraphy pen-holding method was obtained from Cai Yong through a divine dream, passed to Cai Wenji, then passed to Lady Wei, and then passed from Wang Xizhi, Wang Xianzhi to dozens of people generation after generation, finally being promoted in the hands of Yan Zhenqing.

Dongxia culture is most particular about rules, the most basic pen holding posture is passed down in an orderly manner from generation to generation of scholars.

Lang Shining is indeed a foreigner, but essentially different from Da Vinci, Titian who mainly served merchants as little painters.

Europe’s mainland little painters were still servants and appendages of aristocrats and priests.

Lang Shining, however, eventually reached the rank of third grade official, added a title of Assistant Minister, likely one of the highest in human history purely based on painting.

Proper and dignified officials, painting also needed to consider decor.

Moreover,

Emperor Qianlong was also a super art enthusiast and seal maniac.

During his reign, just the various art pieces accurately recorded to have been gathered from the populace to the Forbidden City warehouse in the ”Shiqu Treasure Collection” needed to be calculated in tens of thousands as a unit. According to the record of his daily life, this emperor visited the painting academy every few days or ordered painters to enter the palace to discuss painting problems.