The Versatile Master Artist

This was supposed to be the most important day in Professor Boggs’ life.

In the same field, on the same topic, he stepped on Detective Cat.

It was the day he truly crowned himself the king in the field of painting knife painting.

Borges prepared to somehow retrieve Detective Cat’s artwork and nail it next to his ”Amy.”

The electronic version completely spoiled his mood.

How could the professor not be profoundly regretful.

”Ready? Let’s see what Detective Cat actually painted. Let’s turn off the big lights.”

The assistant prepared to import the file from the iPad through a data cable to the Mini-LED display screen, his tone somewhat lacking enthusiasm.

Pretentious Detective Cat and speechless Professor Boggs.

The assistant student didn’t know who he hated more now, hated even a bit more.

For him, watching the dispute between the two was like watching dogs bite each other, and he was more than willing to clap and stir the pot from the side.

Especially when he noticed the cold Lady Anya glued to Boggs, casting that envious, jealous, yet fervent gaze full of longing.

Even if only a one percent chance.

The assistant still desperately hoped Detective Cat’s work would punch this lofty old cabbage head.

Even the last one percent chance vanished into thin air upon realizing Detective Cat had only sent an electronic version sketch.

He might be one of the most disappointed people in this room.

Even though the assistant had procured a nearly hundred-inch high-end display for a more shocking appreciation of artwork per Jean Arnou’s instructions, he had no interest in checking the palette file in advance.

Given the situation, whatever happens, happens.

The curtains were drawn tight, and all the lights were shut off, plunging the three-story reception hall into a cinema-like deep atmosphere.

After the TV was turned on, a green startup animation flickered on the screen, and cold yet splendid light streams were gradually lit up by millions of LED tiny light beads, flowing before each person’s eyes.

The effect was impressive.

Fully demonstrating the display effect of this piece worth several tens of thousands of US Dollars, the most expensive treasure in the electronics shop.

The assistant operated on the iPad and chose a file.

The first work from Detective Cat’s sketch was projected in front of everyone.

”Eh?”

”Wow, this is...”

”Wait a moment.”

”Amy.”

As everyone realized what appeared on the screen, various kinds of clamorous noises instantly flooded the quiet reception room.

The assistant’s mouth dropped open in surprise.

He immediately wondered if he had made a mistake as to why Professor Boggs’ work was displayed on the screen.

A work he had seen before appeared on the big screen.

The white cat was perched atop Little Tony’s head, Tony and the cat stared at each other curiously—the similarities in light and shadow, movement, and composition were uncanny.

Detective Cat’s sketch had an incredibly high degree of similarity to Professor Boggs’ work!

Had they communicated privately about their compositions beforehand?

The female artist Anya didn’t exaggerate by dropping her jaw, but she still took a deep breath with a face full of solemnity.

Viewing artworks from different angles, the rough texture of the flax canvas and varying paint thickness would cause varying degrees of diffuse reflection with incoming light.

No matter how high-tech or expensive, an advanced display screen still remains a flat surface.

Thus, a TV, projector, or photograph can never fully replicate the authentic and face-to-face experience of an art piece.

In crude slang within the industry, viewing paintings on a screen is always likened to ”soul impact through a condom.”

Still, aside from enigmatic moods.

Purely from analyzing a piece’s technique, the display effect isn’t bad.

Books published by English presses often have smaller fonts, and comparing the same book in Chinese and English, foreign prints tend to be more compact and thick.

This relates to the discrepancy in information content between Latin letters and hieroglyphics.

The cover size of ”Little Prince” is only 32K, which is half the size of an A4 sheet.

Professor Boggs’ ”Amy” series illustrations are likewise only small-sized oil paintings measured 30 cm × 40 cm standard canvas size.

The display area of the TV is dozens of times larger than the former, several times larger than the latter.

The size of the displayed Detective Cat’s work is much larger too.

Enlarging oil paintings is not necessarily a good thing.

Although proportionally enlarged works often bring a greater visual impact, any imperfections or mistakes on the piece will also be amplified proportionally.

Those who have seen the actual ”Mona Lisa,” ”The Last Supper,” and other works of art up close in museums will notice the brushstrokes on the oil paintings aren’t flawless.

The ”Mona Lisa” is praised for its relatively small size.

The ”Last Supper,” this large fresco of an ancient era, is problematic due to paint weathering and peeling. Looking closely reveals real roughness.

Ordinary artists’ works are even less tolerable when enlarged.

Small scenes aren’t noticeable, but usually amplified by 50%, diverse proportional inconsistencies, mistakes in shadow handling, and uncomfortable brush strokes become unmistakable eyesores.

It’s akin to looking at Sophie Marceau with a magnifying glass, noticing all the pores on her skin’s surface.

The present artwork completely shattered Lady Anya’s preconceived notions.

”Perfect.”

After staring at the TV screen for a full fifteen seconds, this was the sole thought that occupied the female artist’s mind.

Professor Boggs’ ”Amy” is also exquisite, also perfect, also stunning.

But when the scanned painting is enlarged to such an extent, Lady Anya still found it flawless, each contact trace between the painting knife and canvas achieving perfection without blemish.

It’s not just perfect.

It’s astoundingly beautiful to a somewhat terrifying degree.

Despite being an electronic photo, Lady Anya could still imagine how exquisite the original piece would be.

It’s almost unbelievable to exist in the world, like a beauty sculpted from the finest jade.

Even when enlarged, all that’s visible is the delicate and translucent jade quality.

More terrifying than the impeccable skill is, compared to ”Amy” first illustration... the piece on the TV screen struck Lady Anya as even superior.

Leaving aside a tangible set of fresh paintings recently claimed to be enough to support a themed exhibition of a dozen pieces, the TV screen’s art felt even better.

This is utterly nonsensical.

Lady Anya couldn’t quite articulate why.

Professor Boggs’ painting knife, she couldn’t even pinpoint a flaw.

Or rather.

No matter whether it’s Professor Boggs or Detective Cat’s painting techniques, both are far superior, exceeding Anya’s level to the degree their shortcomings aren’t for her to comment on.

Yet.

Anya’s first impression was that she genuinely preferred the piece on the TV screen.

Unreasonable, yet clearly aware this wasn’t her illusion.

Much less having anticipated such a result.

Before truly seeing Detective Cat’s work, Anya couldn’t even imagine it.

The evaluation of Professor Boggs’ work was already seen as the peak of painting knife technique... Yet there’s another master?

She compared in her mind the differences between ”Amy” and the TV screen’s sketch.

Should she have to deduce a reason?

Perhaps this painting seemed...

More real.

Also more polished?

”Strange, unreasonable, how could it be, how was it done.”

Professor Boggs’ brow twisted like a spinning wheel, loosening then tightening, inhaling sharply while staring at the screen, craning his neck like he wanted to poke into the TV.

Lady Anya’s feeling wasn’t an illusion.

He too instantly felt how extraordinary this piece was... Maybe not inferior to his ”Amy.”

”Not inferior to my painting!”

Realizing his thought, Professor Boggs flared his nostrils, exhaling two thick, hot breaths.

He’s going crazy.

A simple fact.

If an opponent manages a draw while handicapped, she’ll soar when completely unhindered!