School Beauty's Invincible Martial Expert-Chapter 581 - 583: A Painting
Liu Yiyi was a very intelligent girl, yet fate envied a beautiful woman.
"Ah, you guessed right." Xiao Han smiled and said, "I achieved certain places at the sports meet, so the school sent me to compete."
"Are you confident?" Liu Yiyi put down the brush in her hand.
"Of course, I am." Once he heard her, Xiao Han patted his chest and said, "When I go up there, I’ll outperform them all."
"Boasting!" Liu Yiyi pursed her lips, looking every bit the stunning fairy.
If it weren’t for that day seeing Liu Yiyi’s bare head, Xiao Han might have thought of her as the most flawless being in his eyes. Nevertheless, even so, Liu Yiyi’s image was still the most perfect in Xiao Han’s heart. Her temperament and her beauty were the finest. No one could surpass her. At least among all the girls Xiao Han knew, only Liu Yiyi’s image was the most perfect.
Xiao Han looked at that momentary beauty, and he was somewhat dazed. Liu Yiyi’s beauty was different from the other girls. Her allure stood out and sparkled even more. Moreover, her beauty left no room for any wayward thoughts.
Liu Yiyi’s beauty was as pure and clear as Chen Zihan’s, like a spring of water in the deep mountains. It was as bright as a piece of ancient jade. Liu Yiyi’s beauty transcended the mundane world, as if she possessed the air of a Pride of Heaven descending to earth.
"I’m not boasting!" Xiao Han shook his head.
"You’re not a student of the Physical Education Department." Liu Yiyi looked at him skeptically and then said, "Moreover, even students from the Physical Education Department might not win places at the national university sports meet, can you?"
"Of course, I can!" Xiao Han patted his chest and said, "As long as I’m involved, I can certainly win a place."
"Really?" Liu Yiyi had seen Xiao Han before, not many times, but from what she remembered, Xiao Han wasn’t someone who exaggerated or boasted. Especially at the last departmental evening party, Xiao Han’s guzheng performance and his calligraphy almost amazed the whole school and became the highlight of the Provincial Committee Television Station, entering into the homes and hearts of many people. Liu Yiyi was deeply impressed by Xiao Han, and it was because of this that she decided to make Xiao Han her only friend.
"Believe me!" Xiao Han nodded and said, "So, I sincerely invite you to attend the opening of the sports meet to witness my miracle."
"Okay, I promise you!" Liu Yiyi smiled.
"Really?" When he heard that, Xiao Han was overjoyed and said, "You... you really promised me?"
"Of course!" Liu Yiyi nodded and said, "I’ve indeed promised you."
"That’s great." Xiao Han leaped three feet in the air, excitedly saying, "If you could come, that would be fantastic. I believe I would be able to perform my best and achieve a perfect result at the sports meet."
"Hmm, I believe in you!" Liu Yiyi watched Xiao Han with a smile.
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Xiao Han took a deep breath and then asked, "Do you paint in oils?"
"A little!" Liu Yiyi nodded and said, "Do you also know how?"
"I know a bit!" Xiao Han grinned.
Oil painting involves mixing pigments with fast-drying plant oils and creating artwork on canvas, linen, cardboard or wood panels. The diluents used are volatile turpentine and drying linseed oil, among others. The pigments applied to the canvas have a strong hardness and can maintain their gloss for a long time after the painting dries. Oil painting allows the object to be portrayed with rich color and strong three-dimensional texture due to the paint’s covering power and transparency. Oil painting is one of the main genres of Western art.
The reason Xiao Han knew about oil painting was not only because he had spent a few weeks learning from a teacher in Fuxing Community, but also from what he had learned in textbooks. However, he had the advantage of having a brilliant mind, and because his brains were extraordinarily sharp now, he had picked up the oil painting knowledge he had learned earlier once again.
"So..." Liu Yiyi blinked her eyes, seemingly intending to test Xiao Han, and with a giggle, she said, "Can you take a look at this painting and tell me what it depicts?"
Xiao Han glanced at it and examined it seriously.
In fact, since the moment he entered, he had known what the painting was about. Xiao Han smiled and said, "Isn’t this a canary cage?"
"You noticed?" Liu Yiyi looked at Xiao Han in surprise.
Her style of painting was very abstract, with messy lines and an extremely exaggerated style. It was hard for most people to understand, but Xiao Han had seen through it at a glance. This truly surprised Liu Yiyi. At least it proved that Xiao Han wasn’t lying just now.
"Of course!" Xiao Han nodded and said, "Moreover, the words of a painter largely express his inner world. From the lighting and color tones of this painting, it can be found that there must be a suppressed world behind it. You feel lonely, isolated, very empty, and scared, don’t you?"
Liu Yiyi stared at Xiao Han in amazement. She hadn’t expected Xiao Han to be so precise. Indeed, her inner world was analyzed by Xiao Han with exceptional accuracy. In fact, not just this painting but almost all of Liu Yiyi’s oil paintings were filled with pessimistic colors. In her work, the sun was black, which indicated that Liu Yiyi’s inner world was very dark, as if there was no light to be seen.
"You are... half right," Liu Yiyi said with a faint smile, and then continued, "Since you understand so well, why don’t you critique this painting?"
"It would only be considered elementary level," Xiao Han chuckled.
Upon hearing this, Liu Yiyi’s face showed a hint of change as she frowned and said, "Do you look down on my painting that much?"
"I’m just telling the truth," Xiao Han chuckled and said, "The lines, colors, and the overall composition and outline of the painting hardly have anything remarkable. If I have to point out something ingenious, I’m afraid it would be the fusion of abstract and realistic elements."
Xiao Han stared at the painting.
"Humph," Liu Yiyi was a Fairy, proud and dignified at heart, and her terminal illness did not diminish her pride and self-esteem. She smiled and said, "Since you say my painting is basic, why don’t you create an advanced piece?"
Xiao Han knew that Liu Yiyi was quite unconvinced. To make her admit his skill, he would have to display some real talent.
"Alright," Xiao Han nodded in response.
Xiao Han glanced sideways and with a cold snort, said, "Prepare a canvas for me."
"Okay," Liu Yiyi nodded.
She immediately stood up, took down the canvas that was on the easel, and replaced it with a brand new one.
Xiao Han already had a concept in mind; he planned to paint a sunrise on Mount Tai. He chose this composition because of his nature; he wanted to give Liu Yiyi some hope. To tell her that one cannot live without hope. The sunrise symbolizes hope, and Mount Tai signifies humanity. Humanity cannot lack hope, otherwise, what’s the difference from a corpse?
With the concept formed in his mind, Xiao Han quickly began to work on the painting.
A variety of quality brushes were spread out beside him. These top-notch wool brushes were finely crafted, considered quite superior for oil painting. Liu Yiyi’s studio was luxurious, equipped with the best quality materials. To prevent aggravating her illness, the oil paints used were of superior quality, with no radiation, no pungent odor, and absent of formaldehyde.
Xiao Han took a serious look at the canvas, which was a full two square meters.
The larger the area, the more challenging it is to paint.
Xiao Han fell silent for a moment, then picked up a large brush. Liu Yiyi had prepared various paints. Xiao Han coated his brush with paint and began to work boldly on the canvas.
The beginning of an oil painting is generally rough, growing finer as the work progresses, especially when two color blocks intersect.
Oil painting techniques are numerous. Brushing, dabbing, dragging, wiping, suppressing...
These are all techniques of oil painting.
Brushing is often used to join two adjoining blocks of color so they don’t appear too abrupt. By sweeping lightly with a clean fan brush over the still wet paint, this effect can be achieved. It’s also done by brushing another color over a base layer to produce a loosely interwoven effect of colors that’s neither too tight nor monotonous.
Dabbing involves using a stiff bristled brush to pick up paint and then applying it vertically to the canvas with the tip of the brush. This technique is not often used, usually only applied in areas that require a special texture.
Dragging signifies when rigid lines or sharp edges of objects, like the sharpness of a sword or the side of glass, are needed. For this, a painting knife is used to adjust the paint and then drag it along the canvas with the edge of the blade to create a line or plane of color. The forms created with a painting knife are firm and definite, an effect difficult to achieve with a brush or other methods.
In short, different techniques are utilized for different purposes.
Xiao Han was quite skilled in these basic methods, having practiced them before. Now, picking up the brush again, he was not at all unfamiliar. On the contrary, he seemed very proficient. His hands held the brush with concentration, deeply engrossed, unconcerned even as paint smeared on his clothes and skin, fully focused on the creative process.
Liu Yiyi watched the easel curiously from the side. Truth be told, she had no idea what Xiao Han was painting. At first, when Xiao Han laid the foundations on the easel, several colors were quickly applied, creating a dizzying array of colors on the board. Moreover, Xiao Han’s painting style was somewhat strange and eerie, his speed incredibly fast. Ordinary painters, especially when laying the foundation, required deep contemplation and careful consideration, but this man seemed to need none of it. He started painting as soon as he picked up the brush, completely immersed in his own realm, piquing her curiosity.
