Chapter 227 (1/2)
”Ai, if you don't have the scenery in your heart, then how could you paint out the scene? If an artist doesn't plan in advance, how would they be able to display their flair on paper? Yan'er, you're blessed with superior intelligence, how could you make such an amateurish mistake? The definition of a perfect artwork…” Ling Tian sighed once, ”... refers to your artistic skills, intent, spirit, style and core melded into one, now that's perfect art! You have the skills and the outline of the intent, but you've only just been exposed to the artistic spirit, so at times your portrait is vibrant and at times lacking in spirit. The definition of spirit is essentially the character within an artwork. For a beautiful piece of work, just the concept is not enough, one has to inject it with character, then would it be the meat on the skeleton! As for style, it emphasizes on uniformity, one should always use the same style in drawing all things! A master painter can tell that the author of the artwork is an amateur if the artist's style is disordered and messy. Lastly, the core of the painting has to have some form of realism within, for example a drawn flower would be able to attract bees and b.u.t.terflies, and if a youthful lady was drawn, it has to be able to ignite the hidden desires of a ma… cough cough. In any case, that's about it.”
At the last sentence, Ling Tian nearly choked himself to death on his words; what nonsense was he spouting? While it might have seemed normal in the twenty-first century, it was greatly inappropriate for this age. This was especially so for the last sentence!
Indeed, the two ladies let out protests while having reddened faces, but surprisingly Yu BingYan didn't come forth with fists ready to pummel Ling Tian, instead remaining in deep thought and muttering, ”How do I reach this state?”
Ling Tian secretly laughed to himself as he spoke, ”That stage is the extremity of painting, with your current stage now, you could only be considered to have just stepped past the threshold of artistic spirit. To reach the pinnacle, hai! It's easier said than done!” Looking at the downcast look on BingYan's face, Ling Tian softened his tone a little, ”However, there's still a way! As long as this master is here, haha, this isn't a big problem. Didn't you notice that Chen'er has already improved by leaps and bounds? This is all because of my teachings!”
While Ling Tian's preaching at the beginning were half-truths, he had done so because he wanted to pave a road for Yu BingYan to begin fusing the Dao of Art together with the Dao of the Martial Way. From Xue Leng, Ling Tian had learned that not only was Yu BingYan afflicted with an incurable disease, she was also the representative for the sixty year battle with the Shui Family, so he had come up with this plan. In truth, he didn't have much confidence, so in order not to cause too much disappointment to Yu BingYan, he could only use this roundabout method to spur her on!
Based on her current condition, if Yu BingYan didn't take a novel approach and forge a new path on her own, then she would definitely lose and die in the battle three years from now! This was something Ling Tian couldn't accept! Furthermore, because this matter involved the honor of both aristocratic families, and they didn't accept subst.i.tutes, Ling Tian couldn't come up with any better idea except this.
Yu BingYan suddenly jolted up and hugged Ling Tian's arm, pouting while shaking it, ”No wonder why Sister Chen's paintings always look so good, it turns out that she is already near the peak! Brother Tian, you have to quickly teach me, I want to reach this stage too!”
Ling Tian put on a stern face as he replied, ”Yan'er, it's not that I don't want to teach you, but rather that this path is th.o.r.n.y and difficult to walk… Chen'er spent ten years before she could achieve her current accomplishments, and I don't want you to go through the same thing.”
Yu BingYan gently bit her lower lip as she resolutely replied, ”I'll definitely succeed! If I don't, then I… I…” She couldn't finish her sentence even after a long time, her little face dyed completely crimson.
”If you fail, then you will have to be young n.o.ble's woman; if you succeed, then you get young n.o.ble as your husband!” Ling Chen burst into laughter as she jested.
”Sister Ling Chen, you're bullying me!” Yu BingYan couldn't restrain her embarra.s.sment, throwing herself towards Ling Chen. Only after tussling for a while did they stop, sweating profusely. With the hairpins skewed and eyes dazed with exhaustion, the two were a beautiful sight to behold.
”Quickly explain your idea. I want to hear how difficult it is!” Yu BingYan urged at this point.
Ling Tian hid his smile as he glanced at her. He decided to throw another leash towards her, such that he could completely be in control of her, saying, ”What happens if you end up crying and throwing a tantrum and asking to quit when it gets too difficult? I think you better not, or else even Chen'er would laugh at you!”
Yu BingYan flared up and stubbornly said, ”Brother Tian, you look down on me too much! I'm from the Yu family, and n.o.body in the family gives up halfway!”
”Good!” Ling Tian stood up. ”From today you shall begin the first phase. Every morning, you have to produce three paintings with a certain character and pa.s.s Chen'er's or my evaluation. If you fail then you have to redraw! In the afternoon, you'll cover your eyes with a piece of black cloth and redraw the three paintings. Only when I deem you fit to have pa.s.sed the first level can you then go on to the second level.”
Yu BIngYan couldn't help but take in a breath of cold air, ”Three paintings with character? Redraw if I fail? Cover my eyes and draw?? Are you planning to reap my life? How is this possible for a human?”
”Scared?” Ling Tian replied in a considerate tone. ”If you're scared then you can forget it. That time, Chen'er also did the same thing, and even did it perfectly.”
”Who's scared of whom?! Since sister Ling Chen can do it, so can I!” Yu BingYan glared at Ling Tian.