There were only two drawing boards brought here.
After a quick discussion in just a few words, with only five minutes allotted, the Sakai siblings started to draw first.
After them, it would be Gu Weijing and Tanaka Masakazu—the focal point of this conflict.
Watching the excitement is one thing.
Not many people were truly interested in the competition of the latter group, whereas the up-and-coming Sakai siblings, who had already made a name for themselves in the circle without having yet enrolled in an art academy, drew considerable interest from everyone.
"Shengzi, Gang Chang, go for it!"
Professor Yakai Ichiro in the crowd waved his fist.
Gu Weijing's gaze fell on this middle-aged uncle.
If it weren't for Elder Cao unexpectedly willing to come out, then the most important foreign consultant for this [Master Project] would be this uncle, who was as round as a ball.
The uncle's most direct impression was his fatness.
He wore a beige trench coat, round like a penguin.
Uncle Yakai Ichiro's features weren't bad at all, perhaps one might call them delicate and graceful. In his youth, he was also on the idol-style route as a painter.
According to the Japanese local art magazine reporters that Gu Weijing is familiar with.
This famous painter Yakai Ichiro, when studying at the Royal Academy of Fine Arts of Spain, was even referred to by classmates as the "Byron from the East," a handsome young man with a touch of melancholy in his profound eyebrows.
Like many artists who start releasing themselves after becoming famous—having achieved prematurely the two important life goals of "winning awards at art exhibitions" and "dating beautiful underclassmen at school," Uncle Sakai has completely let himself go in body management.
At least Gu Weijing now truly cannot see anything Byron-like in this fatty whose waist circumference is nearly approaching his height.
Koizumi Katsuko has already walked up to the drawing board and begun her preparations.
Yakai Gangchang was still dawdling in place, he truly did not want to draw in such a setting, but unfortunately couldn't resist his father and sister's stern gazes.
He eventually moved step by step to the drawing board.
"Alright, start now, time is precious."
Someone said a word.
Elder Cao nodded, watching the two in the scene with interest.
Yakai Gangchang immediately picked up the brush. As soon as he raised the brush, he started drawing. The lines were very standard, conforming to conventional measures, and overall could be considered smooth.
By the standards at this age, it's absolutely not bad.
After all, being the children of Professor Sakai, growing up under the guidance of such master artists, although still underage, it would be strange if they couldn't draw well.
What truly garnered silent admiration from many was Koizumi Katsuko on the side.
This young lady, upon arriving at the drawing board, kept stimulating her wrist and meticulously dug out a tissue from her clothes pocket to wipe her hands.
Even though the timing had already begun, she didn't disrupt her own rhythm.
Koizumi Katsuko carefully spent over ten seconds ensuring her fingers were absolutely dry and clean before picking up the brush. The way she treated her own hands with such solemnity, her expression among them, seemed to have a kind of reverent meaning.
Gu Weijing carefully observed her every move.
Drawing with a pen is like playing the piano.
The pen tip danced between the black and white textures.
During the drawing process, besides needing a flexible wrist, dry fingers are an often overlooked element by many reckless artists.
Keeping your fingers dry and clean—firstly, this prevents any dust or unnoticed dirt on your fingers from dirtying the white picture. Secondly, having sweat on your hand can also somewhat affect the stability of holding the pen, possibly causing unnecessary pen tip rotation when gripping the pen forcefully.
It's a small detail, and of course, neglecting it doesn't pose a major issue.
A true artist, if you give him a piece of charcoal, can still create stunning works.
No talent and effort put to waste, even given a top-tier art studio, they are still wasted.
But in an important setting surrounded by masters, still remembering such small details like hand wiping—compared to what's revealed on the surface, the relaxed and composed attitude might be the more brilliant and dazzling light emanating from her.
"Quite a demeanor of a master."
Elder Cao nodded in approval.
"Once-in-a-century" kinds of praise are just media hype.
Those children's art awards, in his eyes, are just like grandmasters watching kids play with mud.
But this mature confidence is what truly delights Elder Cao.
Talent, ha...
The painters he frequently encounters, who among them isn't overflowing with talent and extraordinary gifts?
This really counts for nothing; injuries among prodigious painters are all too common in this line.
When Elder Cao was in his teens and twenties, there were plenty of talented painters who were famous alongside him in the Dongxia painting world, but today, only a few remain to have truly reached this level.
The names of most people have long been forgotten in the painting circle.
Talent and hard work are just the bare minimum to become a successful painter.
Mentality, opportunities, mentors, patience, the environment... none of these can be lacking.
In the art world, critics can be quite vicious, and before your work is recognized by the market, you will undoubtedly face people who attack and belittle you.
No matter how well you paint, others may dislike it, and throughout history, many young painters who deserved recognition were directly crushed by criticism, with some even resorting to suicide by jumping or hanging.
In the eyes of the old man, it's rare for a girl in her teens to have such a strong mindset.
Gu Weijing, meanwhile, was secretly comparing himself to the Sakai siblings who were painting.
This week, he drew so many sketches and pen lines that his wrist became swollen.
With the high standards he gained from rapid improvement after Menzel's guidance, he realized he had underestimated Yakai Gangchang.
Yakai Gangchang indeed has the capacity to pose as a master.
Judging by the system panel standards, the other party is also approximately at level 3, with proficiency between three hundred to five hundred.
It's difficult to make an accurate estimation in painting; perhaps due to nerves, Yakai Gangchang didn't manage to fully unleash his potential.
He judged that the other's sketching foundation should not be as good as his current self, but much stronger than he was before obtaining the panel.
As for Koizumi Katsuko... that was a bit frightening.
The fluidity of her strokes, the flexibility of her wrist, and the precision of her lines already completely resembled that of a very professional seasoned painter.
And...
Such effortless relaxation.
Simply looking at the wrist and the work on the paper.
Gu Weijing could not imagine that the other party was just a young girl the same age as himself.
"This sketch technique might already be at level 4?"
Gu Weijing was immensely impressed.
The progress he made in a week surpassed a year's worth of effort in the past.
Yet even with this, he is over a hundred proficiency experience points away from level 4, and the others didn't have the help of such a powerful mentor as the system panel.
"Five minutes are up."
The official who was timing signaled.
No matter how strong Koizumi Katsuko was, there was still a clear gap compared to a truly masterful artist like Elder Cao's disciple Lin Tao.
This time, no one put down their pen early; they both put down their pens at the very last second.
Everyone gathered in front of the drawing boards.
Master Lin Tao had clearly stated the qualifying standard, which was to outline the main structure of the Great Golden Pagoda in five minutes with a pen, without obvious deformation, as the basic requirement.
By this standard, both were undoubtedly qualified and more than qualified; Yakai Gangchang even drew the upper structure of a smaller pagoda.
As for Koizumi Katsuko, although she used nearly twice the time of Lin Tao, her work was already very close to Lin Tao's finished drawing.
On her paper—one large pagoda and three small pagodas had their outlines and positioning completed, lacking only the most time-consuming sunlight and shadow details.
In the work Lin Tao just presented, besides the three pagoda bodies, there were also meticulously shaded ground projections of the pagodas.
This was the part that truly tested skill and strokes, and Koizumi Katsuko had run out of time to draw it.
"A master is a master, much stronger than me."
Koizumi Katsuko bowed respectfully to Lin Tao.
"When I was your age, I was far behind you. Truly remarkable. Someone said you are the best of the younger generation in Osaka. Whether the best or not, that's like a dull joke."
Professor Lin changed his tone: "But painting well, you live up to it."
"Gangchang is also not bad. Professor Yakai, your fortune is truly enviable."
Lin Tao looked at the paintings taken off the board and then turned to Yakai Ichiro, speaking with genuine admiration.
At his age, his achievements were pretty much already set, and he particularly loved these young people with limitless potential.
"The painting is really good, more deserving of applause than an old guy like me. Every time I see such talented young painters, it makes me feel truly old."
Lin Tao was the first to clap, and soon applause resounded all around.
In the crowd, Yakai Ichiro clapped his belly happily, his belly fat shaking amidst the congratulations of surrounding painters, like a two-hundred-pound fat man.
At this moment, almost everyone forgot that there was still a competition below, only to hear Koizumi Katsuko, who had just bowed to Lin Tao, turn to look at Gu Weijing.
"Mr. Gu, do your best, I hope you can defeat me."
Her voice carried a faint fighting spirit, like a gladiator waiting for a duel.