Chapter 6: The Plans of Friends

"Let's talk about it in two months," Fang Yike would not directly tell Wang Qiluo that he wanted to attend the Central Academy of Fine Arts, as the works he was currently creating were still quite distant from the standards of the academy, and he felt embarrassed to mention it to anyone.

Fang Yi also laughed and walked up to a few people, and everyone headed towards the school gate together. As they walked, Fang Yi said, "Which place should we go to, Lao Hu Restaurant or the Sichuan restaurant?" After saying this, he patted his pocket and added, "My family gave me two hundred yuan, so everyone can order whatever they want!" At this time, a stewed chicken costs about ten yuan, so two hundred yuan is indeed enough for six people to eat freely.

Several people nearby immediately began to stir, expressing their determination to collect Fang Yi's paintings. They eagerly anticipated Fang Yi becoming a renowned artist, each of them calculating how they would spend the five million they would win from a two-yuan lottery ticket, as if they had already struck it rich. The discussion was surprisingly animated.

Fang Yi said: "I thought to myself, can I really correct it just by wanting to? After all, that's how I feel"

Two people, one painting and the other observing, passed an hour just like that. When Fang Yi signed his name in the lower right corner of the painting and wrote the date below, the artwork was completed

After entering the private room and looking at the menu, Li Lin asked Fang Yi, "Fang Yi! There are only four months left until the art examination. Are you feeling pressured?" Upon hearing Li Lin's question, the others also turned to look at Fang Yi, with Mu Jin showing particular concern in her eyes.

Zhang Xu quickly replied, "If you get accepted into the Central Academy of Fine Arts, send me a painting! Let me frame it and hang it in my home"

Fang Yi had no choice but to say, "If I get into the Central Academy of Fine Arts, I will draw each of you a picture!" This finally made the four of them pause and brought the conversation back to the topic of food

Five people came to a halt, and Zhang Xu jokingly said, "If I didn't know your character, I would have thought you were afraid of treating us and were trying to escape!"

Returning to school, the five individuals went to attend evening self-study, and Fang Yi naturally turned back to the art classroom

When Fang Yi laid out the large feeling, he heard someone behind him say: "These lines are strong and powerful, indeed very suitable for expressing Marseille"

Does this master painter truly feel happy in life? Fang Yi believes not necessarily, as he spends his days bowing his head and dealing with those he secretly despises, which likely leads him to disdain himself as well. From the countless times Old La wished to escape from Rome, it is evident that the indulgence in worldly pleasures has trapped this master painter, ultimately leading to the internal struggle that cost Old La his life

Boss, please get us a private room!" As soon as he entered, Zhang Xu shouted at the shop owner with all his might.

"Maybe! Today went smoothly, unlike yesterday which was so obscure," Fang Yi said, then turned to Wang Qiluo and asked, "What brings you here?" Wang Qiluo was different from Fang Yi; he rarely came to the art studio in the evenings, as his academic performance was a significant weakness. On Sunday mornings, he attended cultural classes, and in the afternoons, he went to a tutoring center to draw portraits. An hour costs sixty yuan, so a typical afternoon amounts to two hundred forty yuan, which totals over ten thousand yuan in a year. Over the six years of deciding to attend the Academy of Fine Arts, his family has invested at least eighty thousand yuan, if not a hundred thousand. The so-called strength comes from both talent and wealth.

"Yes! Yes! That's it!" Upon hearing Fang Yi's hint, Zhang Xu immediately said, "They became famous so early, in their teens!" While speaking, he patted Fang Yi on the shoulder, saying, "Put in a little more effort. You can't expect to achieve that in your teens; set your goal for thirty. By then, I might also benefit a bit!"

"Waiting for you to raise the price, then sell it for a high price!" Zhang Xu chuckled and said, "I heard someone sold a painting for tens of millions of dollars last time; if your painting can sell for a few million dollars, I will eat it for the rest of my life!"

Raphael

As soon as school was over in the afternoon, Fang Yi exited the art classroom. Just as he stepped out, he saw Zhang Xu, Li Lin, and three other individuals walking towards him.

I personally feel confident about my chances in stone carving. Now, it's just a matter of seeing if I can put in the extra effort over the next few months to get into the Central Academy of Fine Arts! Fang Yi is also not very modest; he directly brought up the Central Academy of Fine Arts. He completely ignores the fact that every year, among the twenty to thirty thousand applicants for modeling, only a little over a hundred are accepted, and they only take students from the liberal arts. Fang Yi doesn't care much about the fact that they only accept liberal arts students. At worst, after the art exam, I can switch majors in the remaining months. Is it really that hard to score over 400 points? He completely disregards the situation where every year, among the twenty to thirty thousand applicants for modeling, only a little over a hundred are accepted, and they only take students from the liberal arts. Fang Yi doesn't care much about the fact that they only accept liberal arts students. At worst, after the art exam, I can switch majors in the remaining months. Is it really that hard to score over 400 points? My scores in Chinese, Mathematics, and English alone can easily reach 350 or 360. Is there really a need to worry about the remaining subjects, Politics and History? In the last five months, even if I just memorize, I won't score less than 50 or 60 in total for those two subjects, right? So what is there to be afraid of!

The next morning, Fang Yi finished the morning reading class in the classroom and sneaked into the art room to start painting a color still life. After returning home for lunch, he immersed himself in the art room again, and the entire process was a repeat of yesterday. Once he completed two pieces of gouache, his understanding of color advanced to an intermediate level, and his continuous sketching practice had also reached more than halfway to the intermediate level.

Zhang Xu, upon hearing Fang Yi's words, said: "Come on! Can't you have a bit of confidence? Who knows, you might become famous in your twenties! Like that person... what was his name? That great Western painter!"

Fang Yi listened, shook his head, and smiled without saying anything, not correcting his friend's mistakes. Raphael rose to fame in his twenties and died at the age of thirty-seven. Raphael's life was good, partly due to his extraordinary talent and partly because of his gentle nature and respect for people from all walks of life. This was especially true for the ruling class, with whom he maintained a very good relationship, particularly with the Pope of that time. As for the Pope's reputation, it is not worth mentioning; he was a shameless, insidious, and despicable character who fell out with both Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, showing a complete lack of understanding of art. Raphael's life was good, partly due to his extraordinary talent and partly because of his gentle nature and respect for people from all walks of life. This was especially true for the ruling class, with whom he maintained a very good relationship, particularly with the Pope of that time. As for the Pope's reputation, it is not worth mentioning; he was a shameless, insidious, and despicable character who fell out with both Leonardo da Vinci and Michelangelo, showing a complete lack of understanding of art.

Two people chatted for a while; one continued to draw while the other fetched water to dampen the watercolor paper. He used strips of newspaper coated with paste to seal the edges, propping the prepared paper against the leg of the table. After completing these tasks, he stood behind Fang Yi, watching him paint, but this time he remained silent.

As they walked, the six individuals divided into two rows, with Zhang Xu, Li Lin, and Xu Rui in the front, and Fang Yi, Mu Jin, and Li Fen in the back. A few dozen meters after exiting the school gate, Fang Yi naturally took his girlfriend's hand, and although Mu Jin struggled a couple of times to break free, she eventually stopped trying.

Fang Yi was lost in a beautiful dream when he heard a voice say: "Fang Yi! It is already 9 o'clock, time to go home!"

Sitting in front of the easel, I glanced a few times and began sketching on the paper with a wavering hand. For the first time, I used unfamiliar lines to express my ideas, doing so very cautiously. Essentially, after a few strokes on the paper, I would step back to assess the overall composition before delving deeper into the details.

If I were to draw, I would make this area slightly vague, the shadow outline of the beard resting on the shoulder would be heavier but not too dark, and the neck area should be brighter..." Wang Qiluo commented on Fang Yi's painting and finally said: "However, your progress is quite significant; comparing yesterday and today, it looks like two different people painted it. Has your touch returned?"

Fang Yi took the cigarette, lit it, and then asked, "How is the model for your portrait drawing class? If it's good, I will sign up to draw as well!" To pass the entrance exam for the Central Academy of Fine Arts, one must inevitably draw portraits. When Fang Yi referred to whether it is good or not, he meant whether the models in this class include a range of ages and whether they have distinctive features, rather than implying that the models are all young and beautiful women.

I think it's quite good! The price is also moderate and not too expensive. If you want to say hello to me when the time comes, I can mention it to the teacher," said Wang Qiluo

"Wrap some paper, and prepare to paint a still life tomorrow," Wang Qiluo said as he took a pack of cigarettes from his pocket and offered one to Fang Yi

"That's great!" Xu Rui gave Fang Yi a thumbs up, while his other hand rested on Li Lin's shoulder. The group began to discuss which restaurant to go to.

Old La's good relationship with the Pope stemmed from his fervent desire for power and his ambition to become a bishop. After gaining the Pope's support, he agreed to marry the daughter of a bishop, Maria Bibena, to secure the backing of this bishop in charge of books. For a week after the engagement, no one saw Old La. He met his beloved mistress, Finarina, during this time, and he found himself torn between Finarina's genuine feelings for him and his own yearning for worldly power. On one side was his true love, and on the other was the sordid reality that plagued Old La's heart. Moreover, there were no QQ chats or computer games to distract him, leaving only the nearly solitary activity of bed-related entertainment. After an extraordinary time of revelry with his beloved mistress Finarina, this saintly painter, with his frail physique, could not endure it and returned to the heavens.

"You have corrected the points I just mentioned; your comprehension is truly remarkable, far surpassing mine," Wang Qiluo said

A few people did not spend much money; a table with seven or eight dishes cost over sixty yuan, most of which were meat dishes. Six people left the restaurant feeling fully satisfied.

"Central Academy of Fine Arts? Just the name sounds impressive!" Li Fen said, looking at Fang Yi with a hint of pride in her expression. As science students, they were not particularly concerned about art schools, but one could guess a bit about Chinese universities just from their names. Most institutions starting with 'Central' are top-tier universities, incomparable to those beginning with 'National', especially in the realm of art, where those starting with 'Central' are the elite.

Fang Yi laughed and said, "The best scenario is that by the time I become famous, you will be about the same age as well." Painting is different from the sciences; it is a matter of clear distinctions. It not only involves the artist themselves but also the public's aesthetic. No matter how well you paint, if the public's taste does not keep up, your artwork will still be in vain and will not fetch a good price. Although Fang Yi had this understanding, what if the works he produced later did not gain recognition and exceeded the current aesthetic standards? Wouldn't that lead to poverty? It is not just about the artist; it also involves public taste. No matter how well you paint, if the public's taste does not keep up, your artwork will still be in vain and will not fetch a good price. Although Fang Yi had this understanding, what if the works he produced later did not gain recognition and exceeded the current aesthetic standards? Wouldn't that lead to poverty? Few artists, like Picasso, who became masters during their lifetime, lived comfortably. On one hand, Fang Yi genuinely loved painting; on the other hand, his family circumstances were quite good, fully supporting his pursuit of art.

I apologize! I apologize! I lost track of time a bit! Seeing this, Fang Yi from hetushucom.com realized that the five people were anxious and hurriedly expressed his apologies

What is there to fear after escaping! I have long since made up my mind to keep an eye on Mu Jin! Li Lin replied with a smile: "The monk can run, but the temple cannot!" This elicited laughter from the others.

Fang Yi was taken aback for a moment and asked, "I am currently just painting with watercolors and doing sketches. Why do you want to hang on to it? When I get into the Central Academy of Fine Arts, whether I paint traditional Chinese paintings or anything else, I can give you one, right? By the way, what do you want it for?"

This evening, Fang Yi plans to paint a marble plaster statue. This time, he will not use his preferred soft lines, but instead will opt for bold and robust thick lines. He has also chosen a deeper 5B pencil for this purpose

Oh! I understand! Hearing the voice, Fang Yi turned his head, smiled, and nodded at the classmate who called him, then quickly began to pack his things and honestly headed home

"Go there!" The boss smiled at Zhang Xu's words and pointed with his hand. This private room at the restaurant near the school is mostly used by students and teachers; those who truly entertain important guests would not come to these eateries.

This situation greatly lifted Fang Yi's spirits, to the extent that even while using the restroom, he hummed a little tune and swayed his hips, creating a curved water line.

Wang Qiluo admires Fang Yi's paintings because the lines possess a resilience that he himself lacks, and there are distinctive features in the way the lines are drawn. The overall contours of the painting can be considered precise, and the structure is very rigorous. As someone skilled in painting, Wang Qiluo is very adept at learning, and he is currently focusing on the strengths found in Fang Yi's work.

Fang Yiyi turned around and saw Wang Qiluo standing behind him. He couldn't help but ask Wang Qiluo, "Do you feel that there is anything lacking?" After saying this, he stood up and stood side by side with Wang Qige, looking at his painting.

"Stop thinking about these unearned gains!" Li Lin said to Zhang Xu, then turned his face towards Fang Yi and added, "In a while, help me draw a portrait, just make it somewhat similar! Don't make it look like a Picasso, where one wouldn't even recognize who it is at first glance"