In the following days, Lin Yuan, aside from attending classes, tirelessly searched for avenues to gain prestige points in painting.
The first option was to skip organizing an art exhibition. Securing sponsorship for such an event required connections, and Lin Yuan, lacking any artistic reputation, knew better than to expect anyone foolish enough to sponsor him.
As for self-funding, that was out of the question for Lin Yuan.
The second option involved finding a mentor. Having an established artist that will guide him could help him navigate the art world more smoothly. However, Lin Yuan didn't know any artists fitting this description.
With these two options ruled out, Lin Yuan considered the following plan:
Earning prestige points by collaborating with students at Qin Prefecture Art Academy.
Given the size of Qin Prefecture Art Academy, there might be a foundational offer of a thousand prestige points. So, Lin Yuan decided to explore opportunities within the school to gain painting prestige.
Upon investigation, Lin Yuan discovered the existence of the Painting Club in the school.
Joining the club could potentially provide opportunities to earn prestige points. After all, Qin Prefecture Art Academy, being an art-focused institution, boasted various student clubs.
There were sports clubs like basketball, soccer, and even a street dance club.
In the realm of arts, there were piano clubs, painting clubs, calligraphy clubs, and poetry clubs, among others.
These clubs were sizable, considering the Academy's status as an art school with corresponding majors.
However, being a music student, Lin Yuan had little interaction with students from other disciplines. The only acquaintance outside the music department was Jianyi, a performing arts student, who had no connection with painting.
There is no other choice.
Lin Yuan decided to take a direct approach and submitted his application to the Painting Club.
"Do you have a background in painting?"
Large-scale clubs in the school had dedicated offices and members overseeing daily activities, similar to the student union. After explaining his intentions, Lin Yuan was unsurprisingly questioned.
"Yes."
Lin Yuan confidently replied.
The person reviewed Lin Yuan's information, saying, "You're a music student, and most of our club members are from the Fine Arts department..."
"Any restrictions?"
"Not exactly, but without a professional advantage, it might be challenging to blend in. We have quite a few painting prodigies in the club. There are also limited slots for external activities, such as student exhibitions. Are you sure you want to join?"
Exhibitions?
Lin Yuan's eyes lit up, "I want to join."
The person smiled somewhat triumphantly, "Fill out this form, preferably including your class schedule. We'll consider your participation based on your availability for events."
He wasn't trying to discourage Lin Yuan!
School clubs eagerly welcomed new members as a larger membership meant a bigger club. Every club aimed to be the largest on campus. So, when someone applied to join the Painting Club, they would gladly accept. Moreover, new members wouldn't be deterred easily!
After filling out the application form, the student who stamped Lin Yuan's paperwork stood up, "Do you have time? I can show you around our activity area."
"Sure."
Lin Yuan followed, and soon they arrived at a large building. "This building houses many clubs. Our Painting Club is on the ground floor."
Entering the building, Lin Yuan realized the Painting Club's activity area was a spacious classroom. Members were busy sketching, painting with watercolors and oils, and even creating traditional Chinese paintings, filling the air with the scent of various pigments.
"Newcomer?"
A leader in the club took Lin Yuan's information, glancing at it, "Sophomore from the Composition Department, why didn't you join us in your freshman year?"
Most students usually joined clubs during their freshman year.
Lin Yuan said, "In my freshman year, I couldn't paint."
The other person raised an eyebrow, confirming that Lin Yuan was a complete newcomer. "If you didn't bring your painting tools, then clean the painting studio first. Just clean the entire east side. Cleaning tools are in the bathroom next door."
"Okay."
Lin Yuan complied.
The person who brought Lin Yuan smiled. Newcomers were always assigned tasks like cleaning. It wasn't just the painting club; other clubs had similar initiation rituals.
Lin Yuan began earnestly cleaning.
Although it was specified as the east side, the area was quite extensive. There were many pencil shavings on the floor, and easels were scattered everywhere, making Lin Yuan's cleaning task quite laborious.
...
Zhong Yu was doing a sketch of a figure and encountered a problem. He was scratching his head when he suddenly heard a voice, "Could you lift your feet?"
"Clean other places first."
Zhong Yu replied without lifting his head.
"Just a moment." Lin Yuan looked at the pencil shavings under the other's feet. If this area wasn't cleaned, it would be unbearable for someone with a strong sense of cleanliness like him.
"Hey." Zhong Yu, a bit impatient, glanced at Lin Yuan. "A new face? In the club?"
"Yes."
"What year?"
"Sophomore this year."
"As a junior, let me teach you a rule. When cleaning in our painting club, you must be quiet and not easily disturb seniors working on their creations."
"Aren't you doing a sketch?" Lin Yuan was puzzled; sketching was not creating.
Zhong Yu frowned, stopped drawing, stared at Lin Yuan, and said irritably, "Hey, how about I give you the brush, and you do it?"
"Sure." Lin Yuan said, "Once I'm done, lift your feet."
"..."
Is this junior serious? Can't he hear that I'm upset?
Lin Yuan, however, didn't think much. In a hurry to clean up the remaining area, he picked up a pencil nearby and started drawing.
The senior had already completed the basic framework.
Although the framework wasn't done particularly well.
Then came the detailed adjustments.
"Eyes are asymmetrical... Hairlines are too rigid... Shadows on the nostril area are too heavy..."
Lin Yuan glanced at the senior's unfinished work. Almost his entire mind was filled with the shortcomings of this painting. Although ordinary people couldn't see it, these flaws would naturally be magnified in Lin Yuan's eyes.
He picked up an eraser and swiftly wiped away two-thirds of it, but it still didn't feel right. He decided to erase everything he could.
Zhong Yu didn't have time to stop him and watched as Lin Yuan erased an hour's worth of work.
"You..."
Ignoring him, Lin Yuan bent over, wrists rapidly shaking, directly modifying many deficiencies in the senior's work, replacing them with cleaner and more concise lines.
Compared to creating something from scratch, Lin Yuan's speed at copying a painting was terrifying.
Ten minutes later.
Lin Yuan straightened up, looked at the work that now closely resembled the original subject of the sketch, and said, "Can you lift your feet now?"
"Huh?"
Zhong Yu, who had watched Lin Yuan boldly modify his artwork from anger to confusion and finally to admiration, was at a loss for words. It happened in just ten short minutes.
And within this brief period.
Watching Lin Yuan transform his artwork to the point of being unrecognizable, Zhong Yu's not-so-young heart experienced an unprecedented shock!