The Versatile Master Artist

Chapter 84 - 76: 2-Star Artist

Mona and Miss Koukou in the class are somewhat like Nan Murong and Bei Qiaofeng.

In terms of family background, Miss Koukou might be better off, being the captain of the cheerleading team, but the Indian girl is even more elusive.

Though Koukou is pretty, she’s more open, the type who’s adept in romance.

But Miss Mona is different; even the Chinese-American boy Gu Weijing, who’s closest to her, the boys in the class secretly think their relationship is more like friends rather than lovers.

People always pay more attention to the unattainable high mountain flowers.

This has long made some who secretly compete to win over the hottest girl in school eager to move.

As soon as Miss Mona spoke, the group quickly quieted down, with countless people watching with an attitude of enjoying a good show.

"Detective Cat selling cheap illustrations online became famous overnight with a piece of serious, down-to-earth, and hardworking art, while some are about to graduate yet still dream of finding a new path with a big painting, that’s the difference. I hope one day I can like a boy who’s steady enough."

Mona continued to make insinuations in the class group.

In fact, she still cares about her "little boyfriend" in her heart.

But Mona has always been the one accommodated from childhood.

Her proud and aloof self is willing to sarcastically persuade Gu Weijing, which is already giving him a lot of face.

If it were someone else, she wouldn’t even bother to pay attention.

Gu Weijing didn’t know how to respond and helplessly sent a "...".

"Hey, someone’s jealous, I won’t say who." Miss Koukou, always at odds with Mona despite both being pretty girls, wouldn’t pamper the other.

The international high school girls have rich social lives and don’t have the reserved personality of the East, many are masters of verbal sparring, and now they immediately started to sarcastically mock.

Her reply was strong, full of the style of a military family: "No matter how well I draw, at least I have the courage to show myself."

"Some people are just ignorant frogs in a well, not knowing what their colored pencil drawings look like, and yet have the face to compare with masters. Some people are willing to be your Flatterer (sycophant)." Mona retorted without hesitation.

"You talk as if your artwork is great, if it weren’t for often doing assignments with your diligent boyfriend, could your coursework always get A’s? Now you can’t stand a single compliment to me. I might not draw as well as Detective Cat, but can you?"

Koukou once again brought Gu Weijing out: "Having such a small-minded girlfriend, I really admire you. Sometimes, when looking for a girlfriend, don’t just focus on her looks; is she this uninteresting in a relationship too? @Gu Weijing."

"Alright, alright! Ladies, please calm down, no more arguing."

Seeing the chat group getting increasingly heated, the counselor, who had been lurking quietly, finally stepped in to mediate.

Gu Weijing’s class counselor and homeroom teacher is a man in his thirties.

The man had studied at the Kyoto University of Art and Design in Japan, usually wearing a large, formal-looking turquoise-framed round glasses, speaking in a gentle voice.

His role should be accurately described as a Counselor.

Similar to the common homeroom teachers in the Dongxia class, but not entirely the same, the counselor does not teach any specific subject.

In private schools, he is like the head of the whole class.

He is responsible for chatting with the students, everyday psychological counseling, career planning, and organizing social activities; of course, being employed by the school, he also has a decent art background.

Now seeing the two prettiest girls in class getting more heated in their words.

He immediately decided to slightly steer the conversation.

"Miss Koukou’s drawing is quite good, her sketch level is considered good in our class, only a few people are better than her."

The counselor first praised Miss Koukou, "If you are interested in this kind of painting, you can ask our school’s sketch professors to guide you more on your portfolio, so maybe during the May admissions fair, you could leave a good impression on the Art Academy professors. Of course, what Miss Mona said also makes sense..."

He shifted the topic.

"Detective Cat stood out this time, although there was an element of luck, its level is indeed incomparable to you students.

Not just students, even in our teachers’ group, Professor Walter, who teaches sketch, praised the painting, saying its sketching skills have the shadow of a master, the muscle depictions are as accurate as an anatomist."

"Moreover, you might not have noticed, just now a famous oil painting magazine updated its buyer’s recommendation—"

The counselor shared a message in the group.

"[The ’Oil Painting’ magazine has updated its buyer’s guide section, rating online painter Detective Cat’s purchase rating as two and a half stars.]—This is the first time in the magazine’s history that a recommendation entry was created for an online painter."

This message was like a bombshell, creating a brief silence in the group.

"Two-and-a-Half-Star Painter? This ranks in the top three hundred in Asia, right?"

A few seconds later, someone sent a message.

Previously, everyone was so keen on discussing Detective Cat mainly because, compared to serious artists, an online illustrator feels inherently approachable to most people.

To put it bluntly, network illustration has a bit of the rustic flavor.

Those traditional images of suit-wearing, charming big artists are too lofty.

Detective Cat gaining fame through viral videos offers a more tangible sense of reality compared to those high-entry barrier famous art exhibitions.

It gives young art students like Koukou the illusion that if she can do it, then you can too.

But a Two and a Half Star Painter from "Oil Painting" magazine, that’s an entirely different concept.

What does Two and a Half Star mean?

Many people who learn painting feel strange when they introduce themselves as painters out in the world.

There is an inexplicable sense of shame.

Feeling unworthy of such a title.

Of course, excluding those who trick elderly people out of their hard-earned money.

Many people who study painting all their lives are embarrassed to call themselves Professional Painters, only referring to themselves as illustrators or painters.

Not to mention being called artists.

In terms of becoming famous or established, personal boasting is useless; market recognition is necessary.

And "Oil Painting" magazine represents market recognition.

People often ignore that Two and a Half Stars isn’t a high rating,

but anyone worldwide who has their own featured section in such top professional magazines can confidently hang the title of artist on their business card.

Over the course of history, less than 5,000 artists worldwide have appeared on "Oil Painting" magazine’s recommended index, of which seventy percent are One Star or Two Star.

Two and a Half Stars probably ranks within the top three hundred across the entire Asia.

These painters are mostly concentrated in developed cities like Tokyo, Shanghai, and Seoul.

In the whole of Myanmar, you might not find a single native Two and a Half Star Painter.

In fact, most art students from remote areas are destined to be insulated from such top art magazines all their lives.

""Oil Painting" magazine... Detective Cat, isn’t she just an illustrator?"

Some less informed students @ the mentor.

""Oil Painting" magazine is a comprehensive authority publication, covering all aspects of visual arts. It includes geographic units like Western Europe art section, Latin America art section, Eastern art section, and related categories.

Not only does it include oil painting, but it also covers specialized topics such as oil painting, Chinese Painting, gouache painting, illustration, and in recent years, new additions such as comics, spray paint, and sculpture topics."

The mentor quickly explained.

"However, prior magazine traditions only wrote guides for serious topic big illustrators, like among the three illustrators you are discussing who participated in the video, Jean Arnou is known for illustrating the famous Peace series, and Van Doorn appeared on the magazine only after deep cooperation with the United Nations snow protection organization. Detective Cat being a network illustrator is indeed historically unprecedented."

The mentor’s mood when seeing this message was definitely not calm.

He studied at Kyoto University of Art and Design.

Kyoto University of Art and Design as one of Kansai’s four major art academies isn’t lacking in famous art professors.

There are plenty of top gallery-contracted or "Oil Painting" buyers’ guide-featured professors or prominent students on campus.

But having big names present doesn’t mean those celebrities and ordinary people live in the same world.

Even in the relatively easier-to-get-famous oil painting department, any student who receives such honors is undoubtedly a prominent figure on campus.

The mentor knows very well just how cool this is.

Especially within the cultural environment of Ri Dao, literary workers are inherently noble.

These painting artists are very liked by traditional Japanese Hua Clan family conglomerates, alongside PhD students from Tokyo University and Waseda or young authors who’ve won the Akutagawa or Yomiuri Prize.

They are inclined to choose these young people as their sons-in-law and daughters-in-law.

It benefits social influence.

While the United States political scene is filled with lawyers, many Japanese parliamentarians have backgrounds as literary workers.

He knows Detective Cat paints well, but the fact that "Oil Painting" magazine is willing to make this exception for him just makes the mentor a bit jealous.

Talk about good luck.