He unexpectedly becomes a father at the start of his life, and the mother of his child is a national

After loading the items into the car and returning to Yunding Mansion, Chen Hao temporarily converted a guest room that was not usually used into a painting studio.

Set up the easel, lay out the felt, and arrange the paints and brush washer.

He stood in front of a blank sheet of rice paper, closed his eyes, and pondered what to paint.

Soon, a theme came to mind: autumn wind blowing through ten thousand valleys.

He didn't want to paint a specific mountain or river, but rather the majestic yet desolate atmosphere of autumn with its layered mountains, deep valleys, and howling autumn winds.

It should have lofty aspirations, profound insights, and level perspectives; it should have both concrete and abstract elements, and both brushstrokes and ink.

Taking a deep breath, Chen Hao opened his eyes, his gaze becoming focused and calm.

He first used a large wolf-hair brush, dipped it in light ink, and quickly sketched the general outline of the distant mountains on the rice paper.

The brushstrokes sweep to the side, the ink color gradually lightens, layer by layer, creating a sense of depth and layering of overlapping mountains and swirling clouds.

[Ding! The composition and layout are well done, and the distant mountains are clearly layered. Drawing experience +168.]

Next, he switched to a medium-sized pen and used slightly darker ink to outline the mountain structure in the middle ground.

The brushwork became richer, with alternating use of cun (texturing strokes), ca (rubbing), dotting, and ran (dyeing) to express the texture and volume of the rocks.

He deliberately darkened the ink in some shady areas and left blank or applied light ochre to the light-receiving areas to simulate the effect of slanting autumn sunlight.

[Ding! The artist has skillfully employed the techniques of depicting rocks and stones, vividly portraying textures. Painting experience +185.]

After finishing the mid-ground, he began working on the foreground.

This is the visual focal point of the image and requires more detailed depiction.

Using a small wolf-hair brush and drier ink, he carefully depicted the nearby cliffs, rocks, and several pine trees in different postures.

The pine needles are delicately dotted with the tip of the brush, while the trunk is rendered with a dry brush to create a rugged texture.

[Ding! The close-up details are exquisite, the pine tree is lifelike, and the brushwork is well-controlled in terms of dryness, wetness, thickness, and lightness. Experience +192.]

After the basic structure of the mountain was completed, Chen Hao began to create the atmosphere.

He used a large sheep hair brush, dipped it in a mixture of indigo and light ink, and quickly painted the distant mountains in shades that enveloped them in a hazy, bluish-gray autumnal atmosphere.

The rocks in the middle and foreground are rendered with warm colors such as ochre and vermilion, which contrast with the cool colors of the distant mountains and highlight the characteristics of autumn mountains.

[Ding! Harmonious color rendering; contrasting warm and cool tones create a sense of space and season; experience +188.]

Finally, and most importantly, the autumn wind.

Chen Hao switched to a clean, old brush with looser bristles, dipped it in very light ink, and used a quick, sweeping brushstroke to "sweep" out a few wispy, almost imperceptible lines in the upper part of the painting, between the mountains.

These lines have no specific shape, yet they seem to allow one to feel the direction and strength of the wind, and hear the whistling sound of the wind passing through the pines in the valleys.

He then added some pine needles that had been blown to one side by the wind to the pine branches in the foreground with finer brushstrokes, making the presence of "wind" more concrete.

Putting down his pen, Chen Hao took two steps back and examined the newly completed painting, "Autumn Wind in Ten Thousand Valleys".

On a four-foot-long sheet of Xuan paper, layers of mountains and peaks create a magnificent and ever-changing scene.

The distant mountains are vast and boundless, the middle ground is majestic and imposing, and the foreground is rugged and extraordinary.

The ochre and indigo hues intertwine to create a rich autumnal atmosphere, while the few strokes of light ink depicting "wind" bring the entire painting to life, creating a sense of movement within stillness, as if one can hear the echoes in the valley.

"Not bad." Chen Hao nodded, quite satisfied with his first formal landscape painting.

The master-level painting skills have indeed reached a very high level.

The artistic conception and brushwork of this painting are so impressive that it wouldn't be embarrassing to show it off.

He carefully took the painting off the easel and laid it flat on the painting table to dry.

Looking at the still-wet ink, Chen Hao pondered:

Tomorrow I can go to a few well-known galleries in Shanghai to ask if there are any consignment or collaboration opportunities.

If he can open up the path of art, then his "skill monetization" landscape will expand further.

……

The next morning, Chen Hao took Sisi to kindergarten as usual.

Watching his daughter's figure disappear at the classroom door, he didn't go straight home as usual, but instead turned back to his car.

On the passenger seat was a rectangular, dark blue brocade box containing the painting he had done yesterday, "Autumn Wind in Ten Thousand Valleys," which had already been framed.

The ebony scroll end and the light beige silk edging are perfectly matched, instantly elevating the overall look of the painting.

Chen Hao started the car and navigated to Chang Le Road, a famous art street in Shanghai.

This area is home to dozens of galleries, art institutions, and antique shops, making it one of the bellwethers of Shanghai's art market.

Twenty minutes later, the car was parked in a parking lot near Changle Road.

Chen Hao, carrying the brocade box, walked into this street filled with artistic atmosphere.

On both sides are various gallery facades, some with a modern feel, displaying abstract oil paintings in floor-to-ceiling glass windows; others with an antique charm, with shop names written in seal script or regular script on wooden plaques.

He walked around looking at the works in the shop windows occasionally, or observing the people coming in and out of the gallery.

After walking about a hundred meters, he saw a sizable gallery with a wide storefront and a simple Chinese-style interior. The signboard, with gold lettering on a black background, read "Yu Lan Tang Gallery".

Several nice cars were parked at the entrance, and most of the people coming in and out looked well-dressed, some even exuding the air of artists.

Chen Hao thought for a moment and stopped a middle-aged man who looked like a regular customer and had just come out of the coffee shop next door.

"Excuse me, do you know if Yulantang Gallery offers consignment services?"

The middle-aged man glanced at Chen Hao and the brocade box in his hand, then nodded:

"Yulantang, I know it. It's one of the top galleries on this street, quite famous."

They definitely offer consignment services; they represent many painters and also accept commissions from collectors.

However, the threshold is not low, and they don't usually look down on the works of newcomers.

Young man, are you selling your paintings?

"Yes, I'd like to give it a try," Chen Hao said frankly.

The middle-aged man glanced at the brocade box in his hand again and kindly reminded him:

"Then you'd better be prepared. Manager He of Yulantang has a sharp eye and speaks very directly."

If she thinks it's not right, she might reject it on the spot without giving you any face.

But if she thinks it's okay, then your painting will have established itself on this street.

"Thank you for reminding me," Chen Hao said, then turned and walked towards Yulan Hall.

Pushing open the heavy glass door, a faint scent of sandalwood mixed with the aroma of paper and ink wafted out.

The gallery has a large interior space with high ceilings and well-designed lighting that is both bright and not glaring.

Various paintings are hung on the wall in a staggered manner, including large oil paintings, exquisite traditional Chinese landscape, flower and bird, and figure paintings, as well as some modern mixed media works.

Each painting has a small label indicating the artist, title, materials, and price.