Reborn as a great painter, with a system, you can be willful

Chapter 189, Sending Works, Understanding the Market
On Sunday, a commercial vehicle drove out of the gate of the Art Academy and merged into traffic.

Jiang Zhe, Fu Min, Lan Xin and Mou Xing were sitting in their respective seats. Except for Jiang Zhe, the others were carrying or carrying a schoolbag containing their own works.

All three of them had visited some galleries to appreciate works of art, but this was the first time they took their own works to a gallery to promote them. They were both excited and nervous.

"Jiang Zhe, what did Manager Wang say about the work you sent over?"

Fu Min was the third person to ask a similar question; the other two asked it quietly.

Jiang Zhe patiently replied: "Don't worry. Please bring your works over. I am optimistic about your works."

He recalled the conversation he had with Wang Zhen yesterday.

In the gallery's office, Wang Zhen quickly flipped through the photos taken by Jiang Zhe.

Jiang Zhe asked, "How did you read it so quickly? The works of the three of them are quite good."

Wang Zhen smiled and said, "It doesn't take that long to just look at the general effect. Once you're familiar with this business, sometimes you don't need to look at too many details."

She pointed out several works from several people. "These are good, we can try to market them."

Jiang Zhe asked, "What do you think of their paintings? You don't have to hide it from me."

Wang Zhen said: "The basics are good, but the students' awareness of painting has not changed. If they really want to go down this path, they need to change their mindset. I will arrange for everyone to have dinner together to discuss this issue."

Jiang Zhe asked, "I'll pay the bill. The consciousness you're talking about is the creative consciousness?"

“More than that.” Wang Zhen said, “In their works, there is also the students’ imitation and the consciousness that they dare not go beyond.”

When Jiang Zhe heard Wang Zhen point out this question, he wondered when he started to change?

Wang Zhen knew what he was thinking, so he reminded him, "You have already passed this step in the process of copying and learning. From your works, we can see that everyone's situation is different and cannot be copied. You can only understand it yourself."

The two talked about this issue for a long time.

Wang Zhen knew that he wanted to take care of his classmates, so for his face, he specially sent a car to pick him up.

The vehicle arrived at the parking lot downstairs of the gallery.

Jiang Zhe led the three people upstairs and saw Wang Zhen already waiting at the door.

Jiang Zhe introduced both parties.

While expressing his welcome, Wang Zhen quickly improved the relationship between them.

"Lan Xin, Fu Min, we have met before. This is the first time I have met Mou Xing. Please come more often in the future."

She asked the three about their situation while showing them around the gallery.

Wang Zhen's gallery exhibition hall is divided into two parts, one part displays Chinese paintings, and the other part displays Western paintings, with a small number of installations and prints.

Jiang Zhe's oil painting - Dancer, is placed in a very conspicuous position.

Lan Xin and the other two had all seen his award-winning work, so they looked at this painting very carefully.

Fu Min felt that there were many differences between this painting and the award-winning work, so she asked Jiang Zhe.

Jiang Zhe said, "I created this painting to experiment with direct painting, so it is different from the award-winning work."

Lan Xin and the other two saw the works of several locally famous painters in the gallery, and their confidence in their own works began to waver.

Wang Zhen led a few people to the office and sat down.

Jiang Zhe suggested that Lan Xin and the other two show off their works.

The three of them were humble to each other.

Wang Zhen suggested doing it in order.

Lan Xin, who was closest to her, took out her own works first. All the works she brought were traditional Chinese paintings. Two portraits, two fine-brush flower and bird paintings, and one freehand flower and bird painting. Wang Zhen had already seen the photos of the works, so this time he mainly looked at the details.

As she watched, she asked Lan Xin about her painting learning process, especially what courses she had taken in college.

Lan Xin said that in addition to the basic sketching courses, her university courses also included basic Chinese painting skills and color knowledge. Jiang Zhe judged from her works that Lan Xin should have learned some skills on her own.

After Wang Zhen finished looking at the five works, he said to Lan Xin, "You can try to market this meticulously painted flower painting and the traditional painting of ladies. Use Song-style mounting, hanging scroll or lens. You can take the rest of the works back first."

The works brought by the three people were not framed, so she had to think carefully.

Lan Xin asked: "Manager Wang, what are the shortcomings of these two works? Please tell me directly."

Wang Zhen said: "There is nothing wrong with your painting. I am concerned about sales. This kind of realistic Chinese painting portrait does not sell well unless the painter is already famous.

Another detailed painting of flowers and birds is a bit too elegant.

The market for your freehand flower-and-bird paintings is currently saturated, with too many works on the same subject matter at all price points.

I think that your paintings, with their detailed brushwork and rich colors, have both traditional charm and magnificence, and some people will appreciate their works.

Of course, this is just my personal judgment, which needs to be tested by the market. I will arrange the framing, etc. ”

Seeing Lan Xin nodded in agreement, Wang Zhen asked his assistant to write down the request and arrange for the mounting.

Lan Xin was happy, but also a little regretful because some of her works were eliminated.

Next, Fu Min and Mou Xing successively displayed their works, most of which were gouache and watercolor, and there were also two oil paintings.

Wang Zhen briefly commented on the works and expressed his wish to keep a piece of work by each of them.

Fu Min discovered that the works selected for her and Mou Xing were both watercolor paintings, so she asked the reason.

Wang Zhen looked at the time and said, "It's almost noon. You guys come to the gallery. I'll be the host. Shall we have lunch together and talk about the market in detail?"

Jiang Zhe said, "I should treat you and ask Manager Wang to give us some advice. I have already agreed with several classmates before we came."

Wang Zhen didn't argue about who should treat him and agreed readily.

Several people came to a hotel near the gallery and sat down in a box.

After taking turns ordering, while waiting for the dishes to be served, Jiang Zhe again suggested that Wang Zhen tell them about the art market.

Wang Zhen had already thought about what he was going to say, so he spoke frankly to these people's questions.

"I have seen the works of several classmates. I have to say that they are of very high quality. However, if I want to turn my works into commodities, I need to make some changes.

Let’s talk about the subject matter first. Some of your works are sketches.

Lan Xin's works include traditional classic themes as well as common contents in life.

No matter what you draw, you have to consider whether the market can accept it.

When you are not a famous artist yet, painting some everyday subjects is actually a disadvantage, especially for newcomers. This is very important.

In addition, your painting language and expression angles have not yet formed distinct personal characteristics.

Let me give you a simple example. Mou Xing and Fu Min have both painted street scenes. Many Binhai painters have painted similar street scenes.

If you draw this subject again in the future, you should start from an angle that others have not observed, or discover a new perspective that no one else has discovered, or express a different aesthetic of the same subject, which may be recognized by the market. Of course, the necessary skills and aesthetic expression must also be in place.

In Jiang Zhe’s works, the painting language is not clear enough, but the aesthetic feeling of his painting is very special and the style is clear, which covers up the shortcomings of the painting language..."

She is an expert in this area, so any point she approaches the topic from is attractive to Lan Xin and the others.

Jiang Zhe had systematic help, which saved him from the pain of suffering from the market, so after hearing some of Wang Zhen’s views, he also felt very inspired.

(End of this chapter)