Chapter 464: Painting Skills
Translator: EndlessFantasy Translation Editor: EndlessFantasy Translation
Tao Dayong typically looked indifferent, but a smile immediately appeared on his face after Su Binglan praised him.
“Miss Su, you were the one who taught me the method of making porcelain, so that’s why I succeeded.”
Tao Dayong knew he would not have succeeded without Su Binglan’s guidance. He also knew what he was and was not capable of.
Nonetheless, he cherished his life even more because of his past sufferings.
After all, he had worked at the docks and almost died from exhaustion. Therefore, he made pottery without fear of hardship or fatigue.
He could not even sleep at night because he could only think of work. He was a person of great perseverance, continuing to make and study pottery.
Tao Dayong never felt discouraged, even if he failed. He also gained some experience and succeeded in making porcelain.
Miss Li felt dignified and delighted when Su Binglan praised her eldest son. ‘Dayong is such a good child. Who would dare say anything bad about him? His ex-wife used to despise him, and I hated that.’
However, her hatred disappeared after seeing her eldest son’s achievements. The Taos could live well now, no matter what, and Miss Li felt content. Now that her family was better off, she had been looking for a good wife for Tao She wanted the woman to be virtuous, considerate, and treat her son well. The villagers knew the Taos worked for Su Binglan and made a good living, so they were willing to give their daughters to the Tao brothers.
The Taos would accept if the other party were willing to give their daughters, but only if they were not problematic. Their decision to accept would depend on the potential bride’s characteristics.
Su Binglan said, “Don’t belittle yourself. You’re a talented young man, Dayong.”
She knew others might have failed even if she told them the porcelain-making methods. “Also, you’ve done very well. Have you ever considered painting patterns onto the bottle?”
Tao Dayong and his parents were stunned when they heard Su Binglan’s words. Tao Dayong widened his eyes and asked in a daze, “Can I paint patterns on porcelain
‘I’ve never heard of such a thing, but how do I do that?’ He thought about how to paint the patterns. However, he could not think of a way to do it without the paint rubbing off, even after racking his brains.
Su Binglan gave him time to think and let him use his imagination. After a while, she said, “Use a glaze. You can dip a paintbrush in it and then paint something onto the porcelain. After that, you can put it into the furnace, and the pattern will become permanent.
“It will be one with the bottle and won’t fade. Also, you can dip the porcelain into the glaze before baking it in the furnace to retain the color and be more beautiful.
When Tao Dayong heard this, he felt like a new world had opened. After all, he was passionate about these things. He asked curiously, “What is a glaze, Miss
“A glaze consists of a mixture of things. It’s an organic substance of soil, rocks, starch, glycerine, and other things,” Su Binglan answered simply.
However, she felt that Tao Dayong might not understand her jargon and added, “I’ll find these things later and mix them. You’ll know what I mean by then.”
She had been to the back of the mountain many times and knew it was like a treasure trove with countless things inside. She just needed to look for what she needed.
“Do you know how to draw or paint?”
Tao Dayong answered truthfully, “I don’t, but my brother knows how to draw, paint, and write.”
Tao Eryong had attended a private school to study for a few years when he was younger. He did not like reading then but enjoyed painting. However, there was no use for it then, and his work was average. Later, his family’s conditions worsened, and he could no longer attend private school.
In the past, Tao Zhenggang and Miss Li thought they would bring honor to their ancestors if their family could produce a scholar. Nonetheless, they now felt prideful to see their sons like this.
Moreover, it was more reassuring to be together as a family. After experiencing many things, Miss Li became more indifferent to her past. She only wanted her children to live well.
Meanwhile, Tao Eryong felt shy. “I only paint casually, Miss Su.”
After some thought, Su Binglan said to Su Wenxian, “Go to the carriage. I have a box with a brush, ink, paper, and an inkstone. Help me get them, will you?”
“All right, I’ll go right away.” Su Wenxian hurried to the carriage to bring in the brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Su Binglan gestured for him to put it on the table, ground the ink on the inkstone, and handed it to Tao Eryong. “Draw something on the paper. Don’t be nervous. Just draw whatever you want.”
Tao Eryong was a little nervous, having never really learned to paint. Still, Tao
Dayong encouraged him, “Just draw as you used to when you were a kid, Little Brother.”
He remembered his younger brother saying he wanted to be a famous artist when they were kids. That was because the teacher in the private school had a friend who was a well-known painter who could even earn money from it.
Tao Eryong only said that when he was still a kid and never repeated it later, but his brother remembered it.
“Hurry up,” Miss Li said anxiously, “Miss Su has ground the ink for you. Who else can receive such treatment?”
Tao Eryong looked at Su Binglan, who was currently looking at him with an encouraging smile. Then he mustered up his courage and picked up a brush to paint.
Although he only painted a rabbit, it looked vivid. Su Binglan nodded. “That’s good. You can draw more.”
Then he drew a pig. Su Binglan asked, “I noticed you’re only drawing animals. Why is that?”
Tao Eryong answered, “I always wanted to eat rabbit meat and pork as a kid, so
I would often draw rabbits and pigs.” His face turned red when he said this
Su Binglan did not laugh at him. Instead, she asked another question, “Then do you know how to draw flowers and birds?”
“Yes, I do,” Tao Eryong began drawing and painting as he spoke, and Su Binglan felt his art was decent.
“You can surely draw flowers and birds, so you will be in charge of painting the patterns onto the porcelain your big brother makes. I can also make examples for you to paint based on them.” Su Binglan believed Tao Eryong could replicate her designs with the skills he had.
Tao Eryong’s brush-holding hand trembled, and he could not believe what he had just heard. ‘Did Miss Su put me in charge of decorating her bottles?’
The thought of his paintings being on such exquisite bottles and being sold to others gave him indescribable excitement. He never expected to finally be able to use the drawing skills he had learned as a kid. He had a strange feeling at this moment.
“Can you write?”
“Yes.”
Su Binglan wrote the words ‘Su’s Fruit Wine’ and ‘Su’s Rice Wine’ on the paper, and Tao Eryong copied them beautifully. His ability to imitate was also impeccable.
Su Binglan had gorgeous handwriting. Su Fengzhang and Su Wenxian would be astounded whenever they saw it. Meanwhile, Su Fengmao had a proud expression on his face..
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