At the invitation of Professor Luo Sangui, Dean of the School of Arts, Professor Xiao Qing, famous oil painter, hosted a short training course on oil painting on “the Skills and Comprehensive Abilities in Integrating Sketching and Creation” as scheduled. Ten students and teachers attended the three-day training.

Professor Xiao’s lectures focused on the evolution of Western classical painting from fresco, tempera to oil painting, and the inheritance and development from Francesca, Jan van Eyck, Rembrandt to Ingres. The essence of Classical Realism, according to Professor Xiao, lies in an aristocratic spirit of dignity and elegance, and an evolutionary process from three-dimensional to flatness, and “sculpture in the round” to “relief”. Professor Xiao's creative language over the decades has followed this trajectory.

Artistic creation, according to Professor Xiao, should follow the principles of “sketching before coloring, black and white before warm and cold, big brushstrokes for small paintings, and thick cloth for fine paintings”, among others. Beauty and integrity of gestures in figure painting are extremely important, and what matters more to the artist is the ability to observe, academic literacy and outstanding awareness for painting than techniques. Continuous and meticulous researches into artworks with a high standard are decisive for the improvement of painting skills.

Professor Xiao also advised the attendees, besides works in their respective fields, to read more on psychology and logic to improve the ability of thinking and understanding, and knowledge across disciplines for comprehensive personal development.