The Versatile Master Artist

The Fitz Education Group is the longstanding leader in the international private school industry, with extensive connections and abundant campus resources.

The children of stars like Sherlock and Kimura Takuya also attend various campuses of Fitz.

Perhaps it’s not comparable to super elite schools like Eton and Harrow, which were established during the Renaissance period and receive tens of millions or even billions of pounds each year from outstanding alumni donations.

But any campus of Fitz involves a yearly operating budget of several million US Dollars.

In Myanmar,

the investment in a private school can easily rival factories set up by multinational companies in Myanmar and may not even lose to them.

The person who can become the principal of Fitz’s Yangon branch holds such a large amount of foreign currency. Even though the school’s expenses are not at the principal’s disposal, they can easily engage in friendly conversations with high-ranking government and municipal officials.

The principal’s office is also very luxurious and imposing.

Large, beautifully patterned carpet spreads across the floor outside the door, and Rococo-style antique patterns are carved on the walls and ceiling.

A pair of white elephant sculptures stands at the entrance, their features intricately detailed, with two long tusks carved from a whole piece of jade. This was a gift from the municipal government to welcome foreign investment when the Fitz branch was established.

Private schools do not emphasize frugality; the more grand the principal’s office, the more confidence they have when discussing tuition increases with parents.

Professor Watter casually touched the smooth elephant head and rang the bell outside the office door.

"Ding dong!"

After the doorbell rang, the principal’s voice was heard from behind the door a few seconds later.

"Please come in."

"Teacher Watter, it’s you."

The principal, upon seeing the sketch professor at this time, was slightly surprised in his eyes but did not show much in his tone.

He gestured for Professor Watter to sit in the chair opposite before asking, "Is there something you need?"

"Principal, I think you might want to take a look at this sketch."

Teacher Watter straightforwardly pulled a sketch paper from a book and handed it over.

"Your new work, professor? Quite impressive."

The principal was from Quebec, Canada, and spoke with a slightly strange English accent.

When receiving the sketch paper, he felt a bit indifferent.

His daily work was neither too busy nor too idle, but he had little interest in appreciating the artworks of his subordinates.

Seeing it was Professor Watter in front of him, the principal reluctantly took it over patiently.

Fitz started with art education, and art faculty is the most important asset of the school.

This sketch teacher’s artistic level was unmatched under his management.

That Mrs. Cruz?

Please,

she’s only here for a part-time role to accompany her daughter in school, no more meaningful to either Mrs. Sakai or the principal.

In these times, despite there being subsidies for remote areas, good teachers willing to come teach in the chaotic Yangon compared to Shanghai or Yokohama are rare.

The principal was cautious not to offend Professor Watter easily.

"Hmm, the lines are nice, and the tone applied is very neat... Oh, Professor Watter, your sketching skills have improved quite a bit."

As he continued, the principal’s expression grew stern.

The principal initially only praised casually, mostly out of politeness, like a shepherd patting a bleating goat on the head to soothe it.

Half of his mind was on alert, wary that this guy might bring a sketch to demand a salary increase.

Even landlords have no excess grain; verbal praise costs nothing, while a salary increase is absolutely impossible.

As the principal looked at the sketch, he suddenly rose from his seat.

Among Fitz’s higher education staff, half have a background in art or education; while they may not be able to paint, their ability to appreciate art mustn’t be lacking.

The principal scrutinized the sketch paper he held, gradually perceiving its intricacy.

The lines were extremely neat, with inherent principles contained within them.

A single pencil depiction presented both soft edges of transitioning shadows on a pyramid and the sharp edges clearly defining light and darkness separation.

Such excellent control of the pencil tip was evident.

Sketching is not merely about precise penmanship.

However, the final expressive power of a sketch often relies decisively on the precision of the pen strokes.

The principal gazed at the pencil drawing in his hand.

He had never thought that Professor Watter’s sketching ability was this profound; in the entire Fitz system, not many teachers could produce such work.

The principal smacked his lips as he savored the level of this sketch.

He almost believed the drawing had a display of skills hidden within it.

"It’s well drawn, isn’t it?"

Professor Watter asked, pursing his lips.

"The whole artwork is very harmonious, and its grasp of light and shadow characteristics is clear. But frankly, this sketch is not very complex, so not much can be seen from it."

Unaware of his purpose for coming, the principal was willing to give only a cautious seven out of ten in praise.

The remaining three,

naturally, were out of concern Professor Watter might use this as leverage for some unexpected request.

"Not complex enough? No No No."

"Sir, you are a professional as well; speaking like this is not fair. This kind of delicate craftsmanship is absent in many complex sketches."

Professor Watter did not appreciate how the principal was inadequately straightforward with compliments.

He shook his head full of golden hair, looking like a dissatisfied old lion: "You should just directly say whether it is well drawn or not, and that would suffice."