In the Hechuan calligraphy circle, there are no fewer than ten painters who are good at painting monkeys. In addition to the late "Monkey King of Sichuan" and "Elite of Bashu" Zhou Beixi, the author also knows a young painter named Zhou Jian. He is not only good at painting monkeys, but also squirrels, tigers and lions.
Zhou Jian, born in 1966, is a native of Hechuan. Member of the China Democratic National Construction Association, chairman of the Culture and Health Branch of the Hechuan District Committee of the China Democratic National Construction Association. Member of the 13th, 14th and 15th CPPCC Hechuan District. Academician of the Chongqing Municipal Party Committee Calligraphy and Painting Academy of the China Democratic National Construction Association, member of the Chongqing Folk Literature and Artists Association, and researcher of the Hechuan Diaoyu City Calligraphy and Painting Research Institute. Zhou Jian is elegant and wears an ordinary pair of myopic glasses. Anyone who has come into contact with him thinks that he is open-minded, humble, down-to-earth and low-key.
Since elementary school, Zhou Jian has loved writing, painting, playing the piano and singing opera. Zhou Jian told the author that his hobbies were all influenced by his uncle Chen Yunliang. Before liberation, my uncle Chen Yunliang served as a master and relief director of the old government. He is good at music, chess, calligraphy, and likes playing and singing. He is quite famous in Hechuan. Under the guidance of his uncle, Zhou Jian's personal hobbies emerged among his peers and he became somewhat famous. In 1979, just after graduating from elementary school, he was admitted to the original Sichuan Opera Troupe of Hechuan County. In 1984, he was transferred to the Hechuan County Art Troupe and served as an actor, musician, artist, and lighting engineer. After rehearsals and performances, he often went to see the paintings of the famous old painter Jiang Congge in Hechuan, and learned from Jiang Congge how to paint flowers, birds, landscapes, and animals such as horses, tigers, lions, leopards, and cats. After more than ten years of hard practice, his painting skills have become increasingly profound.
In 1992, an armed police officer from Beijing visited Zhou Jianli's home, and Zhou Jian went shopping with the armed police officer. At the entrance of the People's Cinema on Jiuchang Street, the accompanying armed police officer saw a Chinese painting "Monkey" posted on a display board. The armed police officer asked Zhou Jian if he could draw monkeys. At that time, although Zhou Jian had not yet drawn a monkey, he was young and energetic. In order to show his "strength" in front of the armed police officers, he patted his chest without thinking and said: "I can draw!"
Armed Police The officer immediately asked Zhou Jian to give him one. In this way, Zhou Jian was stumped. In order to deal with the armed police officers, he had to buy a painting "Monkey" created by Mr. Zhou Beixi from a friend, claiming that it was painted by him, and gave it to the armed police officers. From then on, Zhou Jian secretly made up his mind to learn how to draw monkeys, to draw monkeys well, and to make monkeys cute.
Starting from 1992, Zhou Jian went to the Hansheng Calligraphy and Painting Society on Cypress Street whenever he had time to observe and practice the monkeys painted by the painter Zhou Beixi. He first painted gourds according to the same pattern. After painting for a while, he The monkeys in the novel gradually take on the flavor of "Monkey Zhou". So, Zhou Jian showed the monkey he drew to the seniors in the painting and calligraphy circles for guidance. The old painter Li Fangjun told Zhou Jian that if a person wants to achieve success in painting, he must break through the styles of his predecessors and create his own innovation.
Inspired by the old painter Li Fangjun, Zhou Jian decided to observe and sketch in the western suburbs of Chongqing Park to understand the living habits of monkeys and capture monkeys climbing, jumping, playing in water, picking fruits, grabbing food, fighting, etc. action. After repeated observation, sketching, creation, and speculation, the monkeys in Zhou Jian's paintings gradually became more vivid and agile, and the more he painted, the more adorable he became.
Zhou Jian told the author that whether the monkey painting is good depends on the facial expression, the lice hair (painting hair), and the setting. Monkeys also have emotions, sorrows and joys. When painting a monkey, you need to pay attention to the expression, especially the monkey's eyes. If the eyes are well lit, the monkey will have aura. If the eyes are poorly lit, the monkey will become a panda. In addition to their demeanor, monkeys also have soft and moist fur. Don’t be impatient when painting monkey hair. You must be calm. It is best to use wolf hair to comb it carefully and repeatedly. Monkey hair must be combed at least four times, otherwise, it will comb. The hair has to be dry and prickly, making it look like a "hedgehog". In order to make the monkeys in the painting more spiritual, you should also pay attention to the setting when painting the monkeys, and pay attention to the coordination between the monkeys and nature. The monkeys are active, smart and cute, and every move they make is full of natural interest.
To draw monkeys picking fruits, the canvas should be peaches, plums, loquats, cherries, pomegranates and other fruit trees; to draw monkeys climbing and jumping, the canvas should be pine trees, dead vines, cliffs, mountain streams and other outdoor scenery; to draw monkeys playing in water, the canvas should be brooks, ponds, Dynamic scenes such as mountain springs, waterfalls, and flowing water; when painting monkeys as habitats, quiet scenes such as rockeries, caves, weeds, and bamboo forests should be used.
Although the monkeys in Zhou Jian's paintings are lifelike and cute, he did not dare to show them to the outside world. Until 2002, his friend Luo Chengshu repeatedly encouraged Zhou Jian, saying that the monkeys he drew were no worse than those drawn by others and could definitely be used in competitions. Therefore, Zhou Jian boldly took out a few works to participate in the competition with the mentality of giving it a try, and the results soon came. In 2002, his work "Looking Back" was selected for the "21st Century Seoul·Chinese Calligraphy Art Exhibition", his work "Mother and Child Picture" won the gold medal in the National Calligraphy and Painting Grand Prix of the China Tao Xingzhi Research Association, and his work "Autumn Interest" was selected for editing and publishing in People's Pictorial in 2002 The book "China Going Global". In 2008, the work "Playing with Pines" was selected to be held at the China Agricultural Museum to welcome the Olympic Games. The first exhibition of Chinese folk arts and crafts works was held. Chongqing TV's "Bayu New Time and Space" and Hechuan TV's "Hechuan Literature and Art" have reported on the album.
In recent years, nearly 100 of Zhou Jian’s works have been published in national and provincial and municipal newspapers and magazines and won awards. Many of his works have also been awarded by Chongqing CPPCC, China Energy Conservation Corporation (a central enterprise), Hechuan District Committee, Collection of the district government and district CPPCC. In the work "Heart and Heart", Zhou Jian drew two monkeys, helping each other scratch itches and catch lice. Because of its profound meaning, it was collected by Cheng Siwei, former vice chairman of the National People's Congress and chairman of the Central Committee of Democratic National Construction Association.
As an accomplished young painter and a pragmatic member of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference, Zhou Jian’s life creed is to be a down-to-earth person, paint conscientiously, and participate in political affairs diligently. While creating paintings, he conscientiously performed his duties as a member of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, enthusiastically paid attention to people's livelihood, observed the people's sentiments, and conducted surveys in rural areas, schools, and enterprises. The social conditions and public opinion said that "the cause of traditional Chinese medicine needs to be rescued urgently" and "standardized employment physical examinations for college students", etc., and was Adopted by the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and the Central Committee of the Democratic National Construction Association. And it has received great attention from the State Council and leaders of relevant ministries and commissions. Therefore, Zhou Jian has been awarded the title of "Excellent Member of Chongqing Civil Construction" and "Excellent Member of the CPPCC of Hechuan District".