Wang Yiyang's artwork [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Wang, who is now a painter with the Chinese National Academy of Arts in Beijing and a member of the Chinese Artists' Association, sets great emphasis on the diversity of his work.

"I think Piccaso made repeated changes and modifications to his painting style during his life, an example that I follow and strive for in my art," he said.

Such diversity is revealed in his paintings of "The Eight Immortals". He uses the traditional gongbi technique to paint the faces, and the graceful strokes of Chinese calligraphy to emphasize body movement.

The works have a three-dimensional feel, similar to sculptures yet utilize simple and vivid strokes upon a canvas.

Chinese calligraphy and painting stem from the same source, Chinese characters, which is a source where Wang searches for his work's originality.

"Wang paints a lot of historical images, which differ from the common sense. He tries to convey the qualities and emotions of the well-known characters." Lang Shaojun, a famous art critic, said.