From May 20th to 26th, 2026, over one hundred teachers and students from the 2023 cohort of the Information Technology Department at Yantai First Vocational Secondary School traveled to the Swan Bay Sketching Base in Weihai's Rongcheng for a seven-day outdoor sketching practice.

Using the earth as their canvas and the mountains and sea as their subjects, the participants immersed themselves in the ancient village scenery, the daily life of fishing communities, and sites of historical significance, transforming the experience into a mobile art education class.

Art springs from the local soil, and beauty resides within the villages. The sketching locations were chosen in traditional Jiaodong Peninsula villages such as Donggu and Yandunjiao, where century-old seaweed-thatched houses, nestled against mountains and facing the sea, stand as living fossils of local architecture.

Their unique structural textures provided excellent material for the students' sketches. During the day, under the morning light and bright sun, students observed the interplay of light, shadow, and architectural forms on-site, sketching the seaweed houses, stone courtyard walls, and village lanes.

In the evenings, the group gathered at the base to review their work, with specialized teachers offering individual critiques and targeted guidance, refining secondary creations based on the day's actual scenes.

This immersive on-site painting experience not only strengthened their hand-drawing skills but also allowed students to gain an intimate understanding of Jiaodong folk culture and vernacular architecture.

At Yandunjiao Wharf, fishing boats stood in dense clusters, and vehicles laden with seafood shuttled back and forth, presenting a rich coastal fishing atmosphere. The vast sea, docked boats, and scenes of fishermen at work were vivid and full of life.

Students bent over their work, using lines and colors to capture Rongcheng's distinctive kelp industry and fishing production scenes, infusing each piece with the unique character of the coastal region.

Beyond sketching, ideological education unfolded organically during the trip. The group collectively visited the Jiaodong East Sea Transfer Station Memorial Hall.

Guided by a docent's heartfelt narration, teachers and students delved into the history of maritime material transport in the Jiaodong region during the Huaihai Campaign. Through precious exhibits, they deeply contemplated the arduous efforts of the "small sampans and handcarts" that fully supported the front lines.

The core spirit that "the victory of the Huaihai Campaign was pushed forward by the people with their handcarts" inspired the young students of the new era to strive onward.

As the trip concluded, following the Jiaodong custom of "dumplings to send off guests, noodles to welcome them," teachers and students collectively made dumplings. Students, usually adept with paintbrushes, transformed into novice bakers.

Working together, teaching each other, the sound of chopping boards and lively laughter filled the room. Steaming hot dumplings served on the table, with each delicious bite, fostered camaraderie among classmates and warmth between teachers and students, becoming the warmest, most unique memory of the sketching trip.

From the serene textures of ancient seaweed houses to the vibrant energy of the fishing port, from the spiritual洗礼 of historical red sites to the collective warmth found in daily life, this sketching journey was both a honing of skill and a voyage for the soul.

Students from the Information Technology Department engaged with the local land through their brushes, measured history with their footsteps, and completed a深情 record and internalized传承 of Jiaodong culture through light, shadow, and color.

In the future, they will continue to explore the intersection of art and technology on their professional path with keen perception and solid expression, ensuring that each stroke of the brush becomes a starting point toward higher aesthetic appreciation and deeper reflection.