critique / 互評日

這個星期太興奮了，連睡覺都睡不太著，早上想，難道我水彩有那麼差嗎？六點多起來畫昨天介紹的書店。今天早上又雀躍地出門去，德瑞克說明本學期要交的功課，包括每周專題的筆記、最後要生產出來的報告，還有就是接下來四個星期要緊鑼密鼓畫的速寫本。星期四會有兩位助教進來─傑克和露意絲，但其實他們都是全職的插畫家和設計師，傑克一開始問：有人不喜歡畫畫嗎？特雷莎很誠實地說她怕自己畫不好，傑克說畫畫是人類表達情感的本能，孩子們都喜歡畫畫，只是長大到某個階段就不畫了。

I am so hyper this week that I can hardly sleep. This morning I thought to myself, are my watercolor paintings so awful? I woke up at 6:40 to try the watercolor version of ARTWORDSBOOKSHOP. This morning I left home in a gleeful mood again. Derek explained the assignments we should hand in this term, including the notes for every week's lecture, the paper due at the end, and then the sketchbook(s) we have to draw in during the following four weeks. Every Thursday two tutors Jake and Louise will come in, but they are both professional illustrators and designers. Jake started by asking, "Is there anyone who hates drawing?" Teresa was very honest to admit that she is afraid of not drawing well. Jake said that drawing is mankind's instinct to express their emotion. Children all love drawing, but at a certain point they stop doing it. 

去年面試時不太懂教授要的是什麼，代辦中心的人員說校方想看到的是研究和發展想法的過程，並不想只看到最後的成品。今天助教們很仔細地解釋，他們希望學生能夠用繪畫去探索自我，並且不要只限於一種表現方式，最好各方嘗試。

Last year when I was interviewed, I couldn't quite figure out what the professor was looking for. The agent told me that the school hoped to see a sketchbook full of research and development of ideas instead of final pieces. Today the tutors explained very carefully that drawing is a means of self-exploration. We shouldn't limit our style. It'll be so much better to try all.

露意絲介紹三種繪畫─觀察法的寫生、記憶法的繪畫和想像式的創作，接下來的數個禮拜會包涵這三方面的練習，例如下周一的行程就是去大英博物館寫生。

Louise introduced three kinds of drawing--observed, remembered and imagined. During the following weeks, the courses will cover all three of them. For example, next Monday we have a field trip to the British Museum for life drawing. 

傑克說一定要好好利用他們倆，因為他們都是在業界工作的人，而且我們付了高額的學費就要把錢的價值發揮到最大，小喬說：那可以虐待你們嗎？雖然有點冷，不過小喬是個蠻誠懇的孩子。

Jake said that we have to use them two because they both work in the industry. Besides, since we've paid high tuition fee, we have to get the money's worth. Joe kidded, "Can we abuse you?" Kind of cold, but Joe is a pretty sincere kid. 

中午吃飯的時候英國同學都各自散去，畫室裡剩下亞洲同學，我有種好像兩方都可以溝通、卻又都不屬於的感覺。很多人沒有做暑假作業，就是用一本速寫本研究「我的空間」的主題，最後用五張圖呈現，我這個星期一才知道，但一聽到時心裡其實有很多想法。助教幫沒有做作業的人指派去圖書館做功課，有做的人則參加互評會，我很想加入後者，所以吃午餐時誰也不找，趕快把圖書館的作業完成，我就要去欣賞同學的血汗之作。

During lunch time, most British students went on their own ways. Only some international students stayed in the studio. Today I had the feeling that I could join both groups, but I do not belong to either one. Many people didn't do the summer project, which is to use a sketchbook for research on the topic "My Space" and present 5 final images. I didn't hear about it until this past Monday, but in fact, I had so many ideas when I heard about it. The tutors assigned a task for those who didn't do the homework while those who did had to be in the critique session. I wanted to join the latter, so I didn't talk to anyone during lunch. As soon as I finished the task, I was going to appreciate the lovely works of my fellow classmates. 

果然俄國同學泰緹安娜的速寫本又再度吸引助教的目光，我已經把她定義成這個班的資優生，助教說翻一個人的速寫本就可以了解這個人，泰緹安娜的構圖線條和顏色都很有水準，我一定要從他身上學習。我現在清楚知道這裡要的工作模式了，就是拿到一個主題之後，我們如果想不出來要做什麼，得去博物館或美術館作研究，從中抓出一個有興趣的點，再往下發展。有的同學因為思緒零散，最後可能走到一個自己也做不下去的點，不過每個人都有優點，繪畫基本功沒有那麼紮實的人可能在說故事方面很擅長，這真是很豐富的兩個小時，而且基本上大家都很用功。

Again the Russian classmate Tatiana's works captured the tutors' eye. I define her as one of the top students in class. Jake said that as he looks through a person's sketchbook, he can understand what he or she is like. Tatiana's composition, lines and colors are really professional. I think I will learn a lot from her. I have gained a very clear comprehension of the work module here. After we get a topic, if we can't think of anything to do right away, we have to go to museums or libraries to do research, from which we search for a point that interests us and we go further from that point on. Some students get sidetracked and are led to a dead end without being able to know what they really want to say or do. However, everyone has their own strengths. For those who might not have solid drawing skills, they are good, say, in story-telling skills or creating a certain ambience in their images. These were two enriched hours for me, and basically, everyone is quite hardworking.

休息時間過後是每週專題演講，我們要走到另一個校區去聽課，因為這個演講開給各個學位的學生。我又一個人，於是我邊走邊拍照，也不錯。

After the break, it was the weekly lecture. We have to walk to the other campus for it because this lecture is open to students that study in all levels of programs. I was alone again, so I took photos along the way, which was rather nice.

這幾天氣溫下降很多，是秋天的天氣了，還好太陽始終沒離開我。

Over the past few days, the temperature has dropped. Autumn has officially settled in. Luckily, the sun has not deserted me. 

倫敦的雲迷人到不行，我拍了一個月都還不厭倦。

The clouds in the London sky are so fascinating that I haven't got tired of taking photos of it after almost a month. 

威爾森分校很小，不過建築古典，終於有點藝術學校的遐想。

The Wilson campus is very small, but the classical style gives the feel of what an art school should be like. 

走進去時有個同班的男孩說，演講廳裡一個人影也沒有，我們決定一起進去等，這個孩子很友善，他說：我認得你。然後我們就開始閒聊了起來，他叫亞當，不過也是平面設計組的，我趁機偷問他們下周去大英博物館的功課，據說每個人抽一個文化區，亞當抽到了希臘，然後也要用速寫本記錄，他還提到德瑞克要他們用四條線組成一個畫面，我也真想做他們的作業啊！

When I walked in the hall, a boy from my class told me that there was no one in the lecture hall, but we decided to wait inside together. This was a very friendly boy. He said, "I recognize you," and then we began to chat. His name is Adam, but he also belongs to the graphic art group. I took the chance to ask about their assignment for the British Museum visit. He said that everyone has to do research on a culture. For example, his is Greece. He also mentioned that they are asked to form an image with only four lines. Sigh, I feel like doing their assignment too. 

接著潔米艾登一群人也進來了，他們一路走上二樓的座位區，跟這幾個人在一起總是有冒險的感覺，樓上黑漆漆的，我和艾登說：這是要怎樣寫筆記呢？於是大家又走下樓，艾登問：你可以教我中文嗎？我答：這是很大的工程，得固定上課什麼的，然後他又問了一些中文書寫的問題。因為他都還蠻大方和我分享畫畫的心得，下週一去大英博物館時因為我們要帶各種紙去，我要送他一種紙，哈哈，大家來猜猜看！

Then another group of people such as Jamie, Aiden and Laura came in. They walked all the way to the second floor. It feels quite adventurous being with these kids. It was rather dark upstairs, so I told Aiden, "How do you make notes here?" We thus walked down again. Aiden asked, "Can you teach me Chinese?" I replied, "It's a huge task. You gotta have class on a regular basis." Then he went on to ask me questions about Chinese words and writing. Since he is very generous in sharing with me tips of drawing, I am going to give him a kind of paper when we go to the British Museum next Monday because we are required to bring all kinds of paper there. Everyone guess! 

因為大姐不能老跟著小男生，我最後坐到亞洲區，旁邊的小妹是廣州來的，演講開始前她拿出洋娃娃放在胸前，我筆記都不知抄到哪裡了，妹妹在筆記本上亂寫字，我很擔心地對他說：那個筆記要算分的，你要做筆記。他很無耐地只好寫一下PowerPoint上列的重點。平常英國人開玩笑我有不懂的地方，不過講到現代主義的流派我居然聽的一清二楚，雖然德瑞克講不到一個小時，但回家如果好好研究應該是可以耗掉好幾天的時間。

I can't follow these boys all the time, so in the end I was seated in the Asian area. The young girl next to me is from Guanzhou. Before the lecture started, she took out a doll and placed it before her chest. I was jotting down the notes like crazy, but she was scribbling on the pad. I told her with worries, "The notes are part of the assessment. You have to make notes." She looked rather helpless, but still managed to copy the key points listed on the Powerpoint pages. Sometimes I don't get what the Brits joke about, but when it comes to academic lectures, I found it easier than having some daily conversations. Though Derek's lecture didn't last longer than an hour, it will take days for me to do research on the art schools of modernism. 

明天不用上學，但我要好好讀書去啦！

Tomorrow is a self-study day, but I am going to bury myself in books and sketchbooks!