remembered drawing III / 記憶畫法（三）

週末照樣忙著畫畫，現在習慣了週六晚上在家裡趕速寫本，反而和話不投機的朋友出去還比較寂寞，總是這樣一路畫到週日晚上，剩沒多少時間把房間打掃一下，心理上要準備好週一進畫室一整天的畫畫行程。這週一去了牛津的Pitts River Museum校外教學，我就坐在自然歷史博物館的入口畫豆豆鳥的標本，畫了四個小時，中間新朋友小惇先生抽空從隔壁的牛津大學實驗室過來和我聊個幾句。特蕾莎問我：我們這樣花了十三磅一路坐車來這裡的意義何在？我也不清楚，像我這樣總是專注在一件物品上的人，就算坐在公園裡畫松鼠也可以畫幾個小時，不過下週我們就得把週一的速寫變成完整的作品，可以說是第一個月的終點。回程走在牛津的路上，同學紛紛問我，想到要做什麼了嗎？我說不知道，而且我給這答案時一點都不擔心，因為剛開學老師說，有一些人每次得到題目時總是一下就預想到最後的成品，我以前就是那種人，他們希望我們可以多探索不同的可能性，顯然我已經被教育成他們要的樣子了。

As usual, last weekend I was busy drawing. Now instead of going out with people whom I don't connect with, I find it a luxury to stay home on Saturday evenings to do my sketchbook homework. I'd draw all the way from Saturday to the end of Sunday, and then the remaining time is reserved for cleaning my room and getting prepared for another long day of drawing on Monday. This week we took a field trip to  Pitts River Museum in Oxford. I sat near the entrance of the Natural History Museum for drawing the taxidermy of the dodo bird for four hours. In the middle of working, my new friend Duen-wei took a pause from his work and came to visit me from his building in Oxford University to have a short chat with me. Teresa asked, "What's the point of spending 13 pounds and coming all the way from London to draw an exhibit here?" I couldn't figure it out either since I can do the same thing in any corner of London for a few hours because I love to concentrate on one thing or a scene. However, by next Monday we will have to hand in a finished illustration developed from our sketches done in the museum, and it will be the culminating point to summarize our past month of drawing exercise. On our walk in Oxford, others asked me if I had thought of anything. I replied that I don't, but I was not worried at all. At the beginning of the term, the tutors said that some people could foresee their finished illustrations the moment they got a topic, but they'd like us to explore more possibilities during the process. Obviously, they have turned me into what they want us to be...

沒寫部落格的幾天裡發生好多事，胖了一些；日光節約時間改回來了，所以現在四點多就天黑，我居然在漫漫長夜裡也覺得安心；見了朋友和他的朋友，在倫敦第一次去運動中心；每天感受嘉蕊的溫暖，剛才在她那裡吃了很豐盛的一餐；有一天我和嘉蕊說，每次和朋友出去，聊到很晚時，朋友會說要打電話給伴侶報平安，我總是想，那有誰在意我的安危呢？於是有一晚嘉蕊得晚歸時，我們就開始了互相打電話報平安的習慣，我們不只是朋友，是家人，雖然在這偌大的城市裡只有一個可以依靠的人，這樣就夠了。

During my absence from the blog, so many things happened. I gained some weight. The clock was turned back, so now the sky darkens before five pm. Strangely, I feel rather peaceful in the long evening. I met James and his friend Marcia and went to a sports center in London for the first time. Every day I bask in Jazel's warmth, and in fact this evening I had a big meal prepared by her. One day I told her, "Every time when I go out with friends, they'll call up their partners when it's late. I often think who cares about my safety at moments like that." So one night when Jazel had to come back late, we started the habit of calling each other to make sure we are safe and sound. We are more than friends. We are family. Though there is only a person like that in this big city for me, it suffices.

做完第三本速寫本了！

I finished my 3rd sketchbook! 

夏天和小方兒去旅行。

I went traveling with Von in summer. 

這看起來不太像小方，汪達姨已經很努力地在加強速描技巧了！

This doesn't look like Von, but auntie Wanda has worked very hard at drawing! 

老師一直鼓勵大家要採用敘事的形式，所以我把和小方阿楷分手的故事畫出來。那天我和小蕙聊天，才發現我也是個感情很重的人，不要緊，我就找個像小方重感情的人好了。

The tutors have encouraged us to take up the narrative form of expression, so I adopted the comic form in telling the story of my saying goodbye to Von and Kai. When I chatted with Hui over the phone the other day, I realized that I am someone with heavy feelings. It doesn't matter. I should find someone like Von, who is deeply attached to me. 

嘉蕊送給我速描用的小木人，我把他拿來畫我夏天起跑的過程變化。

Jazel gave me the wooden man for sketching. I used it to draw the process in which I took off in summer. 

夏天搭捷運時儘量不走樓梯，是另一種形式的被困。

I avoided taking the stairs when taking the MRT during summer, but in fact I felt trapped by the restriction and by my knees as well. 

我喜歡磨墨，夏天也磨了一些。

I love to grind ink, and I did that in summer too. 

夏末離開前進了辦公室，我的位置看起來像上圖所示，然後大家和我說再見。

In the end of summer before I left, I went into the office, and my desk looked like what was shown in the image. And everyone waved goodbye to me. 

夏天畫了壁畫。

I did the mural project in summer. 

到了剩下幾頁時通常有靈感枯竭之感。

I tend to have the artist block when there are only a few pages left. 

夏天台北會下大雷雨，但是下完之後城市有種無比清爽的感覺。

There is pouring rain on summer afternoons in Taipei, but afterwards the city feels exceptionally fresh. 

和小蕙去基隆港慶生。

I celebrated my birthday with Hui at Keelung Harbor. 

和薛吉白華和荳荳去朱銘美術館看夜景。

I went to Juming Museum with Shaggy, Pai-hwa and Bean for the night view. 

和阿長愛雪去山上旅行。

I traveled to the mountains with Mom and Dad. 

夏天要結束之前來到了英國‧‧‧

Before summer ended, I came to the UK...