Sunday, July 28, 2013

The Big Universe / 大宇宙


The Big Universe / story written and illustrated by Weichuen You 

吳妞妞去年生日得到我做的繪本「用心聆聽的公主」,今年妞妞媽邀我去生日派對時,剛好我的良心又被喚醒,想到我已經好幾個月沒有認真畫圖,不禁感到羞愧,我覺得這是上帝給我的好機會,於是我以幫妞妞準備六歲的繪本為目標。

Nio got my handmade picture book The Listening Princess last year for her birthday. This year when Nio's mom Daphne invited me to her 6-year-old birthday party, my conscience was roused. I actually felt ashamed about not having drawn any picture book for months. I took this as a great opportunity from God for me to reform myself. So I decided to make another picture book for Nio.

        這一個月接觸到很多小朋友,我想不通為什麼小朋友小時候那麼喜歡畫圖,長大之後全都變成一堆愛滑手機的成人,為什麼上學之後反而變得沒有創造力,我希望要上小學的妞妞可以保留愛畫圖的心,還有很多可愛的特質。

   I've seen a lot of kids this month. I can't figure out how come these children, who draw so instinctively, will turn into a bunch of boring adults who can do nothing but touch their mobile screens all the time. I wonder if school deprives them of their creativity too. I hope Nio, who is going to elementary school in fall, will draw forever and be a child at heart forever.


        我用了之前沒有嘗試過的形式來做這本書,連盒子都是我實驗數遍才做成功的。

   This time I tried a new form of handmade books, which is called "step book." The box was also completely handmade.







Your ears hear the raindrops dancing. 




You love to smell the fragrance of flowers. 




When you smile, stars all light up.




Your hugs sooth sad Dad and Mom.




You are as free as the wind. 




You are curious about everything. 




You are a grown-up in many ways. 




You've conquered many mountains and oceans. 




Don't buy their words when adults tell you, 
"You've never been anywhere!" 




Buttoning your shirt might be a little bit challenging, 
but you're almost there!




Mosquitoes are not scary at all, no. 




Don't let them take away your imagination! 




Don't believe that 
your hand is too small to make any difference. 




You are not an ant. 




You are not merely a little star. 




Please don't cover your sensitive nose. 




Don't block your ears either. 




Because you are the big universe of a six-year-old.
You have stars, the moon and the sun. 




Don't believe that you are just a tiny six-year-old child. 


        做完繪本我再次領悟到一直知道卻暫時忘記的事:不管世界或生活怎麼變,我只要專心於喜歡做的事,很多孩子就會來到我的身邊。

   A truth which I'd always known dawned on me again after I was done with the book: However the world or my life changes, all I have to do is concentrate on what I love to do, and then many kids will come to me. 

Birthday party / 生日派對


今天是吳妞妞和漢堡弟弟的生日派對,媽媽特別安排了一堂派對上的美術課。還在吃飯的時候,妞妞問:我彩色筆都準備好了,什麼時候可以開始畫圖?

Today we throw a birthday party for Nio and Mr. Hamburger. I am asked to give an art lesson to the children. While we are still eating lunch, Nio is too eager to start the workshop. 



        因為我是伯納韋伯的大粉絲,於是這次選了他的書:東八十八街的房子,想把很可愛的鱷魚萊爾介紹給小朋友認識。

   Being a loyal fan of Mr. Bernard Waber, I choose his book The House on East 88th Street as the major theme. It really pleases me to introduce the lovely Lyle to as many children as I can. 



        我先替小朋友把圖準備好,讓大家進行著色的工作,可是這此我要求大家用各種媒材總共只能挑十個左右的顏色,包括六支蠟筆、三張色紙和兩個墨水顏色。

   I prepare the pictures for the children in advance so that they can directly get to do the coloring. However, this time I request everyone to choose as many as ten colors. The media include crayons, collage and inks. 







        不喜歡仔細塗色的孩子可以用剪貼和墨水大塊著色。

   For those kids who are not into coloring really detailed parts, they can turn to collage and inks for creating the color block effect. 





        可是有幾個孩子很有耐心,就坐在那裡慢慢塗色。

   But some kids impress me with their patience. They take their time to finish the pictures. 



        畫完圖的人可以過來聽鱷魚萊爾的故事,我今天說了約四次,謝謝韋伯先生!

   After the kids are done with drawing, they can come by to hear the story of Lyle. I have repeated it for 4 times today. Great thanks to Mr. Waber! 





        書中原來的色調只有紅黃綠,看看孩子們把整個故事弄得多夢幻啊!

   There are only three colors in the book, red, yellow and green. See how the kids recreate the whole story with their own color combinations! 

Tuesday, July 23, 2013

So many children / 好多小孩


這幾週在幫小朋友作生日繪本,靈感一本接著一本,我於是有了如下的感慨:這世界上有好多小孩,可是我每天只有二十四小時‧‧‧‧‧‧

I've been making birthday picture books for children these weeks. It's amazing how inspirations finally smile upon me. I can't help thinking: There are so many kids in the world, but I have so little time every day....

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

Come to draw, boys! 5 / 孩子們來畫畫吧!5


男孩們很喜歡松崗達英先生寫的「我是小恐龍」,我覺得我們可以用這本書來點變化。

Boys are fascinated by I Am a Little Dinosaur written by Mazuoka Tatsuhide. I am inspired to make use of the book in our art class today.



        我讓楷維選了他最有興趣的一張圖。接下來我們就要做立體版了!

   Kai is asked to pick an image that interests him the most. Our task is to create its 3-D version. 



        光是背景就花上我一個小時繪製。

   It takes me an hour to draw merely the background. 





        因為松崗先生的風格很細膩,所以我們三人費了很大的功夫著色。


   Because Mr. Tatsuhide has a very fine style, we three make great effort to color the picture. 



        光是底圖本身就繽紛到不行。

   The background is extremely colorful. 


        午休時間楷維一心想要進入第二階段的立體圖,睡午覺時不斷起床看我準備好了沒有,第一次發現我還在休息,很失望地跑回家躺回床上嘴邊碎碎念:汪達姨不是說只要我醒來,她隨時都會準備好嗎?第二度來探班時,我剛好要開房間門,他也從外面開,我們看到彼此的第一句話是:你為什麼要嚇我?

   Kai is more than eager to make the 3-D dinosaur, but we make it a rule to take the noon break first. During his nap, he can't help getting up to check on me. The first time he comes only to find me sleeping, he goes back to the bed murmuring in disappointment: Didn't Auntie Wanda say that she's always ready whenever I wake up? When he comes around the second time, I happen to open the door from the inside while he turns the knob on the outside. We both blurt out: You scared me! 



        楷維如願以償畫到恐龍!

   Kai gets to draw the dinosaur of his dreams! 



        我們的恐龍樂園很有熱帶地區的感覺喔!

   Our dinosaur paradise has the colorfulness of the tropical zone! 








        挑戰完一層的立體圖之後,我們要試看看兩層的作品,於是我借用妮娜克斯福的想法來做練習。


   After the basic challenge, we decide to try more complicated 3-D works. We would like to borrow Nina Cosford's idea and then apply it to other picture books. 



        我先準備好三層圖片。

   I have to prepare three pictures that represent three layers first. 





        上色小王子再度出場!

   The color prince finally gets down to work! 





        油性蠟筆和水彩混用的效果不賴,所以我請楷維用兩種媒材。。

   The texture of oil pastel and watercolors mixed together is quite striking, so I make Kai use both media. 



        等水彩乾之際來吃個百香果。

   Our snack today is passion fruit! 







        進入下一堂美術課之前我們要用力期待!

   We'll live with anticipation before our next art class comes!