Always there / 沒有離開

NTU / 台大

離開辦公室之前，我問同事：告訴我一間可以速寫的咖啡館。她想了想之後說：台大，湖邊有個喝咖啡的地方。

Before leaving the office, I asked my colleague Anna, "Could you name me an interesting cafe where I can sketch?" She suggested the campus of NTU. "There is an outdoor cafe which faces the lake. The view is quite nice." 

很幸運地搭上另一名同事的便車，她說：台大真是越來越醜了。這點我挺苟同的。雖然最後沒找到湖邊的咖啡館，卻從咖啡館前方的庭院找到很迷人的樹林景色。我要在所有地方變得更人工化之前留下一點紀錄。

I was lucky enough to be offered a ride by another colleague. On our way she made such remarks: NTU is getting uglier and uglier. Well, I can't agree more with her. 

Though I did not find the view of the lake as suggested, I saw something equally charming in the front yard of the cafe. My mission is to record the beauty of as many places as possible before they become more artificial. 

remembered drawing I / 記憶畫法（一）

進入畫畫訓練的第三週，今天我們得靠記憶把圖畫在A1大小的紙張，每個人會抽到倫敦動物園的一種動物，我們要企圖把那種動物的皮毛或者其它特色表現出來，麥特舉了個例說，假如你抽到綿羊，不要畫幾朵雲就交差了事。他才剛說完，我們上前去抽籤，我就抽到了綿羊，愛里抽到了蝙蝠，她說自己老是拿到很黑暗的題目，等到我畫綿羊的捲毛畫到手軟時，才發現我抽到牠也是有道理的，因為我不是超愛畫捲髮嗎？

This is the beginning of our third week of the drawing month. Today we had to turn to our memory to draw the image on an A1-size paper. Everyone would get a kind of animal in London Zoo. We had to attempt to express the texture or its features of the animal. Matt said, for example, don't just draw clouds when you get sheep. Just after he finished these words, we went forth to draw a lot. I got sheep. Elie got bat. She said that she always gets dark topics. It didn't occur to me that there was a point why I got sheep until my hands ached from drawing all those curls. Don't I just love to draw curly hair?

老師要我們回想有關那種動物的記憶，我想到去了清境好幾次餵綿羊的記憶，畫出來就變成這樣。維琪跑過來說，綿羊的臉看起來很像人臉，她晚上會做惡夢；欣也跑來說這些綿羊看起來很狂野，而且有的看起來很像狼，我說動物之間也是有混血的；最後麥特說，他喜歡。但我拿回家想貼起來，發現真的會讓人作惡夢！

The teachers wanted us to think back on our experience with the animal. I went to Cingjing Farm several times and fed the sheep. After I drew them, Vicky came to say, "The sheep's face are so human. They will give me nightmares!" Then Xin came to say, "The sheep are so wild, and some of them look like wolves." I replied, "Animals mix beyond their races too." In the end Matt said he likes it. But when I wanted to put it up on my wall, I realized that the image will give me a nightmare!

今天我們那一區很有中國味，艾登和喬一邊畫畫一邊說要來個每日一句中文，我們從「你好嗎？」開始，然後我就不停聽到他們亂叫，艾登的動物是老虎，他讓我教他老虎的說法之後，自己很開心地造了個句子：你好嗎老虎？我和旁邊的勵雯都快笑暈了。

Today our section was very Chinese. Aidan and Joe drew and had their first a-Chinese-sentence-every-day lesson. We started from "How are you?" and then they couldn't stop practicing. Aidan's animal was tiger. After I taught him how to say "tiger," he made a  sentence, "How are you tiger?" Liwen, who sat next to me, and I couldn't help laughing like lunatics. 

大家在畫室用紙不手軟，我在想他們是不是也想學費很貴，紙可以多拿就拿。通常週一畫完一整天後，大家不是很疲累就是瘋瘋的，然後我最喜歡的部份儘管很多人已經感覺受夠了，我們又一起去買新的速寫本，展開這一週的作業。

Students are not stingy with paper at all in studios. I am wondering if others also think like me--we should get our money's value in every aspect. Usually at the end of a Monday, everyone gets either exhausted or crazy. However, my favorite part is, though it seems that many of us are sick and tired of drawing, we will go together to get a brand-new sketchbook in order to start the assignment of this week. 

我有辦法這樣愛一個人嗎？

Can I love someone like that? 

imagined drawing III / 想像畫法（三）

上周六過得很混亂，傍晚回到家，在又傷心又寂寞的晚上，畫畫有療癒的效果，果然到了週日早上起床又是一條活龍，窗外的天氣美好，我就坐在窗前享受著陽光，很努力地把第二本速寫本畫完，晚上還寫了書法要送給維琪，因為她的主題和鋼有關。

Last Saturday was rather hectic, and we finally made it home in the evening. On a sad and lonely night, drawing helped me to recuperate. It was no surprise that I bounced back when getting up on Sunday morning. The weather was more than agreeable, and I sat at my desk basking in the sunshine, trying with all my might to fill the second sketchbook. In the evening I wrote calligraphy for Vicky for her topic is "the steel experience."

又回到數學題了，因為之前幾張圖似乎一直在拒絕理財，我決定換個態度，用正面的心情對待數字。

Back to math questions. I had the feeling that I  was rejecting to face money management in the previous images, so I decided to take a different attitude and face numbers with positive thinking. 

太多時候我們只看解答，不想原因。

Too often we look only at the answer without thinking about the causes at all. 

我常想，這世界上的房子可能比人口還多，兩邊的總數不合。

I often think, there are more houses than people in the world. The sums on two sides are not right. 

我在會計師的眼睛裡長這樣吧！

I probably look so in the eye of an accountant. 

好多人努力計算每餐卡路里，最後節實計劃都付諸流水。

So many people work on the calory intake of every meal only to have the diet plan gone with the wind... 

我這個人的總數是不同的色塊，麥特很喜歡這一張，尤其是黑色的外輪廓線。

My sums as a human being are different color blocks. Matt likes this image, especially the black contour line. 

有時去到很遠的地方要換上好幾種交通工具，但有可能最後到達的是個大黑洞。

Sometimes our destination is so faraway that the distance has to be covered with different means of transportation, but we might only end up in a big black hole. 

畫到這張我已經江郎才盡了，只好換形式來點漫畫。月亮要算好數學，因為每晚要以不同大小出現，太陽很慶幸自己沒有這個困擾。

I was at my wits' end when I got so far. Thus I tried the comic form. The mother moon advises her child to get his sums right because he has to appear in different sizes every night. The sun is glad that he doesn't have such worries. 

上週末和凱特在肯辛頓花園時，我們真得繞著樹想測量樹的年齡！我一直沒有空寫信給江老師，但墨汁很好用，我在這裡常使用它，做出來的東西也受到老師稱讚，有誰可以幫我謝謝阿吉老師嗎？

Last Sunday when we were in Kensington Gardens with Caterina, we did hold our hands around a tree to measure its age! I have not had time to write to Jim, but Chinese ink comes in really handy. My works done with Chinese ink are constantly praised by the teachers. I am wondering if anyone out there can help me thank Jim when you see him... 

這是我上週的人生課題解答，想通了，我要前進了！向第三本速寫本邁進！

This is the answer to my last week's big life lesson. I have figured out the answer, and am more than ready to move on to my 3rd sketchbook! 

雖然今天老師沒有很仔細地翻閱我的速寫本，我覺得自己是用人生在做作業的，老師說有人只是畫線條，畫面裡感受不到對畫畫的熱情，我想知道別人看我的作品是什麼感覺？請和我說。

Though Matt didn't take much time to go through my sketchbook, I thought I used my whole life to do the assignment. Mike said that some people just drew lines on the pages without showing joy for drawing. I'd like to know how you feel when looking at my images. Please leave messages for me. 

上個星期聽到了很多當插畫家的現實面，儘管如此，我知道自己在這裡的日子有限，因此我打了個比方，我這麼努力，就像我知道自己什麼時候會死，所以在那之前的每分每秒我都不想浪費。老師說對插畫家來說，畫畫就是人生，要畫到像有強迫症，這個我應該有吧！

Last week I heard about the realistic sides of being an illustrator. Despite so, I know that my days here are numbered, so I compare the end of my stay here to death. Since I know when I will die,  I don't feel like wasting a second before that happens. The teachers said that for illustrators, drawing is their whole life. We have to draw to a compulsive degree. Well, I have that right? 

imagined drawing I / 想像畫法（一）

上周日在嘉蕊和凱特的幫忙之下，我在公車上和咖啡店裡完成了第一本速寫本，應該要先把第二部份的影像上傳的，但是我等會要出去和凱特琳娜說再見，所以先讓我上傳今天的作業。

Last Sunday with the help of Jazel and Caterina, I finished my first sketchbook exercise on the bus and in a lovely cafe in Camden Town. I should upload the remaining images, but I am going out to say goodbye to Cate in a few minutes, so let me upload today's work first.

第二個星期進入想像畫法，麥特讓每個人抽科學博物館的某一區，我們要用自己的方法畫出來，我抽到「把你的總數算對」，我想應該是有關數學題吧，但老師一直提醒我們要探索各種可能的想像，於是我把數學題擴大成人生，每個人有不同的加減乘除題目，我們是一群被人生題困住的人，用不同的方式解題，有人用身體，有人用心、用錢、用書本等等。因為過去這幾天行程有點多，每天又五點多就醒來了，邊畫邊覺得很累。。

This is our second week of drawing exercise. Matt let everyone draw a lot about one section in Science Museum. We had to present it with our own interpretation. My topic is "Getting Your Sums Right." I think it should be about math. However, Matt kept reminding us to explore as many possibilities as we could. I expanded the topic from math to life. Everyone has different math/life questions to solve. We are trapped by our life questions, and we manage to solve them in our own ways. Some people use their bodies, hearts, money, books etc. During the past two days, my schedules were packed and I woke up at a little bit later than five. So while I was drawing, I fought with my fatigue.

剛畫上這些黑色線條時，麥特很驚豔，他說看起來很像每個人解決問題的路徑，真不賴，因為我根本沒想那麼遠。

Matt was impressed by the black lines when I first drew them. He said they look like the paths which everyone takes to solve questions. Good, because I didn't think of that. 

人生題寫在樹幹上，大家一心以為解完題就可以吃到肥美的蘋果，不過樹是中空的，也許人生不是我們想的那樣。

Life questions are written on the trunks. Everyone has the idea that once we find the solutions to the questions, we will be rewarded with fat apples. But the tree is hollow, and maybe life is different from what we think. 

最後大家把畫貼起來分享，麥特今天挑了我的作品，心情用開心形容似乎太單調，雖然我總是很努力，我和凱特說我不是那種很有情緒張力的人，我的個性已經走到很圓融的地步，我老覺得自己來這裡是當心理治療師的，而且別人也不會因為我的作品而有那種羨慕或嫉妒的情緒，我是那種沒有殺傷力的插畫家，但凱特說她看到幽默童心的特質，我倒是無所謂啦，反正我怎麼樣都會很努力，這是別人無法阻止我的。

In the end everyone put up their drawings to share with others. Matt chose mine today. It would be too flat to use the word "happy" to describe my feeling. I've always worked very hard, but I told Caterina I am not someone with overwhelming emotion. I have a mellow personality, and I have the feeling that I am here as some people's shrink rather than as an artist. Others don't feel jealousy or envy upon seeing my works because generally they are not so outstanding in terms of skills. I am the kind of illustrators that don't intimidate others. Caterina said that she sees humor and fun in my works. Well, for me, whatever happens, I'll work hard, which others can't stop me from doing. 

這週又有一本全新四十頁空白的速寫本要畫滿，只能說：「奮鬥吧！」

This week I have a brand-new 40-page sketchbook to fill. Well, let's lunge ahead! 

observed drawing I / 觀察畫法（一）

繼大英博物館的密集式訓練後，老師開出同樣的作業，可以選自身週邊的任何物品，但這次要畫完一本四十頁的速寫本，週二週三除了演講之外，其它時間就讓我們做作業，週四要給助教看，下週一要完成整本速寫本。我因為週末有點事，所以必須盡可能地畫，一天平均花上五個小時畫圖，真的是很盡興啊！只不過到了週三傍晚，我的觀點已經不清新了，還好愛理桑需要心理咨商，我和她聊了很久，也算是給自己喘息的空間。

After the intensive drawing lesson in the British Museum, Matt gave a similar assignment--we can draw an object of our own choosing, but this time we will have to fill a 40-page A4 size sketchbook. Apart from one-hour speech on Tuesday and Wednesday, we could spend the rest of time drawing and in the critique session on Thursday, we had to show it to the tutors. Next Monday we will have to finish a whole sketchbook. Since I have plans for the whole weekend, I had to draw as much as possible. I guess I spent about five hours on average each day drawing, which was definitely ultimate joy for me. However, by Wednesday evening, I have lost that freshness. Luckily, Elie came for a long talk for her parents had just left her dorm room. I also gave myself time for a pause.

週四進畫室時，貝絲和維琪等不及要分享畫冊內容，我們三個總是最早到的學生。

When I went into the studio on Thursday, Beth and Vicky couldn't wait to take a look at my sketchbook and vice versa. We three are always the early birds...

剛開始選物品時有好幾個選擇，很想畫小方和阿楷送我的電車、小蕙送我的圍巾、愛雪買的Camper鞋，最後因為多方面考量決定畫愛雪送的跑鞋，因為感覺很有故事性，而且鞋子有兩隻，左腳畫膩了可以換右腳。

At first I hesitated among several objects such as the toy tramcar given to me by Von and Kai, the scarf given by Hui, and the pair of Camper shoes given by Mom. In the end I chose the Nike sneakers given by Mom again because there are tons of stories to tell. Besides, if I get tired of drawing the left shoe, I can draw the right shoe for a change. 

我謹記周一老師們在博物館給的建議，儘量以客觀的方式觀察我的物品，之前因為太貪心，選了太多雕像導致後來只能畫一堆線條，這次我決定練習色塊，所以用了很多碳筆。

I bore in mind the suggestions given by the teachers in the museum and tried to observe my object with integrity. I was so greedy back then that I ended up using mainly lines to sketch the sculptures. This time I determined to practice drawing color blocks, so I used charcoals in many drawings. 

維琪和貝絲都選了公仔，早上維琪可能沒睡飽，老嫌自己畫的張數不夠，不過她很會畫人物，筆觸非常細膩。等大家陸續進來，維琪瞥見愛理，嘴裡喃喃說：超會畫小姐進來了。我很久沒當學生了，重新感受那種同儕之間的競爭很有趣，愛理坐下之後，維琪忍不住問她畫了多少，愛理說她還沒開始，維琪立刻對我做了一個耶的表情，這些小孩真是妙啊！

Vicky and Beth both chose their favorite figurines. I guess Vicky didn't get enough sleep because she was kind of fidgety in the morning and kept saying that she didn't do enough drawings. She is good at portrait-drawing though with a very delicate style. After others started to stream in, Vicky saw Elie and murmured, "Here comes Ms. Amazing-drawing!" I haven't been a student for a long time, and it's really fun to feel that competition among peers. After Elie was seated, Vicky couldn't help asking her how many drawings she had finished, Elie said she hadn't started yet. Upon hearing that, Vicky turned to me with a "Yeah!" facial expression. These kids are just lovely... 

助教傑克因為忙收尾一本圖畫小說，所以沒空來上課，只剩下露意絲要對付我們這麼多人，她把我們分組指派時間之後，大家就各自走人。我不想回家，就留在畫室和少女們一同畫畫，我可以明白為什麼學生都喜歡美術課，因為可以一邊做一邊閒話家常。維琪很興奮地和我說她和男友在一起兩周年，這個周末要去倫敦水族館慶祝，我說：唉呦，周末到處都是約會的人，真的很不公平！她說：我剛開始以為你二十歲，後來發現你居然三十五歲了！去找個男人啦！我回答：好，我會努力的！（其實我從頭到尾都在家畫圖。）真糟糕，這種只有和薛吉之間會產生的對話居然也可以發生在我和異國少女之間，代表我已經接受她們了，不過連她們都知道我的問題也不是什麼好事。

Jake, one of the tutors, was busy wrapping up a graphic novel, so he didn't show up. Louise was left with so many students that she put us into groups and told us to appear at the time assigned. Then most students left. I didn't feel like going home, so I stayed in the studio with the girls to draw. I came to see why students enjoy art class more than other classes because they can create and chat at the same time. Vicky told me with excitement that it was the two-year anniversary of her and her boyfriend. They made up plans to celebrate over the weekend, and one of the places they are going to visit is London Aquarium. I said, "Oh, there are couples everywhere on weekends. It's not fair!" She replied, "In the beginning I thought you are 20 years old, but you turn out to be 35. Go find a man!" I said, "OK, I'll do my best." (But the truth is that I am always home drawing.) Alas, this is the kind of dialog I have only with Shaggy, but now it takes place between me and British girls as well. On the up side, it means that I have totally accepted them, but it's really nothing to be proud of when they all know my problem. 

我同時觀察愛理的工作方式，她很大方地和我分享繪畫技法和畫圖理論，我趕緊抄下來。轉過頭維琪用了我沒見過的墨汁畫法，我也趕快把牌子抄下來，雖然那天我沒畫太多東西，可是這些技法都是我在家沒法見識到的。接下來特雷莎跑過來和我們閒聊，我吃完午餐後又跑去看艾登畫的樂高人，玩著玩著就輪到我們最後一組和露意絲討論了。

I observed how Elie worked, and she was generous enough to share drawing skills and theories with me. I quickly copied down the key points. When I turned around, Vicky was using ink drawing, which I had never used before, so I quickly wrote down the brand. I didn't draw much that day, but I had learned much more than drawing all by myself. Next Teresa came for a chat and I learned that she had meant to stay only for three months in the UK at first, but like what Barbara said, three months turned into a year and even more. After I ate lunch, I asked Aidan if I could take a look at his sketchbook. It felt that I was playing all the time, and soon it was our group, the last one, to have a talk with Louise. 

正如我自己所知，接下來我得畫跑鞋和空間的關係、光和影等等，反正畫本還有幾十頁嘛！

As I already knew, I have to draw the sneakers' relationship with the space, light and shadow etc. I am not worried for there are scores of pages in the sketchbook! 

去聽演講之前廣州少女欣和我談了一會兒，她去年就來到倫敦，但當時很不如意，到後來得吃安眠藥才能入睡，有一次還用藥過量睡了三天三夜，是老師去敲她家的門才把她叫醒。每個人都有故事，就像維琪雖然很活潑的樣子，但她十二歲才從烏克蘭搬到倫敦，她說媽媽突然想要改變，就支身來了，過一年才把她接來，維琪中午時一直問我欣的事情，我說我直接把欣叫來和她面對面聊，欣說她英文不好，我對她說儘量講沒關係，後來維琪又喃喃自語時我發現她有一段時間沒有朋友，都是自己一個人，難怪對於我們這些外國人會很有興趣。欣其實是個很直的孩子，她對我說：我本來就很喜歡你了，今天和你講話就更喜歡你。不是我愛說，我還真是少女殺手啊！

Before going to the lecture, Xin from Guanzhou had a talk with me. She came to London last year, but the foundation year wasn't smooth. Later she had to take sleeping pills to fall asleep. Once she took overdoses so that she slept for three days and three nights. Everyone here has stories to tell. Take Vicky for example. She is very outgoing, but she didn't come to London from Ukraine until 12 years old. She said her mom felt like having a change, so she came by herself, and it was not until the following year that Vicky came. Vicky kept asking me about Xin at noon, so I told her that I would ask the latter to talk to her face to face. Xin was afraid that her English isn't good enough. I wanted her to do her best because this was a good opportunity for making new friends. When Vicky murmured again, I realized that she was all by herself for a while. No wonder she is interested in foreigners like us. Xin is a simple and straightforward young girl. She said, "I liked you, but today after the talk, I like you more." Well, you can call me a "young girl killer!" 

走去演講廳的途中，維琪說：為淳，我們應該要做語言交換！你上中文課，我上俄語課！沒錯，因為上學校的外國語課還要繳265磅呢！

On our way to the lecture hall, Vicky said, "Weichuen, we should have language exchange! You teach mandarin, and I teach Russian! Exactly, after all, it costs 265 quids for us to attend foreign language courses at school! 

啊，因為這些少女們，我真喜歡上學啊！

Ah, because of these young girls, I really love going to school! 

後記：今天畫了十個小時以上的畫，已經打破之前的記錄了！

PS: I drew more than 10 hours today. Well, I have broken my previous records! 

the real thing / 真實人生

昨天晚上又興奮到有點睡不著，只好把瑪德蓮的公車圖拿出來著色，深夜十二點，我感受小女孩的溫暖包圍我，終於在畫完之後入睡了。

I was too thrilled to fall asleep last night, so I took out the drawing done with Madeleine and colored it. At midnight, I felt great warmth oozing out of the image and enveloping my whole being. And I was lucky enough to get some sleep after the mind-soothing activity.

今天早上和愛理一同搭車前往大英博物館，到了之後，老師群德瑞克、麥特和麥克已經在大門口等人，我們每人拿了一張任務簡介，上面寫著，我們要在五個小時內觀察一件展覽品，從各個層面下手，包括這件藝術品的外形、色調、輪廓、材質、顏色、細節、地點、敘述、筆記、大小，最後要生出十張圖，這很像在進行非正式版的設計師選秀比賽，我們聽完簡介後就趕緊尋找要畫的作品去了。

This morning I went to the British Museum with Elie. When we got there, the teachers Derek, Matt and Mike were already there waiting. We each took a handout that describes our mission. We were asked to observe an artwork and come up with ten drawings based on form, tone, silhouette, texture, color, detail, location, narrative, written notes and measurements within five hours. This was rather like the unofficial, illustration version of Project Runway. After the brief, we rushed into the museum to look for the object we'd like to do.

因為畫畫老師麥特極力推薦希臘區，我看到一組有七個雕像的作品，還有長椅可坐，就傻傻地開始畫了。開始不久，艾登弟弟頂著理光的頭出現，我把書法紙給他時，他感動得抱了我一下，和我說昨天是他的生日，但和女朋友要去看展覽，展覽沒開，做什麼都不如意，他說這包禮物真的讓他一天變得很美好，最後要走之前又抱了我一次，真的很可愛。

Because the tutor Matt highly recommended the Greek area, I decided to sit down when I saw a set of seven sculptures, plus the bench kind of far away from it. I started without thinking twice. Soon Aiden appeared with his newly-shaved head. When I gave him the calligraphy paper, he was so touched that he hugged me. He said yesterday was his birthday, but when he and his girlfriend went to the exhibition they wanted to see, it wasn't open. The same with other plans. The gift really made his day. Before leaving, he couldn't help hugging me again. He is a really adorable boy.

畫這張時，有一群小朋友經過，男老師說可以讓小朋友看看我畫了什麼，我和他們講解了一下，老師說：好了，我們讓女士好好畫。他說女士這個字聽起來很像說媽媽，我不介意啦，有個黑人小男孩離開之前用很清新有勁的臉龐和我說：好棒喔！要是我畫得下來那張臉就好了。

While I was doing this one, a group of school children passed by. The male teacher asked if I could show to them what I had done. I explained to them about my assignment. Then the teacher said, "OK, let's leave ma'am to her work." The way he pronounced "ma'am" sounded so much like "mom." I didn't mind though. A black little boy said to me with his fresh and energetic face before moving on, "It's nice." Only if I could draw that beautiful face... 

畫輪廓圖時，新助教麥克走過來看我有沒有問題，我們稍微討論一下輪廓的定義，他直接拿出鋼筆示範給我看，我說：我也有那隻鋼筆，不過我的筆身是白色的！其實我把它留在台北了，突然有點後悔。

When I was doing the silhouette drawing, the new tutor Mike came by to see if I had any question. We kind of discussed the definition of silhouette. He took out his fountain pen to demonstrate for me. I couldn't help exclaiming: I have that fountain pen too, but mine is white! As a matter of fact, I left it in Taipei, which I regretted at that instant. 

然後麥克說：我想把你的口音和你來自的地方串連起來，我回答：我們家鄉學的是美式英文啦！他問：你們家鄉是？我答：台灣。所以每個人的英文口音是個地圖，告訴別人他們來自的地方，難怪遇到我的人都很錯亂。

Then Mike asked, "I'd like to locate your accent. I replied, "We learn American English at home." He asked, "Where is your home?" I answered, "Taiwan." So everyone's accent is a map indicating where they come from. No wonder people who run into me are perplexed... 

接著奧莉薇和達洛也來畫這組雕像。

Olivia and Darrell came to join me to draw the sculptures. 

第一次在博物館如此密集地速寫，午餐時間也沒空去吃三明治，我想換點媒材，便把衛生紙和宣紙拿出來折一折揉一揉，想要用此表現衣服的皺摺。我玩得很開心，經過的小朋友覺得這個阿姨很怪，手邊放一罐白膠不知在幹什麼。

This was the first time I drew so intensively in the museum. I didn't have time to eat my sandwich during lunchtime. After having drawn for a while, I'd like a change of media, so I took out toilet paper and Chinese mountain and water paper to fold and crease. I wanted to express the folds of the tunics. I had a blast, but the kids passing by found me weird with a bottle of glue next to me and my hands were all sticky. 

除了畫畫，我們也得記錄路人的評論，所以我畫顏色圖畫到一半時，有美術館講解員帶團經過，我趕緊寫下筆記，真的是一刻不得閒啊！

Apart from drawing, we had to record other museum-goers' comments as well. While I was in the middle of drawing, a guide was explaining to a group of people. I did my best to jot down notes. You can tell I was fairly busy! 

畫大型速描是我的致命傷，下午看到很棒的速描就更羞愧了。

Drawing a large-scale sketch is my Achille's heels. I was even more ashamed when I saw really excellent sketches from my classmates in the afternoon. 

最後還要寫一下展覽品的背景和敘述，我想當時我已經快要脫水了，所以雕像畫得很不精準，不過我有仔細觀察，這組最受歡迎的就是裸身的男像酒神。我訪問了兩個人，問他們如果可以選其中一個放在家裡作為擺飾，有個小妹妹選右手邊的馬頭，有個大肚子的爺爺選酒神。我喜歡酒神，但我覺得在家放馬頭會比較好看。

In the end I had to write down the history and narrative of the artwork. I was almost dehydrated then, so my drawing wasn't accurate at all. I did pay attention and found that the most popular sculpture is the male statue, Dionysos. I even interviewed two people, asking them if they could choose one to place in their homes, which one would they go for. A little girl chose the horse head on the left, and a big-bellied grandpa chose Dionysos. I like him, but I figure it'd look better to place the horse head as a decorative item. 

互評會中，大家把速寫本擺在地上，老師和學生就一本一本翻，之後老師做評論。德瑞克說很多人搞不清楚到底要畫什麼，而且很多人畫得很糟，一邊把好的作品示範給大家看，像愛理的圖就是上上之作，德瑞克要我們去翻閱教繪畫的書重頭開始學，他說自己也是這樣和十歲女兒說的，畫畫要精準，要看場合用不同媒材表現，大小尺寸的紙張都要嘗試，不能只限於小範圍的圖，他很語重心長地說，看到那些有幾千年歷史的石頭都心生無限感動，那些搞暴動的小孩就是不懂這種簡單卻美好的喜悅。他說畫畫是我們和這個世界合宜互動的方式，也是體驗人生的方法，麥特則要我們客觀地表現周遭的事物。麥克也加進來說：要是他是我們，等一下解散後會趕快回去剛才的樓層重畫。德瑞克說第一週大家都很興奮，這一周會開始懷疑是不是選錯主修。

In the critique session, everyone put down their sketchbooks on the floor for others to thumb through, and afterwards the teachers would give comments. Derek said that many people didn't get what we were supposed to do and that many people drew badly. He demonstrated at the same time good works. For example, Elie's drawings are outstanding. Derek wants us to read books that teach the basics of drawing. He told his 10-year-old daughter that you have to be accurate and use different media depending on different occasions. We should try large scales of paper as well instead of being restricted to small pieces of paper. He stressed that a piece of stone with 3000 years of history show him the simple beauty of life. Because the kids nowadays knew only Nintendo and online games, that was why they started the riots. He said that drawing helps us to engage properly with the world and experience life. Matt wanted us to draw with integrity. Mike added that he would go back to the room and redo the drawings after the session. Derek said that everyone was excited during the first week, but this week some of us will wonder if we are in the wrong courses. 

解散之後，我在大廳吃三明治，從地下樓上來和我聊天的人都有些沮喪，法國型男說他抽到印度文化區，實在沒啥靈感，不過我想如果要當設計師，總不能和客戶說他們給的題目很無聊吧！接著小喬很傷心地上來說自己的作品被老師挑出來唸，我鼓勵他這周作業要好好做。接著華人軍團也上來，說其實不是很了解今天的任務內容，連優秀的泰緹安娜今天光環也不見了。

After being dismissed, I ate my sandwich in the lobby. People who came up later than me seemed to be sort of low. The French dude said he wasn't inspired by the Indian culture, which he had picked randomly. But I wonder if he is going to be a designer, he can't tell the clients that their topics are boring right? Then Joe told me he was heartbroken because the teachers met him in private for his drawings. I encouraged him to work hard on this week's assignment. Last the Asian league came to me saying that they didn't quite understand the task today. Even Tatiana's halo was gone today. 

雖然麥克和麥特說我的第二張圖還不錯，我覺得自己沒有被唸已經很不錯，我得加強那種很基本的基本功了。雖然待在博物館超過六個多小時，還蠻想吐的，吃完三明治後繼續逛，我看到畫面都會自動解析為：黑、淺灰、米白、中等灰色等等。

Though Mike and Matt said my second drawing is ok, I was lucky enough not to be criticized. I really have to work on the basics of basics. Though I had had enough after having stayed in the museum for more than six hours, I continued my journey after a quick break. At last I analyzed the images I saw automatically based on the arrangement of their tones and colors. 

等到博物館要關時，我步出大門心想德瑞克的話：你在全世界最棒的博物館裡耶！不管圖畫得再爛，有什麼好抱怨的呢？

When the museum was about to close, I thought of Derek's words as I walked out of the gate, "You are in the best museum in the world!" Indeed, what is there to complain about, especially when it's just a lousy drawing? 

回家的路上拍到了這張圖，如果我早上用這張圖回答麥克的問題，他應該會印象深刻吧！

On my ride home, I took the photo. If I had answered Mike's question with this image, he would have been impressed!