between text and illustration / 文圖之間

今年開始對自己的創作模式有一些思考，好一陣子都是從文字著手，有時寫到沒有畫面，自己也察覺不到，所以我想改變。

This year I started to have some reflection on my pattern of making a picture book. For the past few years I have written the text first, but the danger is that sometimes part of the text doesn't conjure up any visual image, which I might not be aware of.  

        自從去上了繪本課之後，得到很多刺激，例如說我又一再被提醒，所有好作品的出發點都是創作者本身要享受整個過程，那些外加的目的和野心必須先放在一邊。

     Ever since I attended the picture-making courses, I have gained much stimulation. For one thing, I am constantly reminded that I have to discard my ambition and focus on enjoying making a book.

        雖然在分享作品方面，我是個超級膽小鬼，可是看到同學們大方地把作品擺出來，懇切地和老師同儕討論，我也自我鼓勵，每次上課都不斷突破心防。

     I am a coward when it comes to sharing my works, but seeing my classmates present and share their stories with everyone in class, I also try my best do let go of my fear. 

        透過老師不斷問問題，加上我說出自己在創作上一直以來的瓶頸，我覺得好像找到前進的路。

     In trying to answer the teacher's questions and voicing the problem I have detected in creating stories, somehow I feel I have found a really good direction. 

        因為我老是在故事裡包含太多意涵，所以最後主題沒說清楚，又把故事弄得很抽象。老師說我可以從圖畫起，把抽象的文本具像化，再把圖串連起來。

     Since I've always wanted to include too much in my stories, I fail to express the themes successfully. Also, they are too abstract for children to understand. My teacher said that I can try starting from drawing pictures because that way I can give concrete images to abstract ideas. Then a story can be developed by connecting the images I have. 

        即使故事這次寫不好，我也不在意從頭再來。只要我可以學著把故事說好，一切都好說。

     Even if the drafts are a failure, I don't mind begin anew. As long as I can learn to tell a good story, every effort is worth it. 

Goodbye May! / 五月再見！

Fishing / 釣魚

貓頭鷹小姐的身體對她說：我們去釣魚吧！ 

Miss Owl's body tells her, "Let's go fishing!" 

Nap / 午覺

睡了一場午覺，感覺自己在涼涼的海水裡輕輕地飄著‧‧‧‧‧‧

In my dream, my body floats lightly in the cool seawater...

The owl boy Wayne / 貓頭鷹男孩韋恩

I am only eight, 

but I have to wear glasses and braces. 

Well, as long as I can blow bubbles,

nothing can cause troubles. 

Water warriors / 水戰士

我們和鴿子的對抗持續中，每天每天十三樓居民都想破頭，希望能用和平的方式迫使鴿子家族搬家。

Our fight with the pigeons has continued. The residents on the floor rack their brains to make the pigeons go away peacefully every day. 

        雖然潑水節剛過，對面家的爸爸買了水槍，帶著男孩展開保衛家園大戰。鴿子在黑漆漆的夜裡被水噴，因為感到不安穩，的確去另覓新居了。

     Songkran Water Festival was over, but our neighbor bought a new water gun for another round of battle. Attacked in the midst of dark night, the pigeons did move away for a safer shelter. 

        這次躲在陽台邊的冷氣機縫隙裡。

     This time two pigeons hide in the crack between the wall and the air-conditioner next to the balcony.

The city on a cloudy day / 陰天，城市裡

還是好迷人。

Still has irresistible charm. 

Tai chi / 太極

春天裡，練太極。

Practice tai chi,

in warm spring

Morning exercise / 做早操

春天的早晨，我喜歡特地繞路看做早操的人們，看他們緩慢優雅地擺動身體，我在短暫的某一瞬間也能慢下腳步，吸一口芳香的空氣，然後大步往前邁進。

On spring mornings, I will go out of my way just to take a glimpse at the elderly do morning exercise on the square. Their slow yet elegant movement gives me the freedom to imagine that I can slow down for a second. After inhaling the fragrant morning air, I take a big stride forward with confidence. 

Clue / 線索

總是在不知所措的時候，看到上帝刻意留下的一些線索。

In moments of confusion, I still see clues that God has left deliberately for me to see. 

        七歲的楷維戴著牙套，也即將配眼鏡，但還是會說出孩子般的話語，要我緊緊抓住童年的尾巴。

     The seven-year-old Kai now wears braces, and his small face is going to be weighed down with glasses, but sometimes he still blurts out childlike remarks.  It's God saying to me, "Hold onto the last traces of childhood!" 

When I'm ready / 等待再次起飛

Lesson 2 of the Owl Family / 貓頭鷹家族的第二課

Dad: No matter how old my child is, she is always my baby. 

Mom: Though you are an owl, you should hit the sack if you can't stay up! 

Lesson 1 of the Owl Family / 貓頭鷹家族的第一課

雖然我們是貓頭鷹，不過我們不太會飛。

Though we are owls, we don't know how to fly, to be honest. 

Story 1 of the Owl Family: We all need to learn to fly

(from left to right) 

Wayne: Flying is so beautiful! 

Tony: It's not that hard! 

Gee: Follow us. What are you waiting for! 

CC: I am afraid! 

Don Wai Floating Market / 海椰寺水上市場

我的朋友百方住在海椰寺水上市場附近，來到這裡不吃一晚鴨肉麵好像很不道地！

My friend Bai-fang lives near Don Wai Floating Market. It seems a must-do to eat a bowl of duck noodles here.

        我非常喜歡市場裡各種顏色的蔬菜，綠的紅的，用塑膠袋包得鼓鼓的，是視覺的饗宴！

     I love vegetables of various colors in the market placed in inflated plastic bags. What a feast for the eyes!

        水上有賣水果的小販，但不像觀光水上市場那樣競爭激烈。

     There are vendors on the river, and fortunately, not so many as in other touristy floating markets.

        坐船遊河可以一覽泰國人生活的風景，塔金河上的風光平靜寫意，這個地方輕輕鬆鬆成為我最愛的景點之一了！ 

     The cruise gives me an opportunity to take a peek into Thais' daily lives. The views along Tajin River are serene and graceful. Well, this place has become one of my favorite spots in Thailand!

        河邊有從主流分叉出去的小河，有高架小屋。

     There are mysterious streams leading from the river as well as water chalets. 

        有文青風的咖啡館，泰式民宿和破舊的民房。

     Also, really poetic modern cafes, Thai guesthouses and shabby old houses.

Night market in Ayothaya / 大城夜市

小販們和工作人員穿著古典服飾在夜市裡穿梭，令人有時空錯亂感！

Food vendors and the staff dressed in traditional Thai costumes dot the market, and somehow I feel I am in the ancient Thailand! 

Making dumplings / 包水餃

Hospitable Thais / 我的泰姐泰妹

去年到曼谷旅行時，在碼哈拉碼頭寫明信片之際，遇見了百方，是個二十出頭的女孩，我們隨便哈啦了一下，他對我說：你這樣自由自在旅行，又會畫圖，你是我的偶像。我們因此成為臉書之友，不過連絡了一陣子，百方就不見了，直到我今年又要去曼谷之前，百方剛好連絡我，我們就這麼又搭上線。

I ran into Bai-fang last year when writing postcards at Maharaj Pier in Bangkok. Bai-fang is a super friendly and sincere twentish young girl. I was touched and surprised by what she said to me back then, "I really envy you for being able to travel alone so freely. I also love your drawings. You are my idol!" We thus became Facebook pals though she kind of disappeared halfway through. However, right before my trip to Thailand this past winter, she popped up again. And that's how we came to meet again this time. 

        這次百方帶我到她在佛統府的家，我也認識了百方媽尼莎，第一次見面尼莎就阿莎力地說好第二天要帶我到開車三小時的北碧，我真的被百方一家的熱情感動到說不出話來。去完北碧回來，百方和姐姐百芬準備好熱騰騰的酸辣海鮮湯和飯菜等著我們，這真的是好泰式的體驗啊！ 

     Baifang took me to her hometown Nakhon Pathom. I had the pleasure to meet Baifang's whole family, including Nisa, Baifang's mom. We had barely met for five minutes when Nisa offered to drive me to Kachanaburi the following day. I was totally impressed by the hospitable family! At the end of the long drive from Kachanaburi back to Nakhon Pathom, Baifang and her big sis Baifern had prepared hot and yummy dinner for us. This is a very Thai experience for me! 

        百方帶我到家附近的海椰寺水上市場遊船，這裡的鄉村風情有典型的泰式風格，比在曼谷的昭披耶河的遊船之旅更有泰國人的生活感。

     Baifang took me to Donwai Floating Market near her home on a river cruise. It was so peaceful and quiet, which definitely feels more Thai than the cruise on Chaopraya River in Bangkok.  

        佛統府產又大又甜的柚子，所以市場裡到處都可以看到柚子！

     Nakhon Pathom is famous for big and fat pomelos, so they can be seen everywhere in the market. 

        雖然實體的旅行結束了，每天下班畫一張泰國的圖，就可以延續在泰國旅行的幸福感！而且每過一天，就離回到泰國見泰媽泰姐的日子又近了一天！ 

     Though the trip seems over, I am in the habit of drawing a picture about my trip in Thailand. This surely keeps my passion for Thailand alive. What's more, as days go by, I am nearer the goal of traveling back to Thailand! 

"Booster" year / 「機」年

新年來了，希望自己可以大鳴大放！

Here comes the new year. I hope I can live the new year to the fullest and reach out to the world!

        趁著好天氣，趕緊享受陽光和百花綻放！

     Let's seize the beautiful day and flowers in bloom! 

Mansfield Park / 曼斯菲爾德莊園

雖然我一直深受時尚插畫吸引，我的畫風卻不是以時尚為特色。要準備珍奧斯汀的「曼斯菲爾德莊園」插畫時，我突然想到時尚插畫是很好的起點，很適合奧斯汀筆下的女性角色。

I've always been into fashion illustration though my style is not fashionable at all. It occurred to me that fashion illustration would be a superb starting point when I was about to prepare the illustrations for Jane Austen's Mansfield Park because her ladies feel beautiful and want to be beautiful. 

        畫著畫著是很開心，不過這些模特兒非常有姿態，不僅身形美，眼神也都有故事。

     I had much fun drawing the models in the fashion magazine. They not only look beautiful but also make me curious about them. Their eyes tell stories. 

        她們寫字看書的樣子也好帥氣，就算和女主角范妮天差地遠，但我還是很高興可以做新的嘗試。

     I focused particularly on how women read and write. However, these models appear to be very confident of themselves. They are worlds apart from the protagonist Fanny, but it was still nice for me to take a new try. 

        這本小說到底在說什麼呢？簡單地說，就是乖女孩范妮從小寄住在有錢的阿姨和姨丈家，和乖男孩表哥艾德蒙青梅竹馬，不過長大之後因為新的角色出現在莊園裡，艾德蒙愛上了勢利女瑪麗，而瑪麗的風流男哥哥亨利則受到范妮的吸引，范妮看著自己深愛的艾德蒙被愛蒙敝，還要一邊抵擋亨利的猛烈追求，還好她的堅忍不拔最後換來艾德蒙的愛。

     What is the novel about? Simply put, the good girl Fanny was sent to Mansfield Park to live with her rich aunt and uncle when she was little. She grew up together with her gentle cousin Edmund. With the arrival of the new characters, her life began to change. Edmund fell in love with the beautiful but snobbish girl Mary Crawford while her player brother fell for the charm of innocent Fanny, who had to suffer silently from seeing her beloved Edmund blindfolded by love and make every attempt to resist Henry in the meanwhile. Luckily, her virtue and perseverance finally won Edmund's heart. 

        插畫比賽除了三張內頁插圖以外，還要設計封面，而且規格有嚴格的規定，其實剛開始我並不確定自己做得出來，不過我不想就這麼放棄，很幸運地友人幫了我一把，讓我可以達到目標。

     Besides the three illustrations for the story, every contestant was required to design the cover as well and meet some specific rules. In fact, I wasn't sure if I could make it, but I didn't feel like giving up either. I was blessed with Alex's help so that I could reach my goal. 

        范妮是內向壓抑的角色，在珍奧斯汀的作品中是較沒自信的女主角，不過我覺得自己很像她。

     Fanny is an introverted and repressed role. She is probably the least confident heroine in Austen's books, but I can relate to her because I see much similarity between her and me. 

        與其把重點放在她和其他角色的互動，不如把舞台都給她吧！她的慰藉除了艾德蒙外，就是書和花草，還有自己的書房。

     Instead of placing emphasis on her interaction with the other characters, I prefer to feature her only in my illustrations. Apart from Edmund, she took solace in books, plants, and her personal space, the East room. 

        像書裡說的，就算是快樂，范妮也安安靜靜地感受。

     As is said in the book, Fanny feels ecstasy in a quiet way. 

        做完插畫的那一晚，想到五年前在英國讀書的時候，急著想用自己以外的風格畫圖，老師問：你為什麼不用自己的風格呢？五年過去了，我終於可以用自己的風格，不論結果如何，我都感到欣喜，因為我嘗試了之前做不到的事。

     On the day when I finished the illustrations, I thought of the winter five years ago when I was studying in London. I was eager to borrow others' styles, so my tutor couldn't help asking, "Why didn't you use your own style?" Five years have gone by, and I am proud to be me when drawing. Whatever the outcome is, I am joyful all the same because I achieved what I couldn't in the past. 

Swimming daytime owl / 白天游泳的貓頭鷹

每天寄一張明信片給吉吉三年了，多半是在清晨神智不清的塗鴉，有時候丟到郵筒還隱約覺得羞愧，總是在寄了一整年之後，我們會翻出來回顧，這是我最喜歡的時刻，我最常說：「這是我畫的嗎？」同時內心有種強烈的震撼，「原來我的人生有這麼多有趣的片段！」

I've been sending a postcard to Shaggy a day for three years. In fact, I draw the postcards mostly in the early morning when I am still sleepy and groggy. I sometimes feel kind of ashamed of the crude drawings as I throw them into the post box. We have got into the ritual of reviewing the postcards as we wrap up a year, and that is my favorite moment. My classic line is, "Did I draw that?" Meanwhile, I feel overwhelmed with the discovery that my everyday life is filled with so many fascinating moments and ideas. 

        下雨的週末咖啡館裡，一打開門有兩張期待的臉迎接我，吉吉和朋友郁馨提議把明信片放到網路上，接下來我們就開始一連串的行動，這中間還有行銷學的介紹和教學，頓時我們苦悶的人生都有了出口！

     On the rainy Saturday evening, as I open the door to the cafe, I am greeted with two expectant faces. Shaggy and Yu-shin propose that we start a webpage to share the postcards. Soon everyone takes up their smartphones and gets down to work. At the same time, we take our first lesson in marketing. Our rainy life suddenly lights up! 

        看似相同的一週又開始了，但我的生活多了一些可能性！

     Another seemingly similar week has started, but I feel there're more possibilities for me! 

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