Come to draw, boys! 4 / 孩子們來畫畫吧！4

這週思維哥哥有整天的夏令營要上，楷維卻賦閒在家，意思就是我們倆又會玩在一起。一早我忙著研究做得亂七八糟的Illustrator檔案，小子已經坐在我旁邊等畫畫，這樣應該是說他很喜歡畫圖吧！

This week Von has two summer camps to go to while Kai is again free. That means we two will hang out together. In the morning while I am busy trying to figure out how to fix my messy Illustrator files, Kai has finished his breakfast and shown up for class. I guess he must enjoy our art lessons a lot. 

        畫畫課可以反映大人和小孩的喜好，有時孩子們順著我，但有些時候我讓他們選想畫的角色，男孩們教了我很多我沒聽過的玩意，今天的主角是蛇眼。

   Our art class reflects the different preferences of adults and children. Sometimes the kids follow my lead while other times I let them choose their favorite characters. In fact, the boys have taught me so much; for example, before today, I had never heard of Snake Eyes. 

        用楷維隨意彩繪的廢紙來剪貼爬行的蛇效果挺好的。

   I use Kai's colored scrap paper to cut crawling snakes, which look quite good. 

        翻過來就是帥氣的蛇眼！

   Turn the page, and the dashing Snake Eyes is right there in front of our eyes. 

        上完專屬的美術課，楷維不想回家，於是和我一起研究我很沉迷的印刷技術。

   After his one-man art class, Kai doesn't want to go home, so we work on the printing skills that have fascinated me lately. 

        楷維的西瓜色調很吸引人。

   The color schemes of Kai's watermelon are very charming. 

        我們用不同的紙材下去印，效果都不一樣。

   We use various kinds of paper to print. The effect differs, which excites us the moment we tear off the paper. 

        印刷就像人與人的關係，同樣的兩張紙碰在一起不一定會有出色的效果，而且還有可能黏住，反而是我剛開始沒看好的紙居然有意外的效果。

   The relationships between two pieces of paper in printing are the same as human relationships. The same kind of paper might not work. Instead, the sheets might be stuck to each other. However, paper which I didn't expect to work brings amazing surprises. 

        這個肌理實在太神奇了，使得我忍不住跟之後打電話來的貝琳分享！

   The texture is so miraculous that I can't help sharing it with Bei-lin, who happens to be the first person I talk to after the experiment. 

Paper 2 / 紙的饗宴 2

昨天回憶倫敦GF Smith的紙品，雖然台北找不到類似的紙，不過我們有別款令人驚艷的產品。前兩週托小蕙的福，可以去長春棉紙藝術中心大採購，真不是普通的幸福。

Yesterday I was reminiscing paper of GF Smith in London. Though I haven't found equally good paper of the same kind in Taipei yet, we do have other amazing choices. Thanks to Hui, I could go on a very wild shopping spree for free in Ever Prosperous two weeks ago. I must have accumulated thousands of brownie points to deserve this. 

        為了湊滿贈送的金額，我們兩個挑紙挑到脫水，店方服務態度非常優良，讓我們倍受感動。

   To buy as much as the money's worth, we selected so many kinds of paper that we came close to taking everything in the shop home. The ladies were really nice, which made us feel like going back there in the future. 

        上帝和大家都把我工具準備好，接下來就看我如何使用，這才是最大的挑戰啊！

   God and everyone around me have prepared the tools I need for me. It's my turn to put them to good use. To be honest, that's the biggest challenge! 

Come to draw, boys! / 孩子們來畫畫吧！

過了一年很拘謹的工作生活，我都忘記怎麼放鬆，創造力也躲了起來。

After a stressful year of work, I've forgot how to relax. My creative cells take shelter somewhere I don't know. 

        還好去山上度假三天之後，我決定暫時完全放手，把和工作有關的瑣事放一邊，什麼也不想，就只盡興地開心地畫圖。

   Luckily, I've reached a very wise decision after going on a short trip to the mountains. I see the necessity to put aside all the unfinished tasks related to work. I am going to do nothing but doodle with total joy. 

        男孩們感受到我的新決心，他們也跟著夏天悠閒的腳步，可以暫時地享受自由自在的生活，於是我的美術教室又開張了。過了一年，小楷已經會用剪刀，時間的流逝記錄於許多小細節的改變。

   The boys feel my new determination. On their part, they can also take a break from the heavy schoolwork and slow down their hurried paces. Thus, Wanda's art class makes its comeback. With a year passing by, Kai has learned to use scissors. The traces of time are noticeable in many details in the seemingly ordinary daily life. 

        今天我讓哥哥和弟弟互相畫彼此的樣子，哥哥一直看著弟弟的臉龐。

   Today I make the brothers draw each other's face. Von keeps observing Kai's face in the process. 

        而楷維總是自顧自地畫著，非常之開心。

   Meanwhile Kai is lost in his own world without looking at his elder brother at all. 

        比起去年，思維畫畫的樣子多了自信，雖然我對學校教育真的沒什麼太正面的評價，但這應該是上學的獲得吧！

   Compared with last year, Von's attitude toward drawing reflects a boost of confidence. I don't think too highly of the value of school education, but I think this is something Von has gained through going to school. 

        最後我讓孩子們選背景的設計，感謝小蕙阿姨贊助的美麗紙張，隨便弄弄都好看。這是楷維眼中的哥哥。

   Last but not least, I let the boys choose their background design. Here I'd like to give my heartfelt thanks to Auntie Hui for the lovely paper. Whichever pattern the kids choose, the pictures look just awesome. This is Kai's portrait of Von. 

        這是思維眼中的楷維。

   This is Kai in Von's mind. 

Wanda's art class 5 / 汪達的美術課 5

和男孩們讀了好幾次「開貨車的男人」，很想試試看這本書的形式，剛好週末要和吳妞妞小妹見面，我決定來個外帶的美術課。

After having read Munari's l'uomo del camion, I was really tempted to try the format of this book. I knew I would meet up a pretty little girl on the weekend, so I decided to have a takeout art class. 

同時我也想來個實驗，假如一個小朋友對繪本和畫畫有興趣，那麼關於個性上的問題是否可以透過繪本改善呢？我因此特地為妞妞做了個人專屬繪本。

Meanwhile I'd love to make an experiment. If a child is interested in picture books and drawing, then can we try to modify his or her behavior through picture books? I thus made a personalized picture book for Nio. 

越做越開心，便為繪本做了封套。

I got so carried away that I made a book bag for the book. 

The Listening Princess 

story and illustration by Weichuen You 

Nio is different from other princesses in that she doesn't chatter on and on. 

Nio knows that she has to be quiet and listen really hard to hear many things. 

For example. She can hear Dad's lack of self-confidence, much as he wants to take good care of everyone. 

She can hear Mom's fatigue from work. Sometimes she just wants a hug, but she doesn't say it. 

She can hear her little brother's love for her, despite the fact that he can only grin at her because he hasn't learned to talk yet. 

Having heard these secrets that are not revealed to any other person, Nio decides to give everyone a gift. 

When Dad picks her up from school, Nio holds his hand saying, "Daddy, I worked hard at school today. You have to do your best too ok?" 

Nio waits with the moon for Mom. She wants to welcome her home with a BIG hug! 

Before going to bed, Nio kisses her little brother, whispering in his ear: I love you too. Let's play together in our dreams as well!" 

Dear Nio, now be quiet for ten minutes. What do you hear from your mom, dad and brother? Draw it in the blank space on the right-side page. 

朋友們本來看到快要流眼淚，看到最後一頁的習題紛紛爆笑，他們說：為什麼老師本色又冒出來了？

My friends were almost moved to tears, but upon reading the exercise on the last page, they couldn't help bursting into crazy laughter. They asked, "Why can't you stop being a teacher?" 

終於我又可以畫圖畫得理直氣壯，所以睡了一晚起來又加了新想法。

Finally I feel free in drawing again. After a night's sleep, a new idea occurred to me, and I couldn't help further developing it. 

我替妞妞準備多餘的紙，讓她可以把無聲不能說話的物品貼起來，因為我覺得有很多美好的事物如太陽月亮星星山脈花朵等等都是安靜的，希望妞妞可以懂這個練習的重點。

I prepared extra paper for Nio so that she could do collage with shapes that stand for things/objects that don't make any sound. A lot of beautiful things, such as the sun, the moon, stars, mountains, flowers, are silent. I hope Nio gets the point of this exercise. 

這是第一次妞妞和我們吃飯的時候如此安靜專注，真好，我和愛雪說，這本書的代價是過去一年的總和，換算成金錢是一百二十萬台幣，但是我好久沒有因為畫圖這麼開心。

This was the first time that Nio remained so engaged and quiet when we ate. So nice. I told Mom that the price for this picture book, translated into monetary value, is 1.2 million NTD, the amount of money  I spent during the past year. But I have not been so happy because of drawing for a while, not even in London. 

朝下一課邁進！

Time for next lesson! 

Paper / 紙的饗宴

我沒有當壞學生的本錢。

I am not cut out to be a rebel.

這一學期因為報告的關係，老師請了許多畢業生和專業人士來演講，也有去設計公司的校外教學，好像只要得搶票的，都讓我很積極，昨天因此去了GF Smith紙公司的工作坊，我和嘉蕊都大呼值回票價啊！

This term we have to write the industry report in which we are required to interview four practitioners. The tutors have invited many alumni and professionals to give talks in the studio. There are also visits to design companies. Somehow the limited number of places has made me very competitive. I thus went to the workshop hosted by the paper company GF Smith. Jazel and I were greatly delighted by the visit.

特地為我做的名牌（開玩笑的啦！是廁所的指標。）

My own personal name brand. (For those who don't know this is a joke, it's actually the sign for the toilet.) 

我們玩了字體印刷。

We tried our hand at letterpress. 

也試了用非常高級的紙折信封。

We also folded envelopes with very fine paper. 

現場的各個展覽。

The exhibits on the site. 

我們最期待的是最後可以拿的福袋，這顏色印得多誘人啊！更不要說裡面的數重好禮！

We were most looking forward to the goodie bag at the end of the workshop. See, how tempting the colors! Inside are tons of paper goodies. 

彩色筆記本。

A super-colorful notebook. 

更多的紙！

More paper! 

當好學生還真多好康的可以拿啊！

Well, for the sake of the goodies I can get as a good student, I'll accept my fate willingly...