Recent Decision

P1180992, originally uploaded by rgmu11.

Al watching Pink Pantha in bed. I feel this drawing is a bit like Schiele's style, one of my favorite artists.

I'm planning to take some figure painting course when I go to UK. Although I got the offer of University of Arts London, considered the big gap between their international students' fee and home fee, which is £9,300 per year and £1,390 per year, I decided not to be account on taking a course in that university, at least not in the next three years. Because the reply I got from the university to my question "If I get a spouse visa, in what condition could I just pay the home status fee?" is- You have to stay in UK for at least three years to be accepted as a home student.

The answer was quite disppointing, thinking of the HUGE gap between the oversea's and home's fees. The tuition is going up year by year, while I am not sure whether the teaching quality would climb along with it. Think about it, what if I get pregnant and have a baby in one or two years, I will still be treated as an "international student" if I wanna go to college? I did feel quite excited when I got the offer.I did look forward to going there to study, very very much. And I did work much. But what a pity, facing my financial situation I don't think I could accept loaning money for just one year foundation course for which British students will just pay nearly 1/7, and I even don't want to wait for another three years to go to a foundation course. All what I feel is I wont make it unless they suddenly changed the policy to accept me as a home student then.

I just hope Al could get a good job where he feels fulfilled and joyful in career development. He thinks I should consider more about other ways to persue art, like short courses. I guess that's a good idea. I would like to join several short courses to train myself more in traditional art technique which is helpful for me to get deeper in art.

My Colleagues (Continued)

The only joyful chance to do art with my job is to draw my colleagues while we are working together. It is quick, meaningful and satisfying.


P1180987, originally uploaded by rgmu11.


Monica Li, at lunch break time


Cindy Cong, at lunch break time

This post continues my previous post about my colleagues: http://robinwang.co.uk/?p=516

Records of Your Creativity Process

It was 26th, November, 2009 yesterday. I went back to the university I graduated from and had an interesting experience there.

I was honoured and pleased to be invited by Mr Wang Shijun, an excellent teacher from School of Advertising of my university, to give a lecture to his students. I had total freedom to choose any topic in design. Eventually I decided to target on maintaining a sketchbook and the impact it has. The subject is called "Records of Your Creative Process".

Mr Wang also post a "report" on his advertising class website. (click here)

26/11/09 Giving Lecture in DUFE, originally uploaded by rgmu11.

There were two reasons for me to set that subject.

- I think keeping sketchbooks is something missing in Chinese art school education. Till now, in the entrance exam to art colleges here, they still select promising students through technique test, i.e. sculpture sketches and still-life painting etc instead of appreciating the students' personal portfolios and their interest in art shown from their sketchbooks. Moreover, keeping a sketchbook is so important for all designers.

- I have developed my thoughts in art and benefited myself from learning to use a sketchbook. I really want to share the experience with the students and hope they could be inspired as well.

Mr Wang suggested me to give it in English since this would be give the students a totally fresh experience. The two hours lecture went well. And it was indeed fresh to them.

I tried to guide them on how to accumulate the inspiration and knowledge. In the excise I gave them, I played some music clips and asked them to tell what image and colour they had on their mind from hearing. I know imagination is human's gift. They just need to remember that moment's vision with some idea journal  let's say. The most important thing is I want them not just to see, not just to hear, but also to think. When I heard the students speaking out how they feel personally on the same music, I felt really happy. Some of them even made a story throughout the music. This is also a method I think useful: We need to practise from observing our surrounding life, and use our mind to think actively, then build up connection between the practical life and our own thoughts to convey that idea to the public, as a designer . Observe, Think and Connect.

We had some interaction in the Q & A section.I told them the importance and power to be true to their heart. I could see from their eyes that something they started to feel made them want to think about their life. Mr Wang has been supporting me since. He told the students that I am being in a hard time to save money for my tuition from my current job and even though they couldn't help me but they would like to give me best wishes on this Thanksgiving day...I almost cried.

At the end of the lecture, he gave me a design magazine as a present and wrote his feeling on it-" The best student is also the best teacher of a teacher."  I was flattered. We had a dinner  together and again he gave me some unforgettable advice- Many people like to spend time on making up for their weakness instead of enhancing their strength. They think getting rid of their shortcoming would lead to success but it is wrong.

Commissioned illustration for Ivy

My colleague Ivy was asking me to drawing a series of illustration about the romantic experience of her and her boyfriend as a present for his birthday. It was a lovely idea and I felt the sweetness when reading the story lines she wrote me. She wanted something simple. Here are some of them. I'm glad she and her boyfriend both like the work. I wish them a continuing happy relationship.

Illustration for "Annabel Lee"

P1170094a, originally uploaded by rgmu11.

I fell in love with this poem when the first time I came across it. It's a sad and romantic poem telling of a man's everlasting love for his young dead wife. Many of Poe's poems talk about the death of beautiful women. I've done some drafts to illustrate. Here are two finished pieces. I think I need advice and feedback.

Annabel Lee

It was many and many a year ago,
In a kingdom by the sea,
That a maiden there lived whom you may know
By the name of Annabel Lee;
And this maiden she lived with no other thought
Than to love and be loved by me.



I was a child and she was a child,
In this kingdom by the sea:
But we loved with a love that was more than love —
I and my Annabel Lee;
With a love that the winged seraphs of heaven
Coveted her and me.



And this was the reason that, long ago,
In this kingdom by the sea,
A wind blew out of a cloud, chilling
My beautiful Annabel Lee;
So that her highborn kinsmen came
And bore her away from me,
To shut her up in a sepulchre
In this kingdom by the sea.

The angels, not half so happy in heaven,
Went envying her and me —
Yes! — that was the reason (as all men know,
In this kingdom by the sea)
That the wind came out of the cloud by night,
Chilling and killing my Annabel Lee.



But our love it was stronger by far than the love
Of those who were older than we —
Of many far wiser than we —
And neither the angels in heaven above,
Nor the demons down under the sea,
Can ever dissever my soul from the soul
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee:

For the moon never beams, without bringing me dreams
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And the stars never rise, but I feel the bright eyes
Of the beautiful Annabel Lee;
And so, all the night-tide, I lie down by the side
Of my darling — my darling — my life and my bride,
In her sepulchre there by the sea,
In her tomb by the sounding sea.

Once Scene 3

This is another scene from Once, when the girl sang out her sadness in a dark piano room. The guy dazed at her feeling deeply...

P1090045, originally uploaded by rgmu11.

She expressed her sadness through her song, her sorrow from inside for not being understood by her husband.
"I'm sitting here weeping while the hours pass so slow
And I know that in the mornin' I have to let you go
And you'll be just a man once I leave to know
For these past few days someone I don't recognize "
She couldn't finish the song, stopped by sobbing.

Listen here: http://www.songtaste.com/song/1094916/

Looking up the hill tonight
When you have closed your eyes
I wish I didn't have to make all those mistakes and be wise
Please try to be patient and know that I'm still learning
I'm sorry that you have to see the strength inside me burning

Where are you now, angel now
Don't you see me crying
And I know that you can't do it all
But you can't say your not trying
I'm on my knees in front of him
But he doesn't seem to see me
But all his troubles on his mind is looking right through me
And I'm letting myself down deciding is falling you
And I wished that you could see I have my troubles too

Lookin' at you sleeping
I'm with a man I know
I'm sitting here weeping while the hours pass so slow
And I know that in the mornin' I have to let you go
And you'll be just a man once I leave to know
For these past few days someone I don't recognize
This isn't all my fault
When will you realize



Lookin' at you leavin'
I'm looking for a sign

Once Scene 2

Once Series, originally uploaded by rgmu11.

The film doesn't tell their names. They are just "Guy" and "Girl" in the film. They met each other through music. This scene was when they played and sang together for the first time. The girl took the guy to the shop she worked for part-time and showed him the piano she had been dreaming for( also the one the guy bought her later on before he left). Then here came the beautiful song- Falling Slowly

Listen here: http://www.songtaste.com/song/148251/


I don't know you
But I want you
All the more for that
Words fall through me
And always fool me
And I can't react
And games that never amount
To more than they're meant
Will play themselves out

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you have a choice
You've made it now

Falling slowly, eyes that know me
And I can't go back
Moods that take me and erase me
And I'm painted black
You have suffered enough
And warred with yourself
It's time that you won

Take this sinking boat and point it home
We've still got time
Raise your hopeful voice you had a choice
You've made it now
Falling slowly sing your melody
I'll sing along