Showing posts with label story. Show all posts
Showing posts with label story. Show all posts

Monday, December 19, 2011

Moleskine Japanese Album- The story of Four Seasons- Winter Again- The End

I'm going to fly back home tomorrow. Before that, I finished the last pictures of my Moleskine Japanese Album- The Story of Four Seasons.
One year ago, I first saw a Japanese Album of Moleskine at a bookstore and wanted to make a picture story with it. It took me a little time, since I didn't want to finish the story of four seasons within a week, but waited for the change of seasons, enjoyed it and at last, tried to keep some memories back.
It was really fun, that I, for the first time, drew a sketchbook fully and pictures relate to each other. :)


Christmas is coming. A hand-made scarf can be a great present. I crocheted a very long scarf as a present to one friend of mine two years ago. What a hard work it was!


It's now time to exchange presents. Let's see what his present is.


Winter isn't boring anymore. Let's make hot chocolate and wait for the first snow of this year together!


Thank you! End. 
Part 1- Winter- Part 2- Spring- Part 3- Summer- Part 4- Autumn

Monday, October 24, 2011

Moleskine Japanese Album- The story of Four Seasons- Autumn


Autumn is the time of the year for harvesting and spooking people in the neighborhood.
I've never had enough of tasty pumpkin cream soup and decided to dress me up in a witch costum on Halloween. "Meow!!!" Oop! My spoiled cat wants to join in this year. How about you?


The goddess of Autumn brought here rain, wind and made tree leaves change their colors.
It's now time to put on my favorite trench coat and admire charming falling leaves in the air.


What do you prefer doing: collect chestnuts or go mushrooming?
Ouch! Some nasty squirrels don't want to share mushrooms in "their" forest with me.

More of this series:

Friday, August 19, 2011

Alice and the smoking Caterpillar


On 3rd August, I visited a Vietnamese family having lived in Vienna, Austria for years. When the people there were chatting and making dinner, I-who are bad at small talk and not really fond of preparing a meal for a big family- asked for paper and pens to make some doodles of the mushroom garden decors. While drawing these ceramic things, I remembered the smoking Caterpillar in Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.
I finished the raw sketch in Vienna and started to color it, after I went back home in Germany. Ink and colored pencils were used to create this drawing.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

First Love-Last Love- The 2.Part

Link to the 1. part: http://silent-snail.blogspot.com/2010/03/first-love-last-love.html


Saturday, July 2, 2011

Moleskine Japanese Album- The story of Four Seasons- Summer

Summer is my favorite season. I've always longed for it. Since I've lived in Germany, summer didn't mean monsoon, sea and sand anymore. However, I found other new ways to enjoy this time of the year. Summer is now the time for hiking, going for walks, having a picnic, visiting garden festivals and barbecuing in the back yard with friends. 
Actually, I wanted to tell another story of summer. Unfortunately, having believed, that I couldn't forget, I didn't write it down. Now I really have no idea, what went through my brain that time. That's why I have to create another one, which somehow doesn't really go with the pictures.

"Let's go to have a cup of coffee together!", he said. That is how my summertime began. How lovely summer can be!

"Is it love or just something a lot like love?", I wonder. Putting all tiresome thoughts to one side, I took a long walk on a dreamlike meadow covered by yellow coneflowers and dandelions. Solitude has its own charm.

On the next day, my best friend called me:"It's now the best time to have a picnic in the green park." As bright as the sun, she can warm up the coldest day. See? Everyone loves her, even the shyest tiny bug. "A best friend is like a four leaf clover, hard to find and lucky to have."

"Tomorrow will be a sunny day. Let's ride a bicycle to go to the countryside!", we talked simultaneously. Summertime is great, but doesn't last long. Why don't open your heart, feel the heat of the sun on your skin, have fun and enjoy the peaceful beauty of nature together?

2nd Part: Spring
http://silent-snail.blogspot.com/2011/04/moleskine-japanese-album-story-of-four.html
1st Part: Winter
http://silent-snail.blogspot.com/2011/02/moleskin-japanese-album-story-of-four.html

Thursday, May 19, 2011

"Dr.Dolittle's Practice" postcard set

As a child, I read a Russian book named "Doctor Aybolit", writen by Korney Chukovsky, told stories of a vet living in a jungle in Africa to help sick animals. Many years later, I heard of  Hugh Lofting's "The story of Doctor Dolittle" and found out, that "Doctor Aybolit" is an adaption, although its poems are original works.
Few days ago, I sent a postcard to a Taiwanese studying Phd veterinary medicine in Japan. She asked for postcards with pictures of animals of all kinds. It somehow reminded me of Dr. Dolittle and my favourite Russian children book. Although  I prefer the character Dr. Aybolit and the book's Russian cultural aspects, I named my postcard set "Dr.Dolittle's Practice" because of the popularity of British children's literature.

Bear: I tried to get honey from a beehive on a high branch of a tree.
Rabbit: I was deep in thought of my grandpa's race with a turtle and fell into a hole.
Dog: Hey, it was an accident that I trod on your tail while being chasing after a bumble-bee.
Cat: You startled me. I didn't intend to bite your neck.
Hedgehod: I'm fine. When I got up and found this apple on my back, I thought of the doctor and wanted to give it to him.

Because I really liked Rabbit's scarf, I wanted to draw it again. I thought to myself, why don't create a postcard set which shows what the animals had done, before they went to the practice.

"On the way to Dr.Dolittle's practice"
Rabbit loves colourful daisies. "They smell nice and taste good in salad"-he said. In a field of daisies, he has always forgotten the time. His Mum told, his Grandpa had the same preference for these flowers. Who knows, years ago he might have discovered some daisies with a rare colour in the race with the turtle and also absolutely forgotten the time, then later lost to the turtle.

"Breakfast before seeing Dr.Dolittle"
Bear loves honeys. His Mum has always told, that he should use a spoon while eating. Bear doesn't think, this way of civilisation makes fun. Eating honey from jars by hands is the best. "Don't tell Mum!"-he said and smiled.

 "Reading while waiting for Dr.Dolittle"
Hedgehog loves to read. He'll read everywhere. In this morning, he woke up and found a beautiful apple on his back. Hedgehog thought of Dr.Dolittle and how kind he was to him last week, when Hedgehog had a terrible throat sore. Therefore, he wanted to give this apple to the doctor so much. While waiting to be called, he is reading. 

As you can see, Dr.Dolittle is very busy. Of course, he must be very busy. Because... how many people in the world can understand  animals' languages?
(These stories are made up by me, Thao Mai)

Sunday, March 21, 2010

First Love-Last Love! (To be continued)

All these drawings come from my 11x15 cm sketchbook.
The first love might be the last one. Have you ever thought so? It doesn't mean, you'll never be in love again, but you might never love someone unconditionally like you used to do...


"Two months after we broke up, he called me late at night just to say, he missed the walks with...MY DOG by the riverside."
(Base on a true story about love, which I heard from my boyfriend)

"He didn't welcome sudden visits at his dorm. One day I did it regardless and KNEW WHY. My way back home was filled with the scent of flowers of love from someone's garden. Since then I hated roses."

"Before he went abroad, we had promised to keep in touch by phone. I CRAZILY WAITED for a call from him. My cell phone never rang."