Old doors in Tours

While waiting for the car to be serviced, I wandered around in a chilly Tours early on Saturday morning. Architectural features aways catch my eye and I tried to pen down some old doors of which there are plenty in the old town.

All sketches done with rotring pen, and given some watercolour back at home. Fabriano watercolour CP sketchbook, 18x26cm.

I had a conversation with some early joggers who stopped to have a look over my shoulder… going something like this:

“Ah, vous faites les portes?” (I see you’re drawing doors)

“Oui.”

“A pity that door isn’t too well cared for.”

“Oh, that doesn’t matter, it actually gives it a lot of charm and character.”

“Yes, much like us. We also get more charming with age.”

21 thoughts on “Old doors in Tours”

Beautiful artwork. Do you do it for a living or as a hobby?

Great fun doors Ronell. Love the conversation too and I agree.

Terrific old doors, so much character! Maybe if I keep looking at your work I’ll remember when I’m painting my pen and ink sketches to leave some white; it seems to add so much in a sketch.

Thank you for your encouraging comments on my blog; being fairly new to painting and drawing, I get so frustrated with not being able to get the looks that I’m after that I sometimes think it’s just not for me. The support from those of you that are so much farther down the road and who’s art I so much admire, goes a long way in helping me to just keep showing up at the sketch pad.

Oh my, these are beautiful, Ronell, not just the doors but the sculptured details too. I spent a lot of time photographing doors today but was too lazy to paint them.

You turn the car service into a joy to look forward to!

And I agree that it is the bits you don’t paint that add the unique sparkle to your work!

Lovely rendering of these old doors, Ronell. And I agree, we do become more charming with age!

It took me back to my 3 months in Nancy – I was fascinated by french doors. Have you been to Nancy. It has some quite special architecture. I loved my time there.

Lovely!! And the message is SOOOOO true!
The doors are charming!

Beautiful Ronell!
I agree, I love the tattered appeal of something aged.

These are wonderful, Ronell! They just sparkle with color – I’m guessing these were done on a day with a bit of sunshine – so different than today!

That is so comforting – age going with charm, and what a constructive creative way to spend the time your car is getting serviced – lovely old doors!

your work is so inspiring… every time I come I am blown away.. fabulous use of color..

Tours – a town I love so much. In a month I’m going to France, unfortunately not for where you leave – Alsacia – Pirennees and Carcassonne.

I continue to love the intensity of the color.

Great idea for a series of sketches! Funnily enough, I was in Cambridge at the weekend and was thinking that some of the old doors there would make a lovely series, though I didn’t have the time to actually do it, and don’t suppose they would have been as lovely as these anyway!

What a wonderful study. The comment from the jogger reminds me of a book on historic preservation called “The Patina of Place.” I think this is a beautiful title and a beautiful way to look at the “neglected” door.

Ronell, thank you for commenting on my people sketches. Would be glad for any suggestions you might have for improvement.

What wonderfully, charming doors, Ronell! I like how you’ve rendered the detail too ~ 🙂

Oh, how wonderful, Ronell! I try to say in different ways how much I love your work and your style, but I may be coming to the end of my vocabulary. You won’t mind if I recycle some old laudatory comments, will you ;D?

The doors do sparkle … lovely Ronell. I think most of us would agree that doors have such meaning.

Nice doors!
I love the mixture of color in the walls too. How great to sit and paint some doors in france, even if it means waiting for car repairs.

Ronell, these are wonderful I especially love the door in the upper right corner. The light is fantastic!! I can’t imagine how great they look in real life!!!