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Sketching in tours

A few sketches from Tours and around Montlouis. The last leaves have fallen, the weather is turning real chilly and everybody is cuddling in the bars around the counter with loud conversations and strong espressos. Winter is finally here.

a week or so ago, I was also in a café, Les trois écritoires, with an espresso, waiting for my Torrefaction to open so I could stock up on coffee, which is the first sketch. On Place Plumereau, is the restaurant Leonard de vinci, where I sketched as crooked as it was cold and miserable. Some tough leaves  in the third sketch, refusing to give way to winter and lastly, on another day, one of the many vinyeards of Montlouis. Voilà!

…torrefaction et au nom de la rose…

…last bit of colour…

…leonard de vinci en centre ville…

…vignobles de montlouis sur loire…

All sketches done in pen and watercolour in sketchbook

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In a sketching phase.

I am in a sketching phase. And especially scenes, not things or objects. Scenes like buildings and architecture, streets, les places, small shops. I don’t think I’m particularly good at these type of “scenes”, but I’m having fun!   I sometimes feel I will never be a proper artist. I  feel too much  like a changeling for I have too many phases. Maybe it is the winter.  Or the atmosphere in the streets, the lights coming from buildings, the reflection of streetlamps…how can I work alone in my atelier when there is the smell of coffee and hot chocolate in the bars, the intimate talks around candles, the festivity of people with shopping bags in the streets, the  creeping deeper into your woolen hat and coat…

Some last sketches from Paris: The first from le jardin du luxembourg with its hordes of trees and chairs.

…trees in jardin du luxembourg…

…a corner of st Sulpice and a sentier off rue des archives…

…la fontaine de st. sulpice…

All sketches done in pen/pencil and watercolour in sketchbook (15.3x25cm)

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Sketches from Paris in November

Visiting our eldest daughter Marinell in Paris this past week….

Paris was sunny and stunningly beautiful! Our weather is still very mild and everybody is out and in good spirits. The waiters are witty, the cars are their usual impatient selves, the women typically autumnal chic and elegant and the children street wise. It is always an experience for me to go into Paris. Once I get used to the traffic, the street hustle and bustle and and Paris noise, I fall into the rhythm of the city, revel in taking on my new pretend-role of la Parisienne.

…place de la sorbonne…

I have my few secret corners that I drop by every time (you’ll have to visit me to know what they are!) and for the rest, I walk and walk and walk, discover new quaint little shops and petits chemins, drop in to buy my regular edible gold leaf and to see what other delicacies are new. Discover bars and bistros and boulangeries and chocolateries, roam the markets, linger in the bookstores and art stores, enjoy lunch with Marinell at my one of my favourite bars outside the centre of Paris, L’usine Charonne. Tea at l’heure du gouter at Le Fumoir, meet Hartman at night on our romantic spot on Pont neuf,  read for hours in my favourite jardin de luxembourg where something happens every minute and each stroller is living his/her story. And always, always  held captive by the  incredibly beautiful architecture of Paris.

How I love Paris. How I love France!

See photos here:  Travel at Myfrenchkitchen

…st amandé – place de la mairie…

My sketches are all a bit tight, but maybe I am a bit uptight lately! I have done some more sketches which will follow in the next post and they are a bit looser and messier…the way I like it.

…le marais…

…place de la nation – statue…

All sketches done in sketchbook with graphite and watercolour.

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Sketching equipment

I decided to update all my sketching equipment. To renew a bit. There is nothing like a bit of fresh air.

…sketching stool and bag in one…

sketching bag and stool 3

…closed up…

sketching bag and stool 2

I came across this little fishing stool and bag, which only cost 13 euros and works PERFECTLY. It can be carried by hand or as a backpack an your bag fits right next to you with everything right there at hand. Nothing falling over in the mud or calming it between you feet, and you can have your bag to you left or right.  There ar two compartments on the sides and two on the front and it can carry large sketchbooks.  It carries  high enough on the back, not to put strain on my lower back and all is waterproof. I’ve sketched in the mud arrived at home and gave it a wipe and the underneath of the bag was clean. There are even more fancy bags, but they cost a fancier price as well. To me, this is a perfect sketching “outfit” – ligthweight a bag and stool in one, econimical and functional.

I bought it a Decathlon, a big sports store here in France. It is also available on some fishing equipment sites on internet, but not at that price. I would suggest you visit some fishing stores close by, or google fishing bag and stool.

Some sketches – done in pen, graphite  and watercolour in sketchbook.

…strolling by the Loire…

au bord de la loire

…la loire filling up puddles……

loire puddle0001

…le sentier…

un chemin de la loire 2

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Waiting and sketching in Beaulieu

We arrived in Puy d’Arnac where we’ll be staying for the rest of the summer and longer. Still struggling with internet connection, we are using a GPRS mobile card, but reception is a nightmare;  I can feel myself aging while waiting for downloads. I suppose it only leaves me more time to paint and sketch…and work on the house. Forgive me for not visiting and commenting much, as images and large files are impossible to open without getting thrown off internet.  As it is,it took me 2 days to get this post on Africantapestry! We were promised by France telecom to have a fixed line connection by August. It remains to be seen. Life has to be accepted here as it is…nothing gets done today, for tomorrow is another day.

Dancing to the tune, I spent a morning at le marché in Beaulieu, waiting for Hartman who took off with the remorque to load building material. I bought fresh apricots and sweet cherries, du vin, saucisson and crusty baguette, which soon seduced me into nibbling. I sipped a coffee and took out my long-time-not-used-sketchbook. I felt quite productive.

…marché a beaulieu…

sketch in pen and watercolour in moleskine

beauilieu marche

With still no sign of Hartman and his remorque, I continued with my heavy load…and baguette…and sketchbook…onto la place de l’eglise where a busload of tourists arrived shortly after, pretending to listen to the babbling guide. He, Monsieur le guide, was so bedazzled by his own performance that he continually stepped onto my toes and my half eaten baguette in his effort to be theatrical.  I was sitting on the low wall, trying my best to capture the anitiquites opposite the church. We were obviously in each other’s way….I was there first though.

…antiquités…

sketch in pen and watercolour in moleskine

beauilieu centre ville

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Sketching down the road

I was inspired to walk down the road earlier this evening to do some sketching, even if it could be only one.

My inspiration? Miguel from Free(k)hand. He’s been showing his sketchbooks lately and I love them all! The sizes appeal to me too, even though I prefer bigger sketchbooks.  Looking at his pocketsize, makes me want to try working smaller in sketching too. It makes for quicker sketching, carries easier, and is more subtle and  inobtrusive I think. Now if only I could get my sketches to look like Miguel’s… He is so nifty with his pen. Drop in at Free(k)hand and see his latest posts with his sketchbooks.

I only had time for one sketch down the road…a little chapel attached to an old house. Next time I’ll do the house.

…down the road…

old chapel quai albert bailletsketch in pen and watercolour, Fabriano watercolour sketchbook, CP, 20x14cm