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.”

A french guesthouse

I’m doing some paintings for a lovely Irish lady with a lovely Irish accent! She has a beautiful guesthouse in the countryside, not far from here. These paintings were done in the beginning of spring, so I’ll have to redo them when her roses are all in full bloom. I’d like to do another painting of the house too, since I think I’ve done this one a bit gray? The house dates from the seventeenth century with lovely little turrets which were used by monks. For more information on the guesthouse http://frenchguesthouse.com/ click on the images to enlarge. Both were done in pen and watercolor on Fabriano HP paper. 30.5 x 45.5 cm.

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12 comments:

Robyn said…
I don’t think it’s too gray. I think it is elegant and inviting and beautifully loose in your painterly style. I also love the Wisteria around the tower.
April 30, 2007 7:28 PM  
🙂 Silvia said…
Such a beautiful house – I really can imagine how fantastic it will look with all those roses in bloom 🙂
April 30, 2007 8:30 PM  
Sandy said…
What a lovely home and you have captured it with a light bright touch, I want to do home WC sketches and now that I understand saving whites better perhaps I will give it another try – you inspire me!
April 30, 2007 9:55 PM  
Dave said…
This looks like a lovely house; it is certainly a lovely painting.
April 30, 2007 11:45 PM  
Lin said…
OH MY GOSH, RONELL!! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY GORGEMENTOUS!! It look so romantic and beautiful!! FANTASTIC WORK, my friend!
May 1, 2007 12:34 AM  
Nancy Van Blaricom said…
This building looks so intreging… romantic yet mysterious at the same time. Lovely painting.Hmmmm, I’ve all of a sudden realized that I have never watercolored a building…. how odd.
May 1, 2007 4:00 AM  
platitudinal said…
This is a beautiful house and I think you portrayed it so well in your painting. The grey roof gives the house a formal air, yet not cold. It looks great as it is, but now that you mentioned full bloomed roses — it does make me wonder how it would look like with them.Is that the monks’ turret with the wisteria climbing around it? Very pretty!
May 1, 2007 4:14 AM  
Cin said…
hi Ronell, many thanks for your comment today, your blog is new to me too, lovely watercolors! I hope one day to learn this medium.
May 1, 2007 5:49 AM  
mARTa said…
I agree with Robyn, not too grey. I love how you work in watercolor. I have noticed you like HP paper. I’ve only tried it once and wasn’t sure about it as it wasn’t quite what I am used to. I might have to give it another chance. La maison c’est tres beau!
May 1, 2007 7:18 AM  
aPugsLife-laserone said…
WOW! When I saw the house one, I was like “OHHHhhh, my goshhhh”. These are just gorgeous! I love architecture and I just love when someone draws or paints architecture beautifully, which you do. 🙂
May 1, 2007 9:21 AM  
Anita said…
Oh Ronell it is perfect just as it is! Simply gorgeous!
May 1, 2007 7:42 PM  
phthaloblu said…
What a beautiful home. Inviting, quaint. You did a really wonderful job on these.