Tuesday, July 27, 2010

Why I love Paris

This was going to be a post on cafe tables
There are an awful lot of cafe tables
In Paris.

In fact there are a lot of round/rond things in Paris. And Parisiens adore them unreservedly like this pool in the Palais Royal

The Parisien macaron is a prime example of abject adoration of rond-ness.

It makes sense that the cupcake would also be the recipient of mass adoration

Lunettes rond? Bien sur. Absolutement essential.
Velos=rond.
Parfait.
Heavens there is even a Rond Point on the Champs Elysees
Guerlain Meterites Perles = macquillage parfait pour les femmes francaises
YSL adored the rond shape sprinkling it on this delightful frock
Rond Cs on these Chanel buttons=absolutement parfait
Tartes up the whazoo in Paris=rond aussi
Another trendy gateaux is the 'cake' (pronounced 'keck') or loaf as we call it. What do Parisiens place on top of this rectangle?
A citron rond evidemment
OK, there is no denying Parisens adore also unreservedly their quite vertical Eiffel Tower. What is one to make of this? A little variety is the spice of life non?
Is adoration of the female breast the root of all this rond-ness?
Hmmm...
All this rather complex in depth research has made me aware that I love to paint round things. And that must be why I love Paris non?
I'm making an effort to use the lessons learned in the Maine workshop last week. Thumbnails first!
A Priori The, 9" x 11"
I'm using new watercolor paper, new palette and new colors

A Priori The 9" x 11"
All done/terminee

Bonjour Rondes de Paris!

31 comments:

  1. This post seems to be your way of
    letting us know you've come...
    "full circle," as in; you're gonna'
    be (ahem)a-round awhile...
    zeroing in again on things Parisian.
    Sorry...could not resist, Carol.

    ReplyDelete
  2. cool post now I feel a little dizzy.............:)

    ReplyDelete
  3. OMG, I literally want to go to the boulangerie "round" the corner and buy something..., anything round! Love your blog!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Love your watercolors. They make me want to paint and the food makes me want to eat.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Karen in CT1:21 PM

    Hi Carol ...
    Love your blog ...
    part of my life.
    The start of today's post reminded me of this picture. Yesteray I studied all your "sold" paintings again; picking out the possibilities.
    Karen

    ReplyDelete
  6. Anonymous1:41 PM

    What colors and brand of new paint and paper are you using?Your post Maine paintings are great. I am really humbled when I see someone with your ability still studying painting and improving. Thanks for the inspiration and info on France and watercolor

    ReplyDelete
  7. Does bloggee's sitting at the computer desk getting round count for fitting in Paris?

    Your water colors always looked good to me. Love the crispness of the finished product in this post. What type of paper and watercolors?are you using now?

    Nice photo's

    Joanny

    ReplyDelete
  8. I love it when everything comes back to cakes . And I love your watercolours - they have such a spontaneity about them that is utterly irresistible .

    ReplyDelete
  9. I love the watercolors - but I always did! So, I don't know if Maine improved your work or not - it was great to begin with :)
    Nice to see all of those pastries and sidewalk cafes - back in Pareee....

    ReplyDelete
  10. JOANNY- Yes, it's true this bloggee also has gotten awfully 'rond' whilst sitting at the 'puter..
    *Must remember to visit ROND POINT next visit and commune with other rondees.
    I'm using Arches ROUGH 140 pound block with mostly Winsor & Newton tubes plus a few Holbein wc.
    Plus I'm using a flat palette(refrigerator enamelware tray) that was sitting in the closet.
    Now I'm off to the pool to work off some rond-ness.
    Tally Ho!

    ReplyDelete
  11. Crystal3:49 PM

    I saw the crazy envelops product on http://www.ecritoire.fr/. I want to get it for my friend’s birthday. She must love it very much.

    I am living in New York too so I would like to know do you have shop?

    Enjoy your day!



    Crystal

    ReplyDelete
  12. Round and round we go,
    what a beautiful ride,
    thank you! :-)

    ReplyDelete
  13. Carol -- I finally made it back to "Paris Breakfasts" and I'm rewarded with one of the best posts you've done! That 2nd photo, with the turquoise and sky-blue tabletops, would have been enough to make this post a highlight -- gorgeous. I love Paris bistro tables and have seen many gorgeous specimens, but turquoise has eluded me -- until now. :-)
    XOXO
    Michael

    ReplyDelete
  14. Caroline4:50 PM

    On Paints:
    I will try the W&N then. I don't always like the colors that come in the pan sets so I think I will pick out my favorites and put them in an empty box. I like more pure colors like Cadmium Red and the sets always come with Alizarin Crimson, for example.
    BTW I have gotten so much helpful info about watercoloring from your blog archives, especially 2006. It's nice to know you started out painting small, not so overwhelming. I'm going to paint lots of colorful "blobs" too, like you suggest.
    merci
    Caroline

    ReplyDelete
  15. Carolg

    A big merci beaucoup to you , thanks for the visit to my blog and for that information on your art supplies.
    I have been busy in the garden limited time to blog, so I am only visited the blogs that make my heart sing when I look at them.

    I love Michael's comment to you, yes you do have a lovely blog and many exquisite photo's --- you are a 'fine' water colorist.
    Loved the series you did way back when on wine labels, and advertisements etc.

    Back to the garden to get rid of this blog roundness, after I have tea and a Macaron or two.

    Joanny

    ReplyDelete
  16. Who else could create a whole entire post on round objects? Personne! Round objects are very tricky to draw and paint. I am at the moment sketching door knobs.......yep, round! I needed a break and checked your blog.....yep round.....back to work. I love your new palette and colors.

    ReplyDelete
  17. And don't forget the round manhole cover in the red table shot! Manholes can be quite enchanting.

    ReplyDelete
  18. wanna know why *I* love Paris? Quite simply because what's not to love??? :-)

    Gorgeous pictures, painted and photographed, as always.. merci!

    ReplyDelete
  19. Rough paper, eh??! Pourquoi, m'lle? Interessante! Lovely work with your new papiers et aquarelles. Big smiles.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Fabulous post. Your work has always been wonderful but this new work has some extra pizzazz.

    ReplyDelete
  21. Encore une belle ballade parisienne...

    Bienvenue.


    Manon

    ReplyDelete
  22. Carol, I truly can't describe to you how much pleasure your blog brings me! I love seeing the beautiful pictures of Paris with your gentle and cheerful tone of writing. Just thought you should know.

    Ps. Why doesn't my city have pretty fountains like that?!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hi C.

    Es tu de retour Ă  Paris ?
    J'adore tes photos...
    Bon courage
    B.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Beautiful new watercolors!

    And you've somehow managed to make me feel starving, despite having just devoured un sandwich toasté!

    ReplyDelete
  25. Beautiful paintings Carol......xv

    ReplyDelete
  26. Thank God I found you!
    Thank you for your wunderfull paintings and pictures. You're my eyes in Paris! I'm going to check your blog history for pastry and boulangerie items for inspiration.
    Been to Paris 1 day! to look for neat bakerys but only found the public toilets!! Which are very good by the way!! ;)

    ReplyDelete
  27. ah, Paris me manques bcp et tout les choses rond...
    a very intresting point of view, I have never combined all these roundness in Paris.

    ReplyDelete
  28. enjoy reading your paris diary. love your watercolors too.

    ReplyDelete
  29. Beautiful paintings! Now, of course, I have to buy rough paper.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Anonymous10:09 AM

    Ah, bien sur, the rond-ness is happiness, squareness is hard-edged, rond is soft, we all love soft! La Tour Eiffel pic has, I spy with my little rond-eye, some roudness on the far left in the photo, n'est-çe pas? You are SO alert, Carol... ;<)

    ReplyDelete
  31. My God! Such a gorgeous blog, you have.
    And I really really LOVE this post.
    Needless to say, Paris is the most beautiful place all over the world.

    I would be glad if you take a look at my blog.

    xx Jana, by petit fournil de paris

    ReplyDelete

Love hearing from you