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Friday, August 21, 2009

Bonjour Blanche

#155 3 French tartsMore Summer whites for the weekend, even if they predict stormy weather...Painting white objects is no piece of cake it turns out...Hmmmm I am up the whazoo with gateaux blanche here thanks to my greediness for mini this and that.. A Mozartian white wedding gateau.*Note the 2 shades of white - cream plus a little touch of pink - the heart. When there's a transportation strikes in Paris you discover new things! Like these fabulous and gorgeous ceramic pear sculptures...The pears sit in Restaurant Benoit's windows on 20, rue St. Martin, noted for it's turn-of-the-century Belle Epoque bistrot decor.And artichokes...This handsome huge snail resides in L'Escargot's window on rue Montorgueil.Another Benoit window display..
So what's the point of all this white?

Well that's just it! There is a lot of color in white. Warm and cool colors depending... White is the combination of all colors of the visible light spectrum.
Like these tarts from PAUL Boulangerie are warm in tone.And there is a bit of blue and warm tones in this gelato.
Gelato for breakfast anyone? I hope it's lemon.


White roses are the perfect color subject.

As Henri Fantin-Latour
demonstrates in this lush still life painting.
Talk about lush whites.

This Illy poster was outside my front door in Paris and I was ever amazed by all the colors!
Now it's your turn. Name some colors you see in all these whites.
BONJOUR BLANCHE


21 comments:

  1. Have you seen "The girl with the pearl earing"? The painter asked her which colours are the clouds and she described all the tones of grey and yellow she could see. White is all this, it can be soft, strong, hard, brilliant, subdue....
    BTW the china at Benoit's is gorgeous , I took a lot of pics of them last June. My best loved was the artichoke. Thank you for a much better pic.

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  2. Anonymous8:57 AM

    How wonderful! I took a photo of the white window (in June just passed) and on my return from holiday had no idea where it was ... you have answered my question. Thankyou so much! I love the onions.

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  3. FROM WATER COLORS, WEDDING CAKE, CERAMICS AND THE WHITE IN YOUR EYE,
    ALL VERY PROVOCATIVE AND GORGEOUS. WHITE REFLECTS LIGHT AND LIGHT IS
    FILLED WITH COLOR.
    MERCI
    LEDA

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  4. Your blog is gorgeous! I spent years doing wedding flowers and explaining to brides that white roses weren't really white and helping them to pick the right shades...my limited artistic talents do not stretch to painting something white. Love your water colors!
    Kind regards,
    Kathleen

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  5. Hi Carol,
    long time no write (ok? not? peut-être?) but I'm always reading your posts and relishing your watercolors, photos and texts. Without your recent white entries (white but not empty) I would have never read this article (today)
    http://www.cyberpresse.ca/opinions/chroniqueurs/nathalie-petrowski/200908/21/01-894491-le-diner-en-blanc-a-montreal-une-tradition-est-nee.php
    which pushed me to find
    http://paris.evous.fr/Diner-en-blanc-ce-soir-a-Paris,1741.html
    Were you aware of such tradition?
    Au plaisir
    Kris

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  6. I agree. Whites are very challenging to do in watercolor. I try to remember that when you go to the paint store and look at paint chips there are tons of "whites" to choose from. I think they must be just really pale pastels. Votre blanches sont tres belle.

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  7. S T A C I E + K R A J C H I R12:51 PM

    Love your blog!

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  8. Maria R.12:52 PM

    I LOVE this page of the "whites".!!!

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  9. Anonymous12:54 PM

    I am enjoying your blog daily but did you say transportation strike in Paris? I am due to be there sept. 3-12th and can't find any articles about a strike that would definitely impact me trip! I want to make it to Angelina's now.

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  10. I really enjoy this one, Carol - beautifully done!
    I guess I primarily see a lot of yellow in white :-)

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  11. Cynthia3:36 PM

    Love your little 3 cakes watercolors...lovely colorful shadows. The white artichoke is gorgeous too.

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  12. Anonymous7:44 PM

    I was always told in art classes was that for a painter to show their true skill, they needed to paint an egg on a white table cloth. Let us not forget, also, that white in pigment is vastly different from white in the spectrum. In the early days of motion pictures when they used arc lighting, white was painted on sets in either pale pink or green. True white paint would have been blinding. When they switched to incandescent lights in the late 20s, white could be used. Scenic designer, Cedric Gibbons, became famous for what became known in the movie industry as the BWS or Big White Set.
    Cheers,
    Stephan

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  13. I'll take some of that luscious looking gelato, s'il vous plait! Your painting is wonderful--love those colorful shadows, Carol!

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  14. It's a true testament to your skill that you are able to paint whites so well, Carol. Love you work always!

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  15. I was so enjoying all of these white beautiful things, when I scrolled down and saw the tarts. Now all I can think of are merengues and tarts. I need to start reading your blog in the morning instead of late at night. It always makes me hungry for some yummy French pastry.

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  16. I'm back.
    Always impressed by the number of photos you have in stock ... in all colours!

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  17. How lovely and lush! True Paris luxury. I feel like having some freshly whipped cream now... with blackberries, yum!

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  18. That’s very delicious posted images. I love the painting of Henri Fatin-Latour it looks so realistic that I would’ve thought it is real if it hadn’t for the written description below the image.

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  19. the last photo is very alluring, her eyes and her body post looks so seductive. And the flowers that surround her is very beautiful. Thanks for sharing this photos. It really made my day.

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  20. Hey! I totally love all your paintings here! But I am very interested in that last Illy coffee poster, do you know where to get that? Thanks!!!

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  21. I love your blog it's perfection, and as a miniaturist, I especially love your use of minis...and if I had 661 macaroons, I would without a doubt build a tower...YOU MUST. Now a question, how did you get so many mini macs...did you have to buy the sets over and over again just to get the macs...I have six sets with a few macs but I'd love to have more...what's your secret?

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