Tuesday, July 07, 2015

July 4th at Chateau du Petit Thouars and Waterlogue

Independence Day at the Chateau du Petit Thouars is a 2-day affair in the Loire valley.
I get down on the ground to capture all the turrets.
The castle in Waterlogue app. Have you tried  painting photos with it?
We make an early morning run for the fabulous Mara des Bois berries.
You will have to search far and wide in Paris to find these upper crust strawbs. Maybe at a super fine Primeur at super prices if you're lucky.
They never seem to go off like supermarket berries. No sugar required btw.
My berries are a long way from looking like Waterlogue's.
Strawberries are so hard to capture unlike cherries, July's Paris Sketch Letter subject.
Raspberries are easier - all nice bumps. These were hand-picked by the goat cheese lady in her garden.
You can taste her 3 kinds of chevre - frais, semi-sec, sec.
Finding the  chevre frais in the city is hard. The Summer is when its best.
Cupcake hunting during the day from British Teresa's Tearoom.
Grasshopper hunting in the evening instead of fireworks.
Dimitri keeps watch in the cool tasting room, guarding berries, goat cheese and watercolors. And chateau wines of course. Temperatures reach 35-36!

Marche runs to the village of Montsoreau.
I get blueberries and raspberries. Gather ye berries whilst ye can.
Breakfast is outside under the lime trees. I stay on an extra day. Hard to leave the country. Life is one big picnic in the Loire Vallee. You Must Go!
Taking the Intercity train from Gare l'Austerlitz to Tours takes an hour longer but you get a taste of the Loire while waiting.
Back to my own river Seine. Back to reality...not so easy to make the switch.

17 comments:

  1. I like your berries better than Waterlogues'..I do love the buildings..the scenery..the kitty..but your berries..better.
    Ronelle,an artist/blogger lived in Tour..I loved her posts..looks like a fairy tale.
    I did try painting LIKE Waterlogue byseeing what they do..and it is a big help!
    Nowhere near WL..but I found it helped for a church here..

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  2. Thank you for the reminder about Waterlogue....I've been trying to improve my landscape work - this should be easy as my landscapes suck! I've had Waterlogged forever, and I just used it to see how my latest landscape should have looked! Now I think I'll paint the Waterlogue version.

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    1. Get the apps CameraArtFX and My Sketch for value studies

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  3. I prefer yours to Waterlogue's!

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  4. Carol, I do agree with earlier comments, that your artist's eye, soul, mind and hand create watercolors superior to those composed by any tech app. No contest.

    Funny to see those red, white and blue cupcakes in France for the 4th of July. xo

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  5. I wish I could paint like Waterlogue's berries! By oh boy!

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  6. For me (I have no talent when it comes to painting) Waterlogue can make one of my pics look good. No comparison to what you create with your watercolors. I had a friend that cycled through the Loire Valley last summer and stayed at different chateaus. She said it was an area she would want to go back. It looks wonderful.

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  7. Lovely!
    Especially the shot of the little girl in green dress, with orange balloon, those little bits of color on the gravel. Ahhh.

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  8. Lynne S.10:01 AM

    Absolutely lovely paintings.

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  9. Ruth S.10:02 AM

    Your water colors are wonderful! You are one talented lady! I am thinking of next May in Paris. I will have to put a trip to the Loire valley on my list even if it is too soon for berries!

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  10. There is no cheese like French fromage - looks so delicious!

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  11. Bravo bravo I love your post……incredible aquarelle waterlog…ha ! ha

    anyway I love the real one, your aquarelles

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  12. I love Waterlogue as it lets me do something different with my pictures, but I prefer your strawberries to theirs- I like a little more definition.

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  13. Beautiful photo-essay, Carol, and the watercolors...
    I've never heard of Waterlogue, but I like what it does :)
    Your photos/Waterlogues at the end; "your" bridge and the dog, look great with that program.

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  14. That looked a wonderful weekend, Carol. Sure you made the transition beautifully with your view back on Ile Saint Louis. These watercolours are stunning - whatever you use ;-)

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  15. Looks spectacular, Carol! It's berry/cherry season here and I have stuffed myself and will so long as they keep coming. My sketch letter just arrived today -- the last one, so you tell me, so it's off to Etsy to renew again! The waterlogues are nice ones -- If I had a smart phone or tablet, I'd be doing that app! Meanwhile, I will admire as I admire your own fabulous originals! Merci!

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