In February at the C'est Bon le Japon event,I picked up a cherry blossom ๐ธ drinks coaster. I showed it to Bonnie, my chief letter idea consultant and said, “Wouldn’t this make a great April letter!” She agreed ๐
I was caught up in painting mono-product pastry shops in Paris…
Like madeleines, meringues de Fred, Popolino chou…
Eclairs, Pavlovas, macarons, meringues, gaufre. Maybe with tiny figures. Or maybe floating on the sky like balloons๐So much for planning ahead๐ต๐ซ
Then I saw on Instagram Shakespeare & Co with pink umbrellas ☂ & cherry blossoms ๐ธ Hmm…
Ah the wonders/wanderings of the ADHD mind. Life is full of endless surprises ๐ฎ
At the copyshop, while blowing up the Shakespeare sketch, as an afterthought, I blew up the cherry blossom ๐ธ drinks coaster. It was obviously the best image. An instant smile ๐ on copyshop guy’s face said it all.
Back to the drawing board ✏️ I remembered a notebook cover with cherry blossoms, birds & the Eiffel Tower I’d seen somewhere…
Was at the Hiroshige Fan exhibit at musรฉe Guimet I forgot to tell you about?
At the museum restaurant. It used to be much, much better…but I digress
Of the daily Hallelujah chorus outside my window ๐ช from 5 - 5:30 am.
Of course I had a consultation with Jill & Solli over tea at Mado. Happily I got positive feedback ๐ ๐ ๐ธ
Hopefully Kirin Beer will not sue me for being inspired by their Sakura beer coaster ๐จ๐
Don’t ask me why I’m hunting cherryblossoms? Since the April in Paris letter is finally done ๐คธ♂️ & ready to post ๐ฌ
What a long shaggy dog story.
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So beautiful how the Shakespeare and Co pink umbrellas and the cherry blossoms all came together. You are a great artist!
ReplyDelete❤️๐❤️๐❤️๐❤️๐❤️๐
DeleteSO gorgeous…I am going to add this to my Carol’s Eiffel Tower Collection! I don’t know how you come up with new ideas month after month. May Paris, your muse, continue to inspire you.❤️
ReplyDeleteDear Letter consultant, Bonnie,
DeleteWhat would I do without your input?? Your ideas, your feedback???
My touchstone ๐
Although mapping out all the Asian restaurants in Paris would be quite an undertaking…
This is so beautiful Carol. I love how you have added color in the couples clothing, the street light and the ever wonderful Tour de Eiffel! You go through a lot of steps to reach the final product.๐๐ผ❤️
ReplyDeleteThank you for your observations
DeleteOnly Through trial & error ๐ต๐ซ I realized using black outlines was a no-no & went with colored lines instead for a softer feel ๐๐คธ♂️
Love the post, especially the Kirin beer coaster. Looking for some for our town's cherrry blossom days. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteLove umbrellas..:). I remember an arrondissement in Paris full of them..Here also one area has had them the last few yrs..
ReplyDeleteIt’s a passage off rue Royale, though umbrellas ☂ now popup all over France.
DeleteApril in Paris is pretty darned beautiful! Love those blossoms and oh, the sweet treats!
ReplyDeleteI love seeing your process. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteCarol, you draw the BEST figures/people! Always wonderful.
ReplyDeleteLoving all of the ideas in this post! I am especially fond of all your little test drawings, the birds especially! I laughed when I opened the hallelujah music!! So you!!!
ReplyDeleteIt's so fun to see the developmental stages of your letters and maps and how one small change here or there can make a huge difference in the final piece.
ReplyDeleteIt’s true ๐ I was about to run out the door to the printers and I thought,
DeleteL”Too Pink. What if I make the falling petals white?”
Out comes the liquid white-out - it made a Big difference.
Sigh of relief.
I took the white-out with me in case I had another revelation on the Metro. The lighting is much better in the Metro ๐
Hi Carol. Love your process! annie
ReplyDeleteIt is kind of torturous…I’m never sure it will work out๐ต๐ซ
DeleteWhat can I say? I Love your work Carol!
ReplyDelete