Sunday, October 22, 2023

Creating the Paris Letter & How to Paint A Cup ☕️

I used to own all these miniature coffee/tea cups ☕️ They ended up at Salvation Army when I moved to Paris 😭 I wonder who has them now?

This week has been a coffee cup immersion.

Cafes Richard
makes the coffee you drink in most Paris cafes and restaurants. They also make the pretty multi-colored cups you see all over Paris.

On Friday I went to their boutique, Comptoirs Richard  at 45, rue Bretagne. I assumed I’d be able to buy a single cup & saucer ☕️ to paint.

I assumed wrong. They only sell complete sets of 6 cups for 36€ 😬

By the way, a few doors down, to the left of Comptoirs Richard is the don’t-miss
Marché des Enfants Rouges at #39, the oldest covered marché in Paris, established in 1628.

I could have so easily eaten a plate of clam spaghetti among so many other delish things, if I hadn’t already eaten a framboise beignet 😬

At #57 rue de Bretagne, going the other direction, is the very adorable Bontemps a patisserie/tea salon

I will definitely go back VERY soon.

As someone who does not even drink coffee per se, buying 6 coffee cups was not on. I drew from photos, not life 🙄

My inspiration for the whole coffee cup venture was this right-hand page in a Japanese book 📕 on Paris. It just happened to be lying on the floor.

I painted the individual cups 

From different cafes ☕️ 

Then cut them out & laid them down like paper doll cutouts. I showed my layout to Bonnie, chief Paris Letter Consultant.

She said add a border of croissants 🥐 pain au chocolat etc.

By the way, I found that little biz card amidst my Paris goodies collection, which I send out with all your Paris letters.

This got me salivating 🤤 I took a break and went out for viennoisserie research 🔬 One thing always leads to another.

I only ate one beignet framboise…your basic raspberry jelly donut 🍩 

Watch
Barbara Luel paint a cup ☕️ on Youtube in 1 minute.

Then it’s your turn

I’m using Canson Montval Aquarelle paper

With just a few watercolors…

I’m guessing she’s using - orange, burnt Sienna, French Blue, Paynes Grey + a little turquoise as an accent. Will you try? Practice makes perfect 👍
Barbara teaches a cup painting class on SkillShare
.
Still working away at my Paris cup ☕️ letter
                           Please share with a friend ☺️
                            Stop in my Etsy Shop
                          ☕️BUY ME A KO-FI☕️
                           ❤️BON Sunday PBers❤️


20 comments:

  1. I love all your cup paintings. Your collection of mini cups was very cute! Thanks for letting us know it’s 6 cups or nothing….saves us dreaming of one cute coloured cup. Hope you enjoyed your jam donut!

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    1. Anonymous4:41 AM

      I’m hoping they will reconsider Kirra. They did have singles in pastel colors only for 10€ I will campaign on Instagram 👍

      Delete
  2. I like the red & yellow cups. Your watercolors are wonderful and that new Paris Letter will be awesome. Bonnie seems to be an excellent consultant!🗼❤️☕️

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    1. Anonymous8:25 AM

      Bonnie is an excellent consultant. She will just say something casually. And Zing it will set me off and running 🏃‍♂️

      Delete
  3. Bonnie L7:59 AM

    Ha! Like I could ever be your consultant. I’m just an annoyingly opinionated friend! And, a great admirer of your hard work and talent. 😘

    Can’t wait to see your finished cups letter. I think one of your cups was the very first watercolor that I purchased from your Etsy shop…way back when.

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    1. Anonymous8:32 AM

      Dec 8, 2011 Angelina hot chocolate No.5 ! ❤️

      Delete
  4. Replies
    1. Anonymous7:22 AM

      Thanks darling Monique
      And You have your wonderful ‘backs’ !

      Delete
  5. Anonymous10:10 AM

    Carol i wondered today if you couldnt sell your wonderful monthly maps in stores? I could visualize them in vitrines of papeteries, au bon marche etc!

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    1. Anonymous7:15 AM

      What a lovely idea 💡 I wish I could - that’s licensing

      Delete
  6. sukicart1:19 PM

    I could never had let those mini cups go - if they were mine, they'd still be in a box somewhere (and me wondering where they were).

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    1. Anonymous7:14 AM

      Now you tell me Suki
      Clearing out one does foolish things 😟

      Delete
  7. Anonymous7:17 AM

    I do have a few ☕️ left and the spoons 🥄 to go with.
    I should show them off..hmm 🤔

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  8. Anonymous7:21 AM

    Business cards can be works of art.
    I had many different ones…back in the heyday of www.MOO.com

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  9. Anonymous5:11 AM

    As my shadow grey I use a mixture of transparent orange and ultramarine blue 🤗❣️ Barbara Luel

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous5:12 AM

      I usually use WN Brt Sienna but I will give your trans Orange a try 👍

      Delete
  10. Anonymous3:30 AM

    This is my first time i visit here. I found so much entertaining stuff on your blog, especially the comments. From the tons of comments on your posts, I guess I am not the only one spending leisure time here.

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  11. Anonymous5:58 AM

    Your Paris art is a constant delight! I dabble in art from time to time and like drawing/painting the same kinds of things. FYI David Lebovitz posted today about a shop where you could buy a single cup like the one from Richard:
    M. P. Samie, 45 av Générale Leclerc in the 14th. Happy hunting!

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous2:41 AM

      Thanks so much ☺️
      I wrote about M.P.Samie in 2018
      Their cups ☕️ are not the same. Cafes Richard’s cups are made & designed especially for them 👍 I bought a red cup ☕️ none the less.
      http://parisbreakfasts.blogspot.com/2018/06/david-sent-me-la-tete-dans-les-olives.html

      Delete
  12. Absolutely adore your cups, Carol. They're so beautiful and definitely with your cheery personality. Also love that you went to Bontemps - love that place. Their tarts are not too sweet and the play of salt in the crust is just divine.

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