Written by One of the things I find problematic while living briefly in Paris is that the city nearly closes entirely on Sunday. To illustrate, we have a loose doodlewash of this shuddered newsstand or en français, kiosque à journaux. Shops are closed and groceries are open for only a brief time in the morning, so if you forget to get something for the evening, which we of course did, you’ll find yourself walking quite a ways to find somewhere to buy that extra bottle of wine you suddenly realized you needed. Thankfully, we found an Asian grocery just down the street with great French wine so all sanity was restored. Even though we paid a “premium,” it’s still ridiculously cheaper than in the States so it’s all rather fabulous. Museums are open, but we weren’t in the mood, so we wandered around, popping into the odd bookstore that decided to let people inside and then walked through un marché d’art, an outdoor art market. Having little to do ended up making for a rather beautiful day.
Another thing to do on Sunday is to visit the various flea markets, marché aux puces, that line the narrow streets. We walked through them, but didn’t find anything we felt we needed to take home with us.
It was like taking a tour of a hundred basements. Interesting things, to be sure, but an array of objects better left to their original owners than taking up space in one’s luggage. We have plans with friends and family again the next few days, but today we were on our own. The jet lag has yet to fully escape us, so it was nice to have a little time to move slowly and do nothing much at all today. And the best thing about Sundays in Paris is that you get a day where you are less likely to spend money, so today was also rather economical.
For this doodlewash, I decided to try out my new Sennelier metal tin of 12 half pan paints. According to the label, this little set is the color palette of the Impressionists so I decided to just go for it, keep things loose, and use them all. So here we have a quick little sketch using all 12 colors that came with this little tin of watercolors. It was fun to dip into the colors without really knowing or understanding how they would mix. This feels very much like my trip. I’ve no clue how to say most things properly, but it’s fun to just try what comes to mind and not worry too much about the result. Sometimes, you just have to go for it and not worry too much about what happens next. Particulary when you find yourself in Paris on a Sunday.
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About the DoodlewashSennelier L’Aquarelle: Lemon Yellow, French Vermilion, Alizarin Crimson, Carmine, Dioxazine Purple, Ultramarine Deep, Phthalocyanine Blue, Forest Green, Phthalo. Green Light, Burnt Sienna, Payne’s Grey, Warm Sepia. Lamy Safari Al Star pen with Platinum Carbon black ink in a 5″ x 8″ 140 lb. (300 gsm) Pentalic Aqua Journal. |
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I love hearing about Paris….Paris on Sundays and of course about your new paints. I can’t imagine how you can keep up with your doodles but hey, if Toulouse Lautrec could, you can! I had to through him in the mix. 🙂
Thanks, Margaret! 😃💕hehe… wow! I just got mentione along with Toulouse-Lautrec… hehe… not anywhere near that level, but I’ll take it! It’s been interesting here… it’s easy to sketch, but harder to find the time to make an actual blog post!
I bet it is difficult to find the time, keep that sketching up and maybe do your posts later 🙂
Been tough to even sketch…hehe… I just have little pockets of time to myself. But it’s all good and having a blast! 😃
The thing about Paris on Sunday is that you can find always people everywhere, walking by the streets, drinking on a terrasse, visiting the town or museums, sitting in a park, and so on. But if you consider middle or little towns, they are really DEAD on Sunday. Awful! I like your kiosque à journaux, typically Parisian !
Awww thanks, Laurence! 😃 Yeah… at least in Paris, some tourist areas remain open, but I can only imagine the smaller towns. They must be totally dead!!
paris is the most walkable city in the world
It definitely is… I can’t believe how many kilometers I’ve clocked in while here so far! 😃
Well I for one love your kiosque..that is the moi disappointed at not having seen this in my brief visit in Sennelier as I would have gladly spent my euros on it..even though I had way less to spend after our first Sunday in Paris..:(
Get ready for night and day tomorrow as I am sure you know..we did not..our first metro ride was on Sunday..quiet..calm..peaceful..
Monday..was a nightmare for these first time Paris travelers…on a Paris metro.
I loved coming home at the end of the day and doodling..
this may seem a strange thing to recommend..but while in Paris..the owners of our place had kindly left us chocolates and a bottle of wine..that we found lovely..and never found it again..apparently in Monoprix I read after we returned..Les Hauts De Veyrac..can’t recall the year..:(
Thanks, Monique! 😃💕 Monoprix is the best!! Love it! We have one right down the street! As for the Metro, we’ve only taken it once so far… been walking mostly… and that one time was enough to make me want to walk more! Lol We’ve almost entirely been visiting with friends and family so there’s only a little time in between to hit a few shops. Actually quite lovely and less stressful being around large crowds, so I’m loving it!
This is a lovely sketch Charlie I feel I am walking in Paris with you guys! 😉 <3
Awww thanks so much, Carolina! 😃💕 Glad you’re enjoying the trip with us!
You’re welcome! 😉
Lovely vibrant colors… Sounds like a good buy!
Thanks so much!! It was probably a few dollars cheaper on Amazon, but much more fun to buy on the Seine! 😃💕 hehe
Now that sounds like a fab day, I quite liked it when shops didn’t open on Sunday’s, it really meant that everybody had a less hectic day, a day for friends and family …hope the jet lag clears soon 😀
Thanks, Rebecca! 😃💕 Feeling a bit better today… I think the jet lag will be completely gone by tomorrow. It seemed to take longer this time for some reason. Hehe
Hey Charlie I just found out that your beautiful new Sennelier black tin 12 pans colors is just the one I use the most in my watercolors! I love them the colors are very pigmented you need little at the time they will go long way! I also have the smaller travel tin with 6 colors! I am glad you had a great Sunday it is not new to me that stores are all closed! Growing up in Italy it was the same there, and still now, on Sunday is relax time! 😉 Bonne Nuit <3
Awww that’s cool! yeah… I’ve been wanting this tin for some time… mostly for the tin itself as it’s a brilliant invention. I found an art store that sells individual half pans, so I bought 3 to swap out some colors and then realized that you can actually fit 14 colors comfortably into that tin!! Yay!! 😃
Yes there is room for some extra colors that’s great that you did that! 😉
Sounds like the perfect day in Paris! 😍🗼🍷 A day to relax, stretch your legs and drink wine! Would love to know a good French red wine – maybe you can take a photo of a label? 🍷 I like that you used all the colors in your little pan set! How fun is that!! 🎨😃
Thanks, Jill! 😃💕 hehe… I had to try them all because I had no idea how they mixed so this was mainly for experimental purposes. As for wine… it’s ALL good here.. that’s what’s so weird. Even the supermarket wine that’s only 5 euro is excellent and often has a medal sticker on the label. Love it here!!
Looks like you got on quite well with your new watercolor palette. I like those colors in your newsstand. I kind of wish we still had Sundays where businesses were closed, school sports events, and more, were never held on Sundays, we slowed down, and spent time with family. Hope you are better rested now and ready for Monday!
Yeah, it was actually a really wonderful day. You can’t regret not doing anything when there’s doing at all to do, so that was perfect!! hehe 😃💕
Ah! Another glorious day in Paris! and you used every color! so Charlie O! I love it! <3
hehe… had to do it!! Wanted to play with them all at once like a little kid! Thanks, Jodi! 😃💕
such fun Charlie! 🙂
Thanks so much, Debi! 😃💕
Lovely sketch, Charlie! And it’s such a delight to read your posts about Paris 🙂
Very curious about Sennelier paints now, must find and try them out.
Thanks, Anya! 😃💕 I really enjoy them! I was usually M Graham exclusively before and both use a honey binder, which apparently I love as I keep choosing that kind! hehe
Strange feeling isn’t it Charlie, almost every shop closed on Sunday.
Well here the most shops are closed on Sunday especially in the village but restaurants are open and the big stores in the center of the bigger cities too.
Dinner and wine is always a good couple!
The sennelier colors are looking good so far
You didn’t like to go to a museum in Paris, oh wish I was there😊
Good to here that your yet lag is gone now, rather quick!
A new day and the stores are open for spending! Nice day Charlie!
Thanks, Margriet! 😃💕 It’s been totally fun so far! I’ve been to all the museums multiple times before, so this trip I’m kind of enjoying living like a local. hehe… which also includes avoiding crowds of people. 😊 And I’ve impressed myself with my restraint on spending… I went to another art store today and simply bought a couple things. We’ll see how the rest of the trip goes though. hehe
I love your description of the marchés aux puces as “taking a tour of a hundred basements,” Charlie. And hats off to you for resisting the impulse to buy anything! I don’t think any antique could top your new Sennelier set anyway, or the lovely results you’re getting with it. Nicely done, sir.
Awww, you’re too sweet Heather! 😃💕 Thanks so much! hehe… yeah… I found the offerings on the street rather easy to resist! Lol
I like this one very much Charlie – essence de la belle France!
awww thanks, Rebecca! 😃💕 So pleased you liked this one. It’s a bit looser and a different style for me, and I had no idea what the colors were I was using, so it was a total experiment!
But it worked! That’s the fun of watercolour… 🙂
Hi Charlie – great to see you enjoying Paris so much – I’ll be there for a few days at the end of October so would welcome any tips for sights to see/things to do (things to avoid!) etc. Seeing your sketches is getting me excited about my own visit – it’s been many years since I was last in Paris, so many thanks Charlie
Thanks, John! 😃 And yay! That’s awesome!! I’m more just living here for a couple weeks, so I haven’t been out to many main landmarks as I’ve seen them before. My favorite places tend to include grocery stores with the coolest offerings and Monoprix! 😊 Did enjoy visiting Coleurs du Quai where I bought the Sennelier paints I used for this though on the Seine (3 Quai Voltaire). I enjoy exploring the smaller neighborhoods more than the tourist spots.
Very charming! I love the spire and how you’ve done the posters/signage. Interesting to hear how Parisians go about their Sundays – sounds a lot calmer. I should have expected as much, really! I daresay there’d be uproar if shops reverted to Sunday closing here!
Hugely relieved you still managed to track down some wine, though – where would we all be without the doodlewash fuel? 😉
haha! Yeah… there is doodlewash fuel aplenty here and at such great prices too! Loving every minute… even Sundays! 😃 lol
Loving your trip and adventures. Thank you so much for keeping us informed. Your little tin of WC looks great. So fun to experiment.
Thanks so much, Teri! 😃💕 I’m not making it to the iconic places to sketch yet, so hopefully the little glimpses work okay. hehe
Your doodle has the authentic touch of le kiosque — the small details, the “poster” on the side of tbe man, the bird on top of the dome. Trés bon! 🔆 Love the pano too. Quiet Sundays are the best…
Aww thanks, so much!! So happy you liked this one, Janina! 😃💕
! I was usually M Graham exclusively before and both use a honey binder, which apparently I love as I keep choosing that kind!
Yep! I’m the same! I switch back and forth and use some colors of other paints, but I love the honey binder!!