Fini! Paris 21/07/2010 Day Ten

I. Am. Finished.

It has taken almost all day but the last sketch for the book is done. I told Donny earlier that the line was holding me up. Typical for a line to see Santa. Originally I had thought to make the line a single page and even started the sketch that way but I chided myself for being lazy. Folks that remember the era will want to see the line in all it's glory. It was almost as famous as Santa. And so I start in on the last double page spread. So many people, so many children. Their faces need that special Santa line quality. Children being anxious, bored, excited all in one look. Adults being patient, resigned, loving all in another one look.

And I have a few reindeer to tidy up. But finally the last line is drawn and I can put my pencil down. The color has me worried but not nearly as much as getting the sketches right. I am so pleased with the way the pictures tell the story thread. Donny gets a daily walk through the book and he is pleased too.

Adding color will be tomorrow's assignment. I plan to use the pastels I bought and add a bit of water to create a smooth effect. Still anything can happen. We decide that making copies of these original sketches before adding color to them will be wise. We will look seriously tomorrow but for the balance of today we will venture over to the Left Bank to stretch our legs.


As we cross the bridge behind Notre Dame I spy hundreds of locks and ribbons hooked or tied to the bridge works. Curious we look closer. They all have dates and initials. Recent dates. We decide they must be some kind of lovers' memory moment and later find out we are right.

We find a nice book store to do a bit of shopping for the three musketeers. Earlier we have gotten a cute outfit for Lydia and a soft toy for grand #6. Suddenly across the boulevard we spy a copy shop. We cross over and step inside. No one speaks English. But a customer does and explains to the clerk what we need. It is not a problem to make the copies but they close in ten minutes. Not enough time to get our sketches, yes ours, they are as much Donny's as mine, and get back to the shop. We'll come over in the morning, the shop is very close to home. Then I will have the rest of the day to begin the color process.

Back on the island we get a very cool velociraptor tooth for Martin. That covers all the grands with a Paris treat. For the adults we have gotten herbs for the guys and scarves for the gals.

It is nice to collapse in our cozy Paris flat without thinking about sketching.

Dancing in the Street 20/7/2010 Day Nine

Tuesday, packing day on our original schedule. Thankfully, I still get to draw, it would have been a frantic dash for the finish to be done by today.

I am close to finishing the sketches, but I decide that I need more art supplies before beginning the inking and coloring phase.We set out for Sennelier. Once there I scoot upstairs to get more ink pens. Back down stairs other customers have the clerks attention and I shop around. I spy a mail in for a free Sennelier apron with the purchase of 3 tubes of Sennelier acrylics. No problem (a favorite phrase among the French-in English). The problem is limiting myself. All the colors are amazing. I get more than three, there is no way I can stop there.

There is a fellow artist buying lots of paintbrushes. He is elated that most are 20% off this week. I have picked out two upstairs and even though they are not on sale I am happy with my choices and don't feel like switching out or adding to my brush count.

We catch up with a clerk and I ask her for tubes of watercolor and also gauche. These are behind the counter, no self serve as with many of the items. I then ask her for protective sheets to safely get the drawings home on the plane. She has trouble with that request but finally figures it out. At last all of my supplies are assembled and we check out.

On our way back to our island we happen upon Eglise St-Germain-des-Prés and decide to stop inside. Cathedrals are always a fascination. A group is practicing for a concert. We sit to listen. Soloists, a choir and an orchestra. We find a flyer and discover that the concert is this very evening. We go to the nave to get tickets. The ticket seller is just leaving for a break. He says that he will be back in twenty minutes. We decide to wait. When he gets back he is surprised to see us waiting. I suppose he thought we would not have the patience. We get our tickets and more literature. It is an entire summer music series. The next concerts are at Eglise Saint-Louis-en-l'lie right on our little island. Sweet! And we'll still be in town.

We walk on toward home along Blvd St-Germain. I have been keeping my eyes open for a les enfants shop on all our walks but they are not so common as before, at least not where we are. We do spot a health food store and get some things for dinner.


We cross La Seine at Pont de la Tournelle and as we round the corner onto Rue en St-Louis l'ille we practically run into a wedding party processing down the middle of the street. It is wonderful. Apparently the wedding has just happened in the church and the bride & groom and all of their guests are dancing and singing their way to our end of the island. As soon as one song ends, someone starts up another one. For four blocks we walk alongside the procession, we and many others. Finally at our street and also the end of the island, the wedding procession somewhat disperses. We turn down the street toward home wondering if they are all headed to dinner together somewhere.

We have our health store dinner, tidy up and then it's time for the concert. It is stifling hot in the church. Many buy programs more for their use as fans than for information. Still it is the a hauntingly beautiful presentation of Mozart's Requiem. Paris never disappoints.