Illustration Friday - Umbrella

 

Definitely a more-is-more composition, but each empty space seemed to call out for another element.  I began with the beautiful central figure by Aeria-Model on DeviantArt and used one of my own photos as the setting.  The crow on the rock in the right hand corner is from Morguefile, as is the flying crow in the upper left hand side. The open box under the flower is from stockvault. There are also two different textures, one from Flypaper Textures Taster Pack and one from flickr which I can't attribute.  The decorative circle is from Dover Photoshop Brushes & Creative Tools: Calligraphic & Abstract Designs.  And, of course, what's the point of an umbrella without rain?  Created here with rain brushes from DeviantArt.  With the exception of the Dover book, all of these resources were free, so thank you to the individuals who generously offer their work for the use of others.

Photoshop Brushes & Creative Tools: Calligraphic and Abstract Designs - See more at: http://store.doverpublications.com/0486991016.html#sthash.LvXFneUV.dpuf

Photoshop Brushes & Creative Tools: Calligraphic and Abstract Designs - See more at: http://store.doverpublications.com/0486991016.html#sthash.LvXFneUV.dpuf

Fabric shopping in Paris

OMG! I was absolutely giddy. Mr. C and I had just descended on the funicular from the Sacré-Cœur Basilica in Montmartre, and there were fabric shops everywhere we looked! A panoply of fabric spilled from the storefronts onto the sidewalks, creating an almost carnival atmosphere while a diverse cast of shoppers bustled along the streets. We were in an area offering what the writer in an article on the Threads website called the “milk” rather than the cream of Paris fabric shopping. I was hoping to get around to some of the “cream” stores, which I never did (next time!), but I couldn't have had more fun than I did that day as I poked and perused and considered the vast array of fabrics in store after store.

Tissus Reine, the store I had especially planned to visit, turned out to be one of the more sedate venues, as befits its name (Fabrics Queen). It offered a good selection of good quality fabrics on four floors, with suggested garments on mini mannequins.

 

       

In a small space organized by fabric type, Les Coupons de Saint Pierre sells three-meter cuts of fabric. Coupon, in addition to the meaning we attach to it in English,  also means “remnant” in French, logically from the verb, couper, to cut, thus something “cut off,” a remnant . I bought some lovely rose-colored abstract printed silk; not sure what I'll do with it but the price was right at 25 euros. (And the young man in there was so very pleasant and helpful.)

My other purchase came from the Marché Saint Pierre, loaded with a huge variety of fabrics at bargain prices, a treasure-hunt sort of place. It was so hard to limit myself, knowing I would have to pack whatever I bought into an already full suitcase. Finally I settled on a tweedy teal that you will hear more about in a future post, because it is destined to be my Couture Cardigan Jacket. (I've already purchased buttons, lining and trim, costing far more than the mere 15.80 euros I paid for the two meters of fabric.)

I had left Mr. C sitting at a sidewalk cafe, but he eventually strolled around snapping most of the pictures you see here. I think he enjoyed himself almost as much as I did.

Yes, that's me, snapped surreptitiously by Mr. C.