One of my weather apps says that the average high temperature for August in Avignon is 88F. The whole time we have been here it has been between 96-100F, so on the average it has been too hot to go out much. We have ventured out for foraging in the morning when it was a nice cool 80-something. A few times we went to La Cave des La Sages – loosely translated “the cellar of the mischievous” but it is actually a pun on pas sages suggesting “the cellar of passages.” The shade from the old plane trees makes it quite nice even in the heat.
I did this sketch using ink and graphite first, then watercolor, of a group of folks sitting next to us.
With the heat keeping us inside I did some painting on procreate, it is always fun to push your comfort zone a bit. Procreate in many ways is more of a challenge than painting on paper since there are so many tools, so I watched a couple of tutorials and learned a bit.
This one started as an abstract/impressionist palm tree concept, I let that just take me where my mind wandered.
Then I did this as an oil painting of a Paris street.
This one was fun. I used the basic scene of the “passage” that we walk along, but added a lady in the red dress from a photo I took in Strasbourg – I love artistic licence. I am quite pleased at how it turned out.
Yesterday it was just a bit cooler so we went out to explore a part of Avignon we have never been to before. The lure of an Irish Pub under the ubiquitous plane trees was perfect for watching people – Tricia sorted photos for her upcoming blog, I grabbed my KOH-I-NOOR Versatil 5mm with 4B lead and did a sketch.
On one of my solo ventures out in the heat I found an old book store and snagged a prize. This book on the Impressionists had no price, so I asked, combien, s’il vous plaît. After a bit of checking she said 10€, what a deal. It was published in 1955, it is loaded with plates that are color photos glued to the pages. So with a bit of help from my dictionary there is some reading in store.
And of course I continue to capture folks on a break.
It is beginning to cool a bit so soon we will do more exploring. I hope you are coping with the heat if you are in the Northern Hemisphere, and if in the Southern enjoy the cool, your summer is coming.
And of course keep on capturing the moment, hopefully on a sketch pad, or give your iPad a try then send me a photo or post to IG and tag #thetravelsketcher – I always love seeing what you do.
theTravelsketcher 
Avignon is an amazing place. You’ve sketched it well kk
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Thank you, we have been here a few times and are always discovering new places.
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It has been so sultry. I confess we fled up to the mountains for a few days of respite.
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Sounds like a good thing to do.
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We loved Avignon, as the entire Provence actually, hope you are having a terrific time there!
The lady in red dress really stands out, great sketching Terry!
Christie
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Thank you so much, I wanted her to be the focus, glad it worked.
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What a fantastic find. I love the old art books. Lovely sketches,Terry. I understand about the heat. We have been charbroiling since June in 30-40° although today we have some drizzle and overcast with 28. Feels better!
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You capture the atmosphere so well. Yes…we are heading into spring down here..daffodils popping up all over the place.
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Love daffys
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Hope things have cooled off by now. Great and interesting sketches–and we so enjoy all your clever pictures of people just chilling and taking a break. What a great coffee table book all those photos would make… And as a bit of a bargain shopper (as you may know), I’m pretty impressed with the book on Impressionism. From a really good shopper to a really good artists: well done!
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Today it got down to 84, better but still warm, and forecast is back in 90s in a day or two. Thanks so much.
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The addition to your sketch of The Lady in the Red Dress could not be more perfect. It seems you do have a fascination with smoking French women resting in doorways (often looking at their cell phones). There must be a really fascinating reason — I wish I was Freud. 🙂
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Or it could be there are just more women than men standing in the doorways ? Glad you are not Freud, might be scary what he would say.
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