Artists at Montmartre

I love Paris. The view from the Eiffel Tower is amazing. The Louvre is breathtaking. I’ve visited two beautiful women there — Mona Lisa and Venus de Milo. I’ve taken a boat ride down the Seine at night past Notre Dame Cathedral. I’ve eaten at sidewalk cafes. Paris is absolutely charming, but what do I love the most about that city? Montmartre. It is an area north of downtown Paris. It’s got the beautiful Sacre Couer Basilica, one of the most beautiful churches in the world, but I adore the French Impressionists. Some of them had studios here. I know Renoir and Monet did.

If you go to Montmartre not only will you find great cafes and shops, there will be dozens of artists. That’s what I love. I have a special memory there, walking up and down past artist booths, watching them do portraits. It reminded me of Renoir’s  painting “Dancing at the Moulin de la Galette.” There was a magic there. This painting represents my memory.

I’ll mention two techniques I’ve used — rhythm and atmospheric perspective. The three artists in the front and the umbrellas behind them create a rhythm as the viewer looks from one to the next. Atmospheric perspective gives a feeling of depth. The people who appear closer are drawn larger than the others, and their features are more detailed.