Monthly Postcard Club
Juillet 2026
Tourettes-Sur-Loup, Cote d’Azure, France
C’est Juillet!
I can’t say enough about Tourettes-Sur-Loup in the Southeast of France. I knew I would paint this charming stoop not just for the colors and the aged aluminum furniture but for the memory and its historic value.
We cover a lot this month! Navigate to the section that interests you the most:
Its History & What You'll Find in Tourettes-Sur-Loups
An artisan's village, Tourettes Sur Loup is situated near Vence whose streets are lined with medieval and Romanesque buildings. Now mainly tourist village, about 4,000 people still live in this historical town known as the “City of Violets” situated on a rocky cliff south of Puy de Tourrettes. We stopped here after visiting the near by, perhaps more well known, mountain village of Grasse. We felt like the only people here because we made an effort to get up and out early before the villages became crowed for lunch and dinner.
For over a century, townspeople grew the flower commercially for use in perfume and confectionery. Now, a maze of cobbled lanes and stone houses Tourettes Sur Loup is home to a community of artists, which is part of what draws painters, like me, to its streets.
Compared to nearby Saint-Paul-de-Vence, which has become quite touristy and gallery-heavy, it feels quieter and more like a real working village. If you visit, leave yourself enough time to wander the streets, visit a few studios, and grab a coffee in Place de la Libération and if you happen to visit in early March, go to the village's famous Violet Festival.
For more on the village's history and how to visit, see the official Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur tourism page on Tourrettes-sur-Loup.
Loose Watercolors
Other elements to notice about this painting — the active effort to leave areas loose. I am no Sargent, a master at suggestion and harnessing his mistakes. I am not a spontaneous painter, so this is a stretch for me.
I turned to the seasoned painters of YouTube.
Below are a series of YouTube videos from talented artists that have helped me immensely:
Karen Rice Art: How to Paint Trees & Foliage in Watercolor
She is a very loose painter and it’s not so much the trees and scenery that I focus on here but techniques, wash layering and the power of suggestion
Andrew Pitt: Painting Convincing Shadows and Edges
Honestly anything Pitt is going to be helpful especially if you are new to watercolor. He is fantastic teacher. Personally, I love putting his videos on and just passively watching them while painting, cooking or zoning out.
Drawing Art Academy: How to Paint Sunlight in Watercolor
This process video was intimidating but I think a great video to try practicing on your own.
Where to look on our postcard
The window frames and front door are less defined (at least for me). I want the eye to focus on and move from the door, down the stairs, around the cat and bistro set, circle around the rose plant, past the window bar, and back to the door. Or vice versa. Hence these sections are darker and clearly defined.
Painting Animals
If you know me, have taken my classes, or followed my painting journey, you know I don't paint animals. Well, look at me now! There were two cats… I told myself it wouldn't be the same without these attention-hogging French fur balls, but I settled on one cat.
I have attempted animals before, but I think this is the first animal that I have genuinely liked. I have painted a giraffe, an elephant, a deer, ducks and rabbits, all for nursery paintings, which I painted a lot when I started painting for friends. I also painted a boat cat on a sail boat! This is the first animal that I feel looks like I am experienced; here’s why.
This little guy is realistic enough… he is loose, no outlines, not even eyes haha. I wish I could say that I have a secret recipe for animals but it’s just practice. Beginners including myself believe that the more realistic the better it will look but that is not what watercolor wants to do. I knew this and fought it, thinking I just enjoy hyper realistic paintings… but I have finally proved myself incorrect.
The shadow behind the cat is also a small detail that I adore. It’s just a very satisfying three strokes…
I hope to soon start adding animals to home portrait paintings.
Hopefully I was successful. I provide other artists' tutorials and photos from my process, and explain more on this month's blog.
Enjoy!!
Jacqueline