There’s something so mysterious and effortless about Parisian women. Maybe it’s how they dress, opting for neutral color palettes, tailored silhouettes, and timeless pieces like blazers, trench coats, and little black dresses. Or, perhaps it’s the way they live, as they often find joy in the simple pleasures of everyday life. Croissants and café au lait are slowly savored in cafés. Print books are favored over Kindles. Bookshops, art galleries, and museums fuel creative minds. And Michelin-starred restaurants are frequented for fine wine and luxurious indulgences.

The French phrase “Joie de vivre” encapsulates the above aspects of life in Paris. It means “joy of living” or “joy of life,” which is a philosophy that Parisians follow to live a happy and fulfilled life. This is something that has always inspired me as an artist, which is why I decided to express the joy, elegance, and sophistication of Parisian women in my new series: “Parisian Muses”.

My collection of paintings celebrates the essence of French savoir-vivre, which means “living elegantly” or “being at ease in life.” In a world where hustling, working too much, and feeling burnt out are the norm, I wanted to show that real contentment and happiness come from stripping all of this away and focusing on what really matters: life itself. And that’s something that Parisians have masterfully incorporated into their everyday routines, no matter how stressed or busy they feel.

So today, I wanted to give you a behind-the-scenes look into my new collection, where I’ll share my thoughts and artistic journey. Because with my art, it’s not just about the finished pieces. It’s about my initial inspirations, creative processes, and marketing and branding techniques that depict the daily indulgences of Parisian Muses.

The Window Into Parisian Life

There are so many things that inspire me as an artist, like fashion, makeup, beauty, and even architecture. The fastest way for me to see all of these things at once is to create mood boards via Google or Pinterest. In fact, here’s a mood board I made for my Parisian Muses series:

https://www.pinterest.ca/wendybuiter/paris-style-art-fashion-interior/.

Each image on my mood board captures a moment in time in Paris. There are Parisian interior designs, floral arrangements, heels, sidewalk cafés, and plenty of high-fashion brands like Chanel, Dior, Louis Vuitton, and Chloé, all of which are expressed through the eyes of my Parisian Muses. Finding these types of images is crucial to the early stages of my creative process because I’m building a foundation and setting the tone for my entire collection. Without a foundation of inspirational images to draw upon, there would simply be no life in my paintings.

This is also similar to how fashion designers work. They’re constantly drawing inspiration from the world around them and meticulously planning their next designs with a keen eye for details. And because of this foundation that they’re creating, they’re able to beautifully execute their pieces in an efficient and effortless manner. 

From Concept to Canvas

Once my mood board, aka my foundation, is complete, I start sketching. I use a soft graphite pencil to sketch my muse and find that I relax in a meditative “flow” state. (This took years of practice, by the way, so don’t feel bad if “flow states” don’t come naturally to you yet; they will in time.)

Once my sketch feels “right” on an intuitive level, I use thinned ink or black watercolor paint to outline the shape. Next, I layer the shades with soluble graphite or pressed graphite powder that is gray in color. I then experiment with various products to add color to the painting, which includes watercolors, water-based markers, and water-soluble crayons. Finally, I finish it off with acrylic paint and a special fixative for protection against UV damage.

At first glance, this might seem like a slow-moving process but it’s actually the opposite. I love to work fast and see progress right away. I don’t rush my creative process, but I also don’t move at a snail’s pace either. I just love to work in a free-flowing, loose manner where I don’t feel bored, and I find that working fast to finish a painting helps so much with this.

For these paintings, I’ve also designed a French-themed backdrop within my modern apartment in Rotterdam. This includes things like French books and decorative elements that enhance the narrative of my pieces. I’ll be scheduling photoshoots of my new collection soon, which will contain various backdrops of these French elements.

For those who are curious about the specific products and art supplies that I used, I’ve included a list below:

  • Sketching pencils
  • Watercolor graphite
  • Malleable erasers
  • Water-based paints
  • Indian inks
  • Water-based markers
  • Black fine liners
  • Black ballpoint pens
  • Water-soluble crayons
  • Acrylic paints in black, white, and various skin tones
  • Mediums like pasty gel and glazing mediums
  • Varnish
  • Sealing spray

Marketing the Parisian Muses Series

Why It’s Important

As an established artist, I can’t get lazy with marketing and branding my work. It’s a continuous process of understanding myself, my audience, and the various platforms I can use to showcase my new collections. If talent alone could pay the bills, then every artist would be considered a success. But unfortunately, you need to excel at both artistry and marketing to make a living as an artist. Most artists fall in the former category, having little to no marketing skills to get their work out there. And it’s a shame because there are so many brilliant artists in our world whose work will likely never see the light of day. 

Where to Start

If you don’t know where to start, I suggest watching some relevant YouTube videos, taking online courses, or reading books or informative marketing articles. (That’s what I did when I first wanted to learn about marketing.) There’s a wealth of information out there and most of it is free, so use it to your advantage. But if that sounds like way too much work, you can also set a budget aside to hire a marketing team, which usually consists of social media managers, copywriters, digital marketers, brand managers, etc. You can find these types of teams through marketing agencies or hire them on a freelance basis via job boards or freelance platforms, such as Upwork.

Social Media

Right now, I’m using a variety of social media platforms, like Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn, to market my Parisian Muses series. It’s important to upload high-quality photos of your work, post during high-traffic times (this varies depending on the platform), use relevant hashtags, and engage with your audience. Readers love it when their favorite artist reacts to one of their comments, and doing so will likely make them engage with future posts, which gives a boost to social media algorithms.

Email Lists

Not everyone is on social media, which is why I created an email list for my loyal fans and readers. Emails feel more personalized and serve as a way of communicating announcements, advice, messages, or anything else you want to say to your subscribers. In the case of my Parisian Muses collection, I’ll be creating specific newsletters to promote my new series to my readers. I also love to experiment with different freebies, like sending a free downloadable art piece that can be printed at home for personal use.

Decor and Props

As I mentioned earlier, I’m currently using decor and props to add narrative layers to my art pieces and photography backdrops. This isn’t just to make everything “prettier;” it reflects the identity and aesthetics of my new collection. By focusing on French-themed decor and props, I’m able to add consistency to my marketing efforts, which builds brand recognition among my readers.

Moreover, decor and props help tell a story and breathe life into my paintings. My muses become people, living in their own world with distinct personalities and interests. For instance, if I use French-themed books as a prop, then my muse will adopt this as one of her hobbies, becoming an avid reader who loves to lose herself in a good book. Or, if I use elements that reflect Parisian homes and interior designs, then my muse has transformed into someone who is creative, curious, and visually oriented. 

Indulge in My New Collection Soon

I’m so excited to share my new collection with all of you soon! This is a project that I’ve been working on for a long time and I hope that my Parisian Muses will inspire you to live life more joyously, or as they say, Joie de vivre!

Feel free to browse my collection at WendyBuiter.com, follow me on Instagram @WendyBuiter, and subscribe to my YouTube channel for insights about my art, my life, and my world. ♥️

Love and take care,

Wendy