How to Paint Like Eugene Boudin

A little painting-sketching leçon today so you can draw like Eugene Boudin even if you can't make it over for the exhibit at Musée Jacquemart-Andréby July 22.

The day I visited the Boudin exhibit the sun was shining brightly..

Today it's continuous Paris drizzle but never mind. This is perfect to get you in a 'Boudin' frame of mind..

If there was another 19th century outdoor painter so in love with umbrellas I'd love to to know about it.

Is it only French rain that makes such nice shadow shapes?

Probably. This one mirrors exactly

The rough dog sketches of Boudin

That later turn up in a beach scene painting.

*Note at least 2 umbrellas...

Another rough preparatory sketch of Boudins that I copied above, first with tracing paper and then into watercolor. The iPad Mini makes a great little portable light box to trace from your photos or paintings.

1. Simply set up an album and pop just ONE picture into it.

2. Then go into your Settings,

3. Then Picture Frame

4. Choose - Show Each Photo For 20 seconds

5. Turn off your iPad in the corner

6. Press the 'flower' icon to start the slideshow (which will stay on that one picture so you can trace it wiggle-free).

Voila! Another reason to love the iPad mini.

No umbrellas in the finished painting but these are working class so...

Another pencil sketch of beach loungers with their umbrellas and a good one to copy. Boudin loved to throw in just a touch of red to liven thing ups among all the neutral colors. Plus red paint was quite pricy back then so you had to be judicious with it...

Boudin, himself sitting out on a dock. He was really the first to get everyone out of the studio and painting in 'plein aire' including his good chum Monet. Do note his umbrella of course...

At the museum shop you can get a full painting outfit a bit more upscale than Boudin's supplied by the delightful left bank art shop Charvin.

The museum shop does not have any Boudin umbrellas on offer but they do have this darling lampshade for about 69 euros. Why not just practice tracing Boudin sketches and in no time at all you can make your own?

This is my watercolor set, in case you're interested from Amazon. I do use other colors from Winsor and Newton like Burnt Sienna and Permanent Rose, which tend to run a bit more. They didn't have Boudin's paintbox at the exhibit but it's still a terrific show and worth a visit if you're into 19th century anything.