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-André by 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.

Researche du Canelés

Falling in love with a little custardie cake, le Canelé, can be quite deleterious to your health.

I'd resisted the flirtatious wiles of the canelé for a long time, but at the Perigord Foire the old coup de foudre/flash of lightening hit and it hard.

Handmade by Lucette of Hautefort in Perigord using walnuts picked from her own grove (usually only vanilla and rum are the only addends to the egg and milk mixture), these rustic babies were irresistible. I even went back to the well for a third helping(!) and decided I must do some caparitive analysis with Parisian canelés.

Research began Sunday morning right after a dunk in the pool at nearby boulangerie, Le Moulin de la Vierge.

Le Moulin is one of the prettiest of Paris' boulangeries but see the yellow tops on these canelés?

That's a no-no according to Paula Wolfert and top pastry chefs of Bordeaux. These little cakes originated over 300 years ago either by nuns (nuns get a lot of credit for creating cakes in France by the way) or else by poor Bordelaises down by the waterfront with bits of leftover flour and egg yolk etc.

Next stop Maison Lemoine originating in Bordeaux with branches in St.-Emilion, Sarlat, Cap-Ferret.

Even Lemoine's logo is a canele cake

They sell the preferred copper molds or moules to make these puppies or you can find silicone molds in any Paris pastry supply shop.

Lemoine makes a soft/moille canele and a crispy or croustillant version with a more crunchy caramelized outer shell. Both had a cakey aroma or nez. The crispy version can be quite chewy.

Just across the street on rue St. Dominique patisserie Jean Millet is a  member of Relais Desserts so anything they do is generally delish.

Note the spelling here all you ex-French teachers!

Only authentic cakes from Bordeaux are allowed to use the single N in the spelling. It's the law according to 88 pastry chefs of Bordeaux who hold dear the secret recipe to this little cake.

Only about 1 1/2" high but there's a lot of protection for this recently back-in-fashion pastry - just the past 20 years or so.

The biggest Bordeaux brand of canele is Baillardran. They have a shop in gare Montparnasse.

They offer 3 levels of quality. I got the 'traditional', their top canele with visible flecks of vanilla, a rummy aroma and a little red paper crown for 2.30 euros.

Still after tasting as many of Paris' best example to be found on a rainy Sunday afternoon none comes close to the artisanally made canele by Lucette from La Noix Patiente/ the patient nut of the Perigord fair at Montmartre. I should have known and not gone off on a tasting tangent that has left me with a tummy ache. These little cakes are meant to be eaten just one at a time. And multiple taste-testing by one person is not such a hot idea. I guess I'll have to visit Perigord if I want another ONE!

Le Perigord à Montmartre

Yesterday on my B'day 365 Creative Dresses and I went to the Perigord fair

In Montmartre by Sacre Coeur

For the perfect lunch.

Dessert First SVP!

Hey it's my B'day

Fraises/strawbs direct from the Dordogne with Chantilly whipped cream piled on top

Next door figs from Norbert Echourgnac filled with heavenly foie gras. Just a gouter/taste did the trick. Insanely riche...

We had the best canele ever we both agreed. Not too sweet yet that perfect balance between cake and custard - so hard to get these babies right IMHO. I went back again today to get another and more strawbs and...

Pretty little bottles of flavored syrups - rose, rhubarb, black current...

Regional walnuts/noix in the shell or out and caramelized !

We shared a perfect half dozen of farm-raised escargot served with a little apero toast and a marinated snail. Heaven.

And just the right amount from Terre d'Escargots. The garlicky-parsley aromas were...oh heck!

This gentleman farmer had wonderful canard something or other and honeys from Château de Fayolle. You can visit and stay as well. There's a pool...

Chèvre/goat cheese in all ranges from fresh to Very aged...

These weekend French regional fairs are always announced in PariScope. Plenty of maps and guides were provided. What a great way to find out about an area before visiting. This British man was showing his Mum the postcard she bought of the ride down the Montmartre funicular...

Bonne Weekend PBers and THANK YOU for all your kind wishes and encouragement!!

Un Cadeau/ a presie

Today as always, is Norwegian Independence Day.

It's also my birthday and a first while I'm LIVING in Paris.

Today's horoscopes were not too encouraging...

Metro -Taureau: Des remous sont à prévoir dans voter foyer. Vous n'etes pas d'accord enter vous et chacon campe sur ses positions. Faintest le premiere pas pour débloquer la situation.

Google Translation- Taurus: The tub are expected to vote in home. You are not in agreement you enter and o'donnell sticking to his guns. Not the faintest first to break the deadlock.

Ok forget the horoscope.

The other day Patricia left a comment:

Please write a book!

We love your witty comments and hidden peeps of Paris. Illustrate it with your whimsical paintings. Please! And please include a whole chapter (if not more) on ONLY FABULOUS DESSERTS (OFD)

Well I've been working on a book for ages and ages...

It's been through many renditions and it's been a kind of torture..

Just this week literary agent Rachelle Gardner talked about bloggers being told they should write a book and maybe they should forgetaboutit?

Honestly I LOVE blogging daily for PB.

It's a creative challange that makes my day.

Plus what's not to love about the instant recognition you get back?

Creating a book is soooo different than blogging. It takes way more time and the format is completely different.

Solving that problem has stumped me for such a long time...

French Girl keeps asking me,

"When is ze book launch?"

Grrrrrr....she has no idea

Lord knows I've certainly collected enough macaron material to write several books over...ahem

And even researched beyond Paris' perimeters.

Heck! It was the main reason I moved to Paris.

But not a whole lot has gotten done.

So I'm turning to you dear PB readers to give me a good kick in the pants regarding 'Ze Book' as a birthday presie.

Or maybe I should quit?

Qui sait?

I've had a little breakthrough this week.

I do a lot of work while riding on the Metro and in the pool.

Let me know what you think svp.