Activities, discussions and questions

» Have a go at painting en plein air - Boudin once said that 'Three brush strokes from nature are worth more than two days' studio work at the easel'. Have a go - is it easier to paint in the open air? Do you get better results?

» Painting the Light - The Impressionists, and indeed Boudin, chose to paint what they could see, rather than what they thought they could see. They were really keen to capture the effect light had on the landscape. Do you think Boudin has done a good job in 'The Ferry at Deauville'? Take a look at the other paintings by Boudin on The Bowes Museum website or some at Impressionist paintings. Can you work out the techniques used to depict the light you get at different times of day and under different weather conditions?

» Complementary Colours - In 'The Ferry at Deauville' Boudin uses red to add contrasting detail to the predominantly grey-blue scene. The Impressionists developed the idea of using contrasting colours to great effect. The complementary colours are made by mixing combinations of two of the three primary colours red, blue and yellow. There are three complementary colours - can you make them? When you have mixed two primary colours together the colour you achieve complements the one remaining primary colour. To help you remember the complementary colours, have a go at painting your own colour wheel.

» Painting the Weather - Landscape painters use a variety of techniques to capture a sense of the weather. Boudin pays particular attention to the use of colour and texture. Have a go at painting the same scene several times, each time using different techniques to achieve the appearance of different weather conditions.