Here you’ll find an easy step-by-step tutorial for how to paint a Blue Dog. It was a series of work that catapulted artist George Rodrigue into worldwide fame in the early 1990s.
Blue Dog Drawing
When learning how to draw Blue Dog, try using a couple of different brands of crayons to get more color choices. I used a combination of Prang and Crayola, and pressed pretty hard to get the really vibrant colors shown in my sample.
George Rodrigue (1944 – 2013) was a Cajun artist who grew up in Louisiana. He went to an all-boys high school and then later studied at two art colleges, one in Louisiana and one in California. He later trained in New York. George began by painting outdoor scenes at family gatherings, using an oak tree as his main subject in hundreds of paintings.
Rodrigue’s art studies at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles spawned one of the greatest success stories in American art. In the early 1990s his Blue Dog Series, based on the French-Cajun loup-garou legend, catapulted him to worldwide fame, while his dark Renaissance-like landscapes developed into robust modern masterpieces.
As a passionate philanthropist, Rodrigue founded the George Rodrigue Foundation of the Arts, advocating the importance of the arts in education. Programs include art supplies for schools, scholarships, and arts integration through Louisiana A+ Schools. Visit www.rodriguefoundation.org.
You can learn more about George Rodrigue on Wendy’s blog and the book The Other Side of the Painting (2013, UL Press).
Student Inspiration
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Blue Dog Coloring Page
Materials to Paint a Blue Dog
Crayola Watercolor Pan Set
Crayola Watercolor Paint Set (16 Count), Washable Paint for Kids, 1 Paint Brush, Arts & Crafts Supplies, Assorted Colors Real watercolor paper always makes the watercolor paintings much more vibrant *affiliate link
Watercolor Paper
Real watercolor paper always makes the watercolor paintings much more vibrant *affiliate link
Non-Spill Paint Cups
Train your students to return brushes to the cup they came from and you have an easy system with very little cleanup *affiliate link
Paint Brush
A good paint brush can make a big difference and this style with a sturdy rounded tip is my favorite. *affiliate link
Sharpie Marker
Sharpie Permanent Markers, Fine Point, Black
Pencils
Ticonderoga Wood-Cased Pencils, Unsharpened, #2 HB Soft
Step by Step directions to Draw a Blue Dog
Time needed: 45 minutes
How to Draw Blue Dog for Kids
- Start by drawing a circle.
- Add the center snout shape.
- Erase the inside of the snout and add two eyes.
- Add the nose, brows and the ears.
- Draw the left front leg shape.
- Add the right front leg shape.
- Draw the two back legs and the belly line.
- Erase the gray lines and add bits of extra fur.
- Trace with a marker and color.
