During his early career he earned his living as a commercial designer, while continuing to paint in his free time. In 1952 he turned to free-lance illustration work. Among his commissions were magazine covers as well as large paintings for the board rooms of corporations such as Seagrams and Nordair. He was much infuenced by the landscape of Northern Quebec, which he first visited in 1928. Generally drawn to wild and isolated regions around the country, such places served as inspiration for his landscape painting. He was a location painter, working quickly to capture the atmospheric effects of light. His style can be described as a combination of realism and impressionism.

Bouchard was first introduced to the north country in 1928, when he worked in northern Québec and Ontario. Overly impressed with the beauty of each province, Bouchard returned a number of times to paint the landscapes. He also painted in many other regions of Canada, loving especially the Laurentians, British Columbia, and the Gaspé area. For his time, Bouchard created landscapes in a refreshing style catching the mood of the day implementing realistic and impressionistic techniques.

He was a member of the Royal Canadian Academy of Artists. He died in Montreal at the age of 65.