New Digital Painting And Its Story: Mint With a Honey Bee

"Mint With A Honey Bee," by Clare Walker BoundingSquirrel.com

Hello there

This week's offering is a digital painting (in Krita, completed stroke by stroke) of the kind which I realise have not actually posted here in a while.

There's a story behind it, too. After the best part of three years trying to get wildflowers to bloom in one of our window boxes, we have achieved this feat: with mint. Yay! Not only that, but it turns out that honey bees seem absolutely to adore spending time on the recently-flowering mint blossoms (double yay!). Watching them as they bury themselves deeply in the tiny, fluffy, florets of the mint flowers is also *the* most calming way to spend...much more time than I'd realised...

Plus there have been plenty of minty summer drinks and soups to be had :-). So, it's been an absolute win all round.

A Low Key Beginning...

Stage One of "Mint With a Honey Bee,"

This painting had a very low key beginning, as you can see from its first stage (above). the more I looked, the more it felt a bit...bleh...and as if something major was missing, but just out of reach.

So I began experimenting with the many different ways to filter, alter and add more colour in Krita. And after some hours of (frankly) "happy play," with the app/program, I realised I'd ended up with the much more dramatic version of this painting that you see at the top of the blog....And which I'm calling finished (for now...;-) ).

What Next?

 "Mint With a Honey Bee," isn't on sale, or playing any role in anything anywhere (yet). This week, it was just a lovely way to celebrate a small success...and happy bees.

But I loved how it felt to be this daring...as if a whole new dimension of something new just might be peeping through. Watch this space.

And whatever happens next with artwork here, it's already a definite success for our, "wild," window box project. In the case of mint and bees at least, it seems that I *can* say, "Plant it, and they *will* come..." :-)

As ever, thank you *so* much for being here, and for reading down this far. May all be humming in your world, too.

More soon.

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Free September Illustration/ Clip Art Graphic To Download

Hello there.

I know this is a little early for the week, but wanted you to have it promptly, so that you can actually use it in September projects, newsletters and whatever else. 

Free "September" Illustration by Clare Walker
Right click, click or tap here to download.

As with all my freebies, it's my own illustration (in Krita 5 digital watercolour in this case) and you're free to download and use this in any way you like as long as you don't sell it as is or claim it as your own (copyright stays with me). Right-click on the image and save (or tap and save, depending on your device) to download it.

Have fun with this-more soon.

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A February Snowdrops Illustration Download...

 Hello there, and hope that you are thriving. It's almost the end of the month, so time to unveil the new February illustration...

Tap, click or right-click to download and save this 
"February Snowdrops," illustration.

Update on Jan 31st: After some howls of protest at my gentle attempt to sell this, I've decided that this, like previous monthly illustrations, should also be a freebie. (And yes, where a purchase has been made already, I've refunded it, though with many thanks).

Instead,  this illustration now makes beautiful greeting card, sticker, postcard,  and journal, over at Redbubble.

February Snowdrops art greeting card by Clare Walker 
at Redbubble.

Have a lovely weekend, and more soon.

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January Umbrella Illustration

 

Free "January Umbrella Illustration" by Clare Walker, BoundingSquirrel.Com

Hello there.

Like most of the rest of the world, it seems, I just can't believe that it's January. How did that happen?

Anyway, this is the first working day here in England, so a happy new year to you, and I hope that the previous couple of weeks have been however you most needed them to be.

And yes, this is also January's illustration, with apologies if you usually like to download them waaay earlier.

And yes, I've gone with the snow, though it was actually about 16 degrees C here in London on New Year's Day (how?). And I know, also, that you probably need another version if you're in a different climate/latitude/hemisphere altogether. (If this is the case, feel free to use the swanky new BoundingSquirrel contact form here to let me know what would work better for you).

Just to let you know...

As ever, you're welcome to download this image (right-click, click or tap the image, depending on your device, to do so) in accordance with my angel policy.

That's about all for now, but have a lovely few days, and there'll be more soon.

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Newcomers...Please Start Here.

 

To everyone who's a newcomer to BoundingSquirrel, welcome, and thank you. There's now a starting point for new visitors, which you can visit by clicking or tapping here.

And for those who've been here a while, yes, this is Day 33 of the "Sketch a Day" challenge.

More tomorrow :-).

Free Halloween Image: Raven

Hello there.

Today's image is a free piece of Halloween clip art/illustration for your projects.
You can use it personally or commercially, (my full "angel" policy is here).

To download this jpg, just click or tap  and save a you normally would on your device.

And if you like this raven, he comes with all the Halloween trimmings (including spooky verses you can use) on four co-ordinating craft sheets you may enjoy.

Have fun with this-more soon!

Free Autumn Watercolour Clip Art/Illustration Image: Mouse & Berries

It's the autumnal equinox this weekend, so thought this illustration might help you celebrate the beginning of all things autumn and fall. (Southern hemisphere people sit tight-other images will follow soon).

To get the image, just tap, or right click, or control click (depending on your device) and save. It's a  png, and free for use in any project, personal or commercial.

Attribution back to me (Clare Walker) at BoundingSquirrel is always appreciated, but never required.
(For full details, see my "angel" policy here. )

Finally...

If you're looking for more and bigger images to help your card, craft and creative projects along, everything in my Craftsuprint Shop is available on 20% discount today (Sept 20th) until. Sept 23rd 2019.

Go here to pick up a bargain.

And in any event-I wish you a lovely and peaceful weekend.

More soon!

Fun with a New App

The MagicPrints Android App is a wonderful thing...and perfect for whiling away more waiting time than I'd have thought possible.

Currently I'm enjoying using it to make mandalas like this one.

But I'm wondering which apps would you use to do this?