Look Who Bounced Into My Sketchbook Today...

Tap or click here if you'd like to download and share
this rabbit's take on spring. Image is best for screens,
not print, and please keep all the attributions. Many thanks!

Hello there

Well, this image says it all, really. Here in London, it actually feels like spring (well, for this week, anyway :-). And so, in place of my planned post, I thought I'd share the joy of this cute rabbit... Tap or click on the image, or here, if you'd like to do the same.

The story here...

The story is simple. Earlier today, I was about to start on the planned post, when I had an irresistible urge to enjoy the sunshine...And then to take out my sketchbook...And half an hour or so later, (time may have warped a little as I sketched ;-),  this cute bunny  had appeared. 

Amazingly, though utterly unplanned, this rabbit is also  just in time for the Spring Equinox, which is on March 20th this year, I believe.

So you get to have this little cutie, at pretty much the same time as me. Which means I haven't had chance to "do anything with" this image yet (though will post links if and when that happens).

Previous rabbits and bunnies...

If you've been here a while though, you'll know that plenty of cute rabbits and bunnies have appeared in this blog over the years already. Such as the ones in Easter sheets and kit available here and here.

And of course, the ever-popular cartoon rabbits on an Easter card over at Zazzle:

Tap or click here to see more... 

Finally...

I know that as I'm adoring the spring, people in the Southern Hemisphere are also welcoming autumn. So if you're on the hunt for an autumnal image today, have a look at this post.

Overwhelmingly and overridingly though, my joy at the change of season is so profound that have just got to end this post by saying...Happy Spring!

More soon.

___________________________

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A Watercolour Sketch: Glowing Autumn Berries

Hello there, and I hope all's well in your corner of the world.

Here, the very first kiss of autumn's oranges and gold have appeared. Amongst the still-very-green eaves, as if from nowhere... Berries are suddenly...everywhere...

And so, even though, I confess, have been spending a lot of time this week visiting places and just soaking them up, rather than drawing, there was chance to capture those first glowing berries, inspired by some I saw on our visit to Camley St Natural Park:

Glowing Autumn Berries: An Initial Sketch

Watch this space to see what they'll become. (Update on September 12th 2024: See them in action in this post)

And, as have deliberately gathered inspiration this year to keep things bright during the winter, expect some ongoing flowers this year, as well.

More soon.

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Simple Wild Garlic Sketch: Changing This Post and My Mind (Again)

Hello there

Yes, technically am not blogging this week. But wanted to see how you are. And so, came here yesterday, first of all thinking that I was going to be telling you about one thing (social media), and then, in a complete turnaround on waking up this morning, had an enormous vibe just to present you with the simplicity of a pretty sketch.

So, without further ado, here's some wild garlic in digital watercolour:

"Wild Garlic" by Clare Walker, BoundingSquirrel.Com

And then I noticed how nice it looked in the shop:

As a transparent sticker that you can use to jazz up cards, laptops, and even water bottles:

And on everything else from phone cases:

To coasters...

Tune in for the next, proper post, for the background on this and (hopefully) more spring art.

In the meantime, I hope these bring a breath of spring to you, wherever and whenever you're reading this.

Thanks so much for being here, and have a lovely week.

More soon.
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Spring Is On Its Way...

Spring Is on Its Way...

Hello there, and in a change to the usual schedule, am sending this so that you get it on a Monday (a temporary thing, unless you like it better, in which case I could always change things around...).

Anyway, thought you might like to see this little digital watercolour sketch, inspired by the very first finger of pink winter blossom, poking its way into the sky from a neighbour's garden, that I spotted a few days ago.

It felt like the branch was saying, "Keep on going...Spring, is on its way...".

And so, this illustration was born.

Now, we all know there's plenty of time for Spring to take, shall we say, a little detour. But I hope that even the promise of it (or beautiful autumn, in the Southern Hemisphere) gives you a lovely start to your week.

Thanks so much for being here.

More soon.

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A Spring Dandelion Sketch

Dandelion Sketch, by Clare Walker

Hello there. Am just popping in quickly this week, to let you know about a new sketch of this week's dandelions. They just seem so extra-bright this year, and so beloved by bees, that I wanted to share and celebrate them.

Though am hoping they will also be part of a design in my Craftsuprint shop soon, as well :-).

Update: sale has now ended, but the dandelions are now on available here.

Speaking of which...

It's sale time!

Yes, there will be a  20% discount on everything in my Craftsuprint shop, for four days only. The sale will run  from Friday April 21st-Monday April 24th 2023. So if there's anything you've had your eye on, click or tap here to visit and stock up.

That's all for now. But hope all is going really well with you. (and that you find some craft sheets you like in that sale. ;-) )

Have a great weekend when it comes, and more soon.

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Bits, Bobs and Two Unexpected Visitors...

Hello there, and as ever, hope that life is treating you well.

Now, this is the time when you get to peep behind the curtain, and see how creativity really works, instead of the, "yes, one-neat-product-appears-every-week," version of events into which this blog might (accidentally) have lulled you before now.

"Wisteria Bench" Work in Progress
Digital Watercolour Sketch
in Rebelle 5,
by Clare Walker

First up, there's a park/garden  bench sketch. I drew it mostly to celebrate humble-but-wonderful  benches in the sun, and a vague idea that, when finished,  it might one day join what I might (in a grandiose moment) call the "garden art series,"...The start of which is in my Society6 shop, at least for now.

"Roses on a Pole"
Digital Watercolour sketch
 in Rebelle 5, by Clare Walker

Next there's these roses-on-a-pole. The start of a wedding design? Maybe. Something for May Day? It could happen. But they got created because they were fun and reminded me of summer on a rainy day. Which is much more in line with how creativity really works than the "uploading-on-a-schedule," online world might suggest.

And then there's this post itself. For a perfect Easter post, in a world of productivity-over-creativity, there should be bouncing bunnies or similar. (And yes,  it's with some relief that I can announce that there'll be a more "correctly" seasonal post (if you want to call it that) *next* week.

Those Two Unexpected Visitors...

But if I had gone along with that particular script this week, then some real life inspiration which landed in the window box,  three feet away from my keyboard, wouldn't have got a look-in, almost literally.

Let me introduce you to the first of them. Both these photos were taken by my husband, so massive thanks to him (a.k.a. often on this blog  as, "The Computer Man").

Round Robin-Photo by Jim Fernbank

Yes, it's a robin. That most famous of Christmas birds (in the UK, anyway), gracing us with his presence (like the snow of  a couple of weeks ago) much closer to Easter.

I had a vague memory from childhood that robins like to eat tiny pieces of cheese.

That turned out to be the understatement of the century. He clearly *adored* cheese. And soon had us trained to leave out cheese for him in response to loud and disappointed squeaks each morning.

But the cheese kept disappearing *so* quickly, that we became suspicious. And sure enough, a second, sleeker robin is also dining at the window-box buffet.

Sleek Robin- Photo by Jim Fernbank

Which, combined with the fairly recent memory of snow, now meant that a snowy Christmas design just had to be begun, at least, even though you might not see a final, end result,  "on" something, for months.

Red Robin Sketch
Work in progress digital watercolour
by Clare Walker

(And yes, I know that my robin sketch features a red bird, and these robins are distinctly orange. But I'll save that debate (and the huge, bizarre, difference in popularity between robin designs in each colour) for a post nearer Christmas.

It's *all* OK...

Thanks for reading down this far. This post has rather wandered and wound its way round, a bit like how creativity itself seems to work. Am hoping that it's been fun to read, and that it might explain why things don't or can't always seem to appear, "When they *should*". 

Most of all, I hope that it may have inspired you to follow through on creative ideas, whenever and however they appear for you. It's all *OK,* and you, I, or anyone else, all have permission to follow those inner-and outer-promptings, as they happen.

 Even if that does mean that you draw robins at Easter :-) .

That's all for now. But my current plan is to be back a little sooner next week, with some genuinely spring-like or Eastery treats.

More soon.

__________________________

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Quick Sketch of a Corgi

Hello there

It's Friday, but very hard to know what, if anything, to post on a day like this. 

Here in London, the atmosphere is so...quiet.

Whatever a person's opinion about royalty as a concept, anyone who spent 70 years  opening hospitals and listening to pontificating politicians at dull dinners,  deserves at least a nod, and thanks for their service.

That got me to thinking about, by contrast, how important and enjoyable her corgis might have been for her. 

So, in very much a change to the post I was planning this week, here's a digital line and wash painting of a corgi. It was a quick affair, this morning, obviously,  in Krita.

Quick corgi sketch-download here

 But I hope it makes you smile. And feel free to use it if you need it in a project, either now, or later.

More soon.

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Day 78/100: A Christmas Cactus Watercolour Sketch

 

So today's offering is just a quick sketch in a corner of my  sketchbook. But it felt *so good* just to do something for the fun of it, which this Christmas cactus bloom absolutely is.

My mum had a Christmas cactus when I was small, and we both loved it for the way it was so defiantly exotic in the midst of winter, daring to be pink and green, when everything else was standard Christmas red-and-green at best.

And I liked it because, as a small child, the blossoms on the end of each stem reminded me of  twirling ballerinas. (Actually, even 40 years later, they still do...)

So that's the story behind this sketch (in ink and watercolours). May well be posting more that's just fun and (hopefully) nice to look at rather than overtly Christmassy, over the next few days.

More tomorrow.

Day 66/100: Quick sketch of Norman the Gnome

 Day 66/100. It's a weekend, so was just sketching for fun, and ended up with a physical pen and wash sketch of a gnome that (literally) blew into our neighbour's garden  earlier this year (with some liberal artistic licence).

 Since he's made the view from our window (which is pleasant enough for a city anyway) more fun, I couldn't resist christening  him "Norman"...And thought I should immortalize him before he decides to blow away again ;-)

In reality of course, he's only 6 inches high :-)

More tomorrow.

Day 42: Watercolour Geraniums Fresh From the Sketchbook

 

Today's sketch is pink geraniums, and so new it's still in the sketchbook.

It's based on some brave little pink geraniums that were still in flower in a tub round the corner when I checked the other day. The real ones are a bit battered, but then again, aren't we all feeling a bit that way at the moment?

More tomorrow.

Cute Scottie Dog Sketch in Krita

 

This cute little Scottish terrier is my Day Five Sketch-A-Day (done stroke by stroke in Krita digital illustration  software). And yes, he will be available on lovely items to buy soon. Happy Monday!

New Digi Watercolour Sketch in Krita: Scissors (AEDM 24)

Yep, it's day 24 of Art Every Day month. And I'm at that stage in a challenge where I'm casting around the house for things to draw...:-) (Also grey London in November doesn't necessarily hold all the appeal it might...for me, at least).

However, this has led me to attempt a quick watercolour sketch in Krita, of scissors. And, as I hardly ever draw man-made objects, am reasonably happy with this as a quick first attempt.

More tomorrow.

Daily Illustration #88: Happy Easter Rabbit Digital Watercolour

Happy Easter from a digital watercolour Easter rabbit in ArtRage4...

Daily Illustration #83: Girl's Face Doodle

Limited time today, so just a very quick head-and-neck doodle. More tomorrow.

Daily Illustration/Doodle/Sketch #80: Being Happy

The last thing I expected to doodle today was a person, let alone a cartoony sketch. Never mind, here it is!

Daily Illustration #72: Cute Terrier & Big News

This cute terrier sketch is the illustration for today, in Pixarra Twisted Brush Pro.

But there's bigger news. This little chap, (and the best of all the illustrations so far this year) are now available on loads of gifts, cards and other items, here.

Of course, if you're specifically in love with this little terrier, then he has his own page of items here.

Daily Illustration #47: Gecko (Digital Pen & Wash)

Clearly am aiming for foreign climes and sunshine with this one...





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Daily Illustration #43: Squirrel Sketch

The blog lives up to its squirrelly name today, with a squirrel sketch in digital pen and wash. Perhaps he should stick around as part of the BoundingSquirrel graphics...

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Daily Illustration #36: Work-in-Progress Mice Sketch

Just can't do these mice justice in the time I have for art today. So it's sketch today as a work-in-progress offering today...and colour tomorrow.



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Daily Illustration #30: Parsley (New Digital Wash and Pen Sketch)

I admire the intricately hand-drawn illustrations from old cookbooks and herbal tomes. This is a homage to them, and may or may not be joined by more.

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