Digital Art Journaling

Long time no post, because I've been exploring something completely new to me... art journaling.

I'm loving the way it allows me to explore issues by drawing, scribbling, and writing positive messages back to myself. It *feels* less deep than writing a journal (which I also do). And yet somehow, it seems to create more change.


 In a way, this starts to bring BoundingSquirrel spiralling back to where it began: I was a coach and writer, proving to myself that anyone who wanted to learn to draw badly enough (ie me) really could.

Now, I'm learning a whole new way to approach my first stamping ground-through digital art journaling.

The inspiration: Tamara Laporte
I have to mention Tamara Laporte here, because her inspirational, (and free!) "Art, Heart and Healing," course inspired me to have a go at art journaling. The course demonstrates hands-on art, but Tam offers a digital art course on her own site too, and makes it wonderfully and supportively clear that everyone should just choose whatever medium works for them.

So I took it digitally instead...And at the very least (and believe me, there's much more there, check it out) it's got me over my fear of painting people instead of always choosing aspects of nature.


Don't know where this will lead next, but watch this space...

Getting the Fun Back into Digital Painting

This was a quick 20 minute digital pastal painting of a daisy. I deliberately gave myself only 20 minutes to see how much I could draw in the time, and how much fun I could have, without "taking it seriously," or "trying" to do things correctly".

And it was huge fun.

Would I spend 20 minutes this way again? Absolutely-and especially when the "fun factor" needs to reappear in my life. Give it a go yourself if you feel the same way (and I dare you to post the results...I promise I'll support you in your pursuit of this kind of fun!).

New Digital Painting: Red Carnations

The Computer Man gave me Valentine red carnations two weeks ago. I started it this digital painting based on some of them on Monday, and I've still only just finished this... As usual, it's digital oil pastels, from scratch in Pixarra Twisted Brush. Enjoy, anyway.

PS> This design is now available on customisable gifts and cards like this one:

Red Carnations (Painted) Greeting Cards by BoundingSquirrel
View Carnations Cards online at zazzle

New Digital Painting: Bougainvillea (And a Happy Accident)

Here's the latest: a decidely unbotanical bougainvillea to counteract London's leaden skies. The place my Dad had in Portugal used to have beautiful one, and I spent some time looking through the photos of all that sun this week...

Anyway, this is also a happy accident because, things have felt a little flat. So I started playing. The original painting is in digital oil pastels, from scratch. But this time, it has textures overlaid in Photoshop above it.

I loved the look, and am thinking of going back over everything with similar ideas...

Have a great day.
PS. This design is now available on a whole selection of beautiful gifts, like this one:

Deep Pink Bougainvillea Blossoms (Painted) Wall Clock by BoundingSquirrel
Check out more Bougainvillea Wall Clocks at Zazzle

For Valentine's Day-And a Long Way Beyond

I'm squealing with excitement!  Please listen up if you want to be in a happy or happier relationship (or know someone who does)...

My I present my new ebook (which I wrote and-thanks to all the BoundingSquirrel practice) illustrated for your delight...

For the last 20 years, I've wanted to capture the essence of what makes people happy in relationships and share it. For the last 3 years, I've wanted to find a way to combine all the coaching andwriting I used to do with the art I've loved learning to create at Bounding Squirrel...

Right now, it feels like by focussing on helping everything come together for you (or someone you know) I've accidentally started bring things together for me. Win-win!

Enjoy-and let me know what you think!