About Louise at Tickled Ink Art

Louise Arnold - Wildlife, nature & portrait artist

Based in Rainham, Kent, I’m an artist and Mum of two, specialising in watercolour and digital media. I'm fascinated by the colour and patterns found in nature. I love to incorporate vibrant colours into my artwork and particularly enjoy combining more traditional painting techniques with digital media.

My art inspiration

Throughout my life I have always enjoyed painting figures and faces, preferring human and organic forms. This interest in portraiture has grown to include animals and I'm now lucky enough to create portraits of both people and animals professionally. More recently I’ve been inspired by wildlife – especially the patterns that nature creates in wild animals. I love the emotional response that people have to animals - me included. In particular, I've been working on art inspired by wildlife under threat to help raise awareness of these issues.

Why I became an artist

I decided to pursue art professionally, following an illness diagnosis. I'd previously been working on portrait commissions in my own time and juggling this with my career in marketing and design. After the shock of my diagnosis, an illness that I had already lost my mum to, I hit rock bottom and found it difficult to focus on anything except my art. I'd also reached a point in my life where I wanted to work in a job that creates an emotional connection with other people and brings them happiness. I still find art the best therapy and I get completely absorbed in my painting. This experience culminated in the creation of my little art business – Tickled Ink Art.

Where it all began

I've always had a passion for art, in part perhaps because my Grandad would spend hours drawing with me as a child, my mum was also a florist so I like to think that my appreciation of colour and beauty is in my genes. On the other hand my Dad, an electrical engineer, is highly logical and a technical genius so technology was always an important influence in my life. Growing up, I loved learning how to use new technology and started writing basic computer programs from a young age.

In my teens I had a battle in my head between a career in art or technology perhaps an odd combination so opted for a degree in Industrial Design in a bid to satisfy the two disciplines. After graduating in the real world it seemed that product marketing would be a safer career path so put art on the back burner but always took every opportunity to work on creative projects.

A unique combination of art & technology

It's no surprise looking at my childhood influences then that I've enjoyed learning how to use technology in my artwork and developed new methods to integrate watercolour elements into my digital art. I can't take all the credit though, I'm influenced by artists such as Elena Garnu and Ricard López Iglesias. The best thing about technology is that it's constantly changing so there's always something new to learn.

My art process

My fine art prints combine hand-painted watercolour illustrations and digital art hand painted with an Apple Pencil and iPad. My contemporary style portraits are hand-drawn digitally - from a photograph provided by you.

Spread a little colour and love

Enough about me save to say my prints make fun, colourful wall art for your home, and uniquely personal gifts for your loved ones. Visit my shop to find out more. If you're interested in something a little different or would like to find out about commissions please send a message via my Contact form or email me.

Thanks for your support

Louise