Tag Archives: Arthur’s Seat

A perfect January walk: sunshine, snow and blue skies

Arthurs Seat in snow 2018Yesterday I went for a walk through the crisp fresh snow which had fallen overnight on Arthur’s Seat.

The capitals extinct volcano sits in Holyrood Park and enjoys fantastic views over Edinburgh.

On this occasion however I did not trust myself to climb to the top in such icy conditions so instead walked around the hill to the crags from which I could see the view above showing Arthurs Seat to look like a mighty lion sitting looking out to sea.

The sunshine but so bright from top right creating beautiful colours withing the snow, notably strong blue shadows which I tried to capture above.

This sketch was drawn with ink and watercolour, using a Windsor & Newton paint set and Artgecko A5 sketchpad.

Pen and Ink on Queens Drive, Edinburgh

arthursseatroadRecently I was commissioned to draw this view from Arthurs Seat, as Edinburgh emerges from Queen’s Park as you drive/walk/cycle around the city’s extinct volcano.

I am often asked what is my favourite view of Edinburgh and this is always in my top five (the favourite changes constantly depending on where I have been sketching) as I love the way the city opens up as you climb and turn the corner.

A must see and a great cycle in the centre of town Queen’s Drive climbs and circles Arthurs Seat, passing Dunsappie Loch before being rewarded with this fantastic view.

Sketch drawn on location in black ink. Commissions start at £65, email me at contact@www.edinburghsketcher.com for more information.

Arthurs Seat on Historic Enviroment Scotland website

 

The wee sketchermobile

Micra_ASeatToday I’m zipping around town meeting clients, potential stockists and printers. And all in my nippy wee Micra.

It may not be the coolest of cars, but its cheap to run, great to park and can do 360 degree turns to make an Edinburgh taxi jealous. Here she is parked up on Arthur’s Seat.

 

I do love the four wheeler sketchermobile, almost as much as the two wheeler version 🙂

Inspirational running

RunnerQuote
I sketched this runner on Arthur’s Seat this morning, the park near Holyrood House Palace in Edinburgh.

 

It was a real speed sketch moment, one I would of once upon a time reached for the camera I now pull out the pad and pen and start scribbling away.

The runner made a great silhouette, racing up the side of the hill then back down again, repeating this an impressive number of times. I think I moved on before he stopped. Although it was nippy in the park when standing still.

The quote is from Steve Prefontaine, an American middle and long-distance runner who competed in the 1972 Olympics.

 

 

Sketch a memory of Edinburgh

ArthursSeatHouseA recent commission carries memories of Edinburgh over the Atlantic.

 

This is one of my commissions from the run up to Christmas. A couple who had recently moved away from Edinburgh to a new life in the States wanted a sketch of their flat, along with the stunning view of Arthurs Seat which they were lucky enough to enjoy daily.

 

In my opinion a drawing can easily fill with emotions, in a way a photo can not. Perhaps through the lack of every detail the mind becomes connected, filling in the gaps and drawing on memories of personal experiences.

 

If you would like to commission a similar drawing of your Edinburgh memory, or that of a particular house or view then drop me a line and we can have a chat. contact@www.edinburghsketcher.com

 

Here is the sketch in it’s new home, beautifully framed…

 

FramedSeat

Green through the grey

HammermensEntryThis lunch time I got chance to use my new water resistant fine liner pens. My usual pens are slightly cheaper but the moment I add a watercolour wash the lines run and I can end up with a watery mess. See HERE for an Olympic example 🙂

Not this time though, and it was a joy to colour in this view through Hammermen’s Entry, which looks out across Holyrood road into Dumbiedykes estate and onto Arthur’s Seat behind.

Here’s to colour, and many more watercolour sketches of Edinburgh to come!

Arthur’s Seat sunshine

ArthursSeatAbbeyLane
I’ve not been so well this week and so not sketching at all really. This morning though it was such a lovely day of sunshine in the capital that I took a walk through Abbeyhill and onto the Queen’s Park on my way to the office. I had to quickly capture this scene, the impressive silhouette of Arthur’s Seat overlooking Abbey Lane.

The sunshine can be so therapeutic and there isn’t many better places to go for a stroll than through the Queen’s Park on a spring morning.

Sunrise over Edinburgh

There was a beautiful sunrise over Edinburgh this morning, this view is from my bedroom window looking South over the rooftops. The silhouette of Arthurs Seat and the Crags can be seen in the distance.

With no time to sketch when I woke, I took a snap from my camera and sketched this black ink and watercolour view from the number 8 bus into town.

A little shaky but a great use of my time. The bus is quickly becoming my new office 🙂