A beautiful day in the capital today, so lucky it’s a Sunday. One of my favourite postboxes here in it is autumn look. I have a lovey photo of it covered in snow somewhere.
Always my favourite pieces of street furniture postboxes provide a welcome splash of colour in my sketches. And also to me personally evoke a feeling of communication, friendship and hope!
Enjoy your weekend.
From around this time last night when I was walking along Ferry road from Leith to Inverleith.
The rain was falling and the car lights were creating a lovely light show. I took a photo and drew this today from my warm studio. I love a good reflection and trying to capture one in watercolours is good fun. Tricky though and often I will add too much sketching or colour and darken the light too much.
Finally got chance to add some colour to this ink sketch of my boots on a walk around Edinburgh.
I had posted the photo a couple of weeks ago as I just loved the autumn colours and perspective from my morning wintry walk. I also posted the sketch below as I added the ink, taking my time to add plenty of detail with cross hatching.
The more I looked at the photo the more colours I saw, like the blue in the boots reflected form the stormy skies above.
Now with colour I thought this would look great as a print, and as I sketched it in my A5 pad then it will easily blow up to fill an A3 sheet. I am going to print a couple and see how they look, if you would like a signed version then follow the link below to my etsy page.
After the initial panic we relaxed into it, played bananagrams, cleudo and card games.
We read, cooked and walked dogs. And of course drew pictures. The best of days. It is worth remembering now and again that I work to live, not live to work 🙂
It is freezing today in the studio and this wee heater is working overtime keeping my fingers nimble enough to draw. October has started with wind and rain and a proper chill in the air. Time to layer up 🙂
Plus have a big job to finish so I am sketching anything in sight rather than get the job done. Not good enough, I will get back to it now I promise!!
The new Scottish Galleries at National Galleries Scotland open this weekend, showcasing Scottish Art from 1800 to 1945. The works collected tell a fascinating story, in a bright new space overlooking Princes Street Gardens.
Free to visit which is amazing, I thoroughly recommend a trip to see these great works of art, I couldn’t stop scribbling down names that I wanted to research later, so much inspiration from creative Scots.
Also very inspiring was the views opposite the artworks, great big windows frame the Princes Street Gardens and the Waverley Railway Station.
I loved seeing works from artists I hadn’t heard of, lots to research later and I look forward to returning again and again. The new galleries are open from this Saturday, 30th September at 10am.
Last night we had a stormy night, strong winds and rain meant we heard the tiles clattering on the roof as I laid in bed and this morning I had a nervous look at the garden fence to see if any of the hardy panels had finally given up. Thankfully they held strong 🙂
But on the walk to school I could see the trees had let go of plenty of leaves, twigs and hundreds of conkers which we had been eagerly waiting for. Looking up to the branches in previous weeks, trying in vain to reach and grab a spiky shell , or finding one only to find the nut not ready. And then overnight we were surrounded, I think we will drill a few tonight for a game of conkers.
The statue which marks the nearby birthplace of author Sir Arthur Canon Doyle was removed for the restructuring of this junction and is now back in place.
Surrounded by benches, cycle paths and some trees Sherlock looks set to be watching over the busy junction for many years to come. I look forward to seeing the area once all the fences come down and the doozers move out.
The walkway runs from Stockbridge to Dean Village, a lovely walk through nature in the heart of the city, listening to the birds and the river, its a perfect walk. Great for the mind and body, perfect then that the well is home to Hygeia, the Greek goddess of health.
I have added this sketch as a print to my etsy shop HERE. I think it may make a nice gift card too, what do you think?
Our second time on Mallorca as a family and the friendly relaxed vibe hit us as soon as we arrived on the island.
We have friends there and in the past family and so know the island well and I recommend it for a family destination with something for all ages and tastes. We hired a car for a few days, stayed in Port De Pollenca and here are a few of my sketches from the trip.
Port De Pollensa Square, nice and quite here before the weekly market took over with fresh flowers, fruit and leather fashions.
Sketching from the sun lounger and shadows on the hotel
Another one by the pool, this time in ink and this started with the parasol and just stretched out from there.
This church ‘Esglesia Del Calvari’ was at the top of a 365 stone staircase in the old town of Pollenca. A stunning place with views to match, I can hear the cicadas or tree crickets just looking at this sketch.
And here is one of James on the beach building castles. I did go and help once I had finished my sketch!
And finally a lovely palm tree 🙂
