Tag Archives: art

New art in the Haven cafe, in Leith

haven prints photoThe Haven cafe provides fresh and tasty fry ups from its Anchorfield home in Newhaven.

With friendly staff, fresh made to order food and scrummy home baked cakes it is no wonder this popular cafe is always busy. I love the fact I have a wall of framed artwork for sale there as it gives me the perfect reason to visit!

The Banana Flats sketch, top left is a giclee print which I have added watercolour too to create an original piece, is £49. The square Victoria Bridge, top right is also a giclee print from an original watercolour painted on location in Leith, and that is £65 in the frame.

A true locals secret this place is well worth a visit if in Leith, and much, much better value than many close by. Plus the walls are full of local artwork, what more do you want!

The Haven Cafe website

 

WhereArtI 5th March 2018

Where in Edinburgh have I sketched?

If you can you tell me where in the Scottish capital I have sketched then you could win a great prize. Email me your answer using the link below and I will randomly pick a correct answer tomorrow morning, who will then go into the monthly draw to win a prize.

The prize for March is a set of my new Edinburgh Sketcher wooden postcards.

Currently being printed the three sketches featured on my new wooden postcards, which can be posted with the same postage as a normal postcard, will be Edinburgh Castle, Greyfriars Bobby and the Forth Bridge. A photo will appear here later.

Click HERE to enter your answer

The answer is always in Edinburgh so keep looking up and noticing the details in Scotland’s stunning capital city. Keep an eye on my facebook and twitter feeds for clues through the day if they are needed.

Enter via the link above or email contact@www.edinburghsketcher.com with the subject line ‘WhereArtI 5th March 2018’.

Apex Grassmarket Hotel website.

Fantastic art created in the National Museums Scotland

imagePrize giving at the NMS for this years Christmas Art Competition.

Now in its 44th year the NMS Christmas Art Competitioni open to all ages and runs each winter just for the few days between Christmas Day and the New Year.

Participants are givin paper and pencils and encouraged to capture any of the thousands of exhibits on display in the Chambers Street museum.

This January I was one of three judges asked to narrow down the many entries into 1st 2nd and 3rd places for each age category. Ranging from 3years to 70years the artists varied in styles as well as abilities and it was a great inspiration to see so many beautiful pieces created in so little time.

It was an honour to help pick the winners and congratulations to not just those who attended today to receive their prizes but also to all those who took part and found enjoyemeant from drawing in such a wonderful location.

This quick sketch is in watercolour, from days ceremony.

National Museums Scotland

A new skill for a new year

Pyrography Castle 2I was very lucky this Christmas to receive a pyrography set from Mrs Sketcher and I have been having fun experimenting since.

It’s always great to find a new way to be creative and from my early experiences it seems pyrography, which is the art of decorating wood or other materials with burn marks is perfect for my style of sketching.

Using a ‘pen’ with a heated tip you can make a marks on wood and with a number of different shaped tips you can make various marks from curved lines to broad shading. Below is my first mess around with the pen, and a burn portrait of Mocha, the Sketcher Cat.

Pyrography Mocha

I have included a link to a similar kit to mine online if you want to have a go yourself, it is a little tricky to get used to the speed in which you move the pen, as depending on the wood if too slow the tip can stick resulting in a large burn mark, and if too fast then the linework can be too light. But once you have a controlled speed the drawing is relatively easy.

The kit I received had a number of wood pieces within to try out the pen but unfortunately they were not labelled so I cannot name the wood that these are made on, if you can then please let me know.

A similar pyrography kit at the HobbyCraft website.

The original Edinburgh Castle burnt sketch is available framed for £75. Let me know HERE if you would like to purchase it.

Pyrography Castle frame

Join me capturing Edinburgh’s Christmas in sketches

Dome Closeup ChristmasCreate your very own montage of festive sketches at the one off Christmas workshop in Edinburgh’s New Town

Spend Friday 15th December with me picking up speed sketching tips both inside and out as we make our way around Edinburgh’s New Town, drawing some of George Streets beautiful decorations and spending some time in the Portrait gallery on Queen Street.

Finished Monatages x2

Lunch and beverages are included in this seven hour festive workshop. We will venture out with both ink fine liners and watercolour sets before creating a bespoke framed montage to take home, together with a boosted confidence in your own ability!

For more details and to book see the link below and I hope to see you on Friday.

The Ariennas Collective website

WhereArtI : 6th November : Scotland

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Can you tell me where in Scotland I have sketched?

If so click the link below to email me your answer. I will pick a random winner from all correct answers on Tuesday morning, and they will go on to the ‘Winners wall’ for the month. At the end of the month those on the wall will be entered into a draw to receive a prize.

The prize for November is one of my Edinburgh Mugs. Available in Victoria Street, Leith or Edinburgh Castle they are perfect for an winter warming cuppa!

Click HERE to enter your answer

Usually the answer will be within the Edinburgh boundaries, but on the first Monday of the month the competition is Scotland wide. Keep an eye on my facebook and twitter feeds for clues if they are needed.

I hope you join us to play along and keep looking up and noticing the details in the everyday, you never know where I will be sketching next time!

Enter via the link above or email contact@www.edinburghsketcher.com with the subject line ‘WhereArtI 6th November 2017’.

Edinburgh Sketcher online store.

Find Hidden Gems within the City Art Centre this Autumn

Hidden Gems - City Art CentreA new exhibition starts tomorrow at the City Art Centre, showcasing some forgotten treasures from well known artists.

Housed in the basement floor of the City Art Centre on Market Street the Hidden Gems exhibition brings together some of the venues lesser known objects from their 4,800 strong fine art collection.

These pieces have rarely been seen in public and are now getting their time to shine. I got a sneak peak yesterday and loved the wide range of artwork on display, from both artists I knew and those I was unfamiliar with.

I left feeling inspired

This is the main reason for visiting a museum or gallery for me: to see the works you know up close but also to discover and learn about those you don’t.

I love the idea of Hidden Gems and hope the City Art Centre continue the idea but rotate the objects. I left feeling inspired and also happy that these pieces were finally getting the acclaim they deserve.

My watercolour above was drawn at the exhibition and shows a bronze in the foreground dated 1903, by Edinburgh born sculptor Ottilie Maclaren Wallace OBE, ARBS (1875-1947). The piece is entitled F.S. Oliver and is a portrait of her brother in law.

Find out more about the Hidden Gems exhibition (7th Oct 2017 – 13th May 2018) in the City Art Centre What’s On guide HERE.

City Art Centre website

Also – Don’t miss ‘Edinburgh Alphabet, An A-Z of the city’s collections’. A charming and fascinating exhibition on at the City Art Centre until Sunday 8th October

Speed Sketching in the New Town and the Portrait Gallery

Dublin StreetI am very pleased to announce new dates for my popular speed sketching workshops, this time in the New Town with Arienas Collective, a new creative hub in the heart of Edinburgh.

Join us as we explore Edinburgh’s New Town and Portrait Gallery with sketchbook in hand, using ink and watercolour to record our city tour.

For the first time we will take watercolours with us which will enable us to capture more of what we see and more time out drawing before we return to our New Town base for a cuppa.

You will take home your favourite drawing in a frame plus a number of other personal pieces documenting your journey, creating a lovely package of self made art as well as an improved confidence in your own ability.

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This workshop will run as both a full and half day introductory class to speed sketching, and also as a half day advanced course where we will make a montage of a particular location using your sketches. It is also available as a private group booking for up to 10 people.

Please see the link below for more details and to book through Arienas Collective. I look forward to meeting and sketching with you soon.

More details and to book your place on the New Town speed sketching class click here.

 

WestEnd2_MK

 

WhereArtI : 21st August : Edinburgh

WAI_210817Can you tell me where in Edinburgh I have sketched?

If so click the link below to email me your answer. I will pick a random winner from all correct answers on Tuesday morning, and they will go on to the ‘Winners wall’ for the month. At the end of the month those on the wall will be entered into a draw to receive a prize.

The prize for August is one of my black and purple screen printed Victoria Street cotton bags

Click HERE to enter your answer

Usually the answer will be within the Edinburgh boundaries, but on the first Monday of the month the competition is Scotland wide. Keep an eye on my facebook and twitter feeds for clues if they are needed.

I hope you join us to play along and keep looking up and noticing the details in the everyday, you never know where I will be sketching next time!

Enter via the link above or email contact@www.edinburghsketcher.com with the subject line ‘WhereArtI 21st August 2017’.

Edinburgh Sketcher online store.

WhereArtI : 10th July : Edinburgh

ES_WAI100717Can you tell me where in Edinburgh I have sketched this week?

If so click the link below to email me your answer. I will pick a random winner from all correct answers on Tuesday morning, and they will go on to the ‘Winners wall’ for the month. At the end of the month those on the wall will be entered into a draw to receive a prize.

The prize for July is a ticket to one of my Sketcher Days in the capital, details of which can be see HERE.

Click HERE to enter your answer

Usually the answer will be within the Edinburgh boundaries, but on the first Monday of the month the competition is Scotland wide. Keep an eye on my facebook and twitter feeds for clues if they are needed.

I hope you join us to play along and keep looking up and noticing the details in the everyday, you never know where I will be sketching next time!

Enter via the link above or email contact@www.edinburghsketcher.com with the subject line ‘WhereArtI 3rd July 2017’.

Edinburgh Sketcher online store.