Tag Archives: Christmas

Edinburgh’s Christmas, looking splendid

Mound_ChristmasThe weather outside may be frightful but there are beautiful glimpses of the capital at Christmas around every corner.

Yesterday was mixed weather wise to say the least. As I walked from west to south and then east before back to the west I was soaked, shone on and treated to some amazing dark skies with strong sun lit architecture making for stunning views of Edinburgh in the winter.

 

I kept stopping, unable to pass before I had either sketched, or snapped a wee photo to sketch from later. This view is from the bottom of the Mound looking across the square in front of the National Gallery towards Princes Street and the Scott Monument.

 

I’m a big fan of Edinburgh’s Christmas make over and love the views that combine those permanent city monuments and buildings with those features that are here for a just short period of time. Have a great weekend everyone and Merry Christmas.

 

Edinburgh’s Christmas website.

 

Plan ahead this Festive period with Lothian Buses

BusDepotChristmas and Hogmanay are just around the corner and Edinburgh is filling with revellers from around the world as the world’s best street party begins in earnest.

To help you plan your journey the Lothian Buses Christmas Grotto Bus will be out tonight (Thursday 18th Dec) in Edinburgh at various locations. Look out for the bright yellow bus at St Andrews Square, the Grassmarket and Princes Street. There will be goodies on offer as well as timetables and night bus information to help you get about over Christmas and New Year safely.

 

Today’s sketch is from the Lothian Buses depot in Annandale Street, a beautiful building which has been home to Lothian Buses since 1926 and before that was an Industrial Hall.

 

Lothian Buses website.

 

Edinburgh’s Christmas big launch

StarGazer_ScottMonument

Final preparations were being made to Edinburgh’s Christmas festivities when I passed by earlier today.

The Christmas markets, rides and other festive attractions open at 5pm tonight across the city centre and crowds were being to gather on Princes Street as I doodled.

 

The sketch shows the star gazer ride, this year situated right next to the Scott Monument and overlooking the ice rink below. Will you be brave enough to take to the skies tonight?

 

Personally I’m looking forward to the mulled wine and trying not to fall over on the ice rink. Oh yes, Christmas has arrived in Edinburgh.

All eyes on the big wheel

BigWheel_darkAll eyes were on Princes Street this week as the big wheel begins to take shape.

As Christmas arrives in Edinburgh the central wheel is up but has still to have the ‘pods’ fitted so people can ride on it. The lights of the wheel tell that the big day is coming, and I captured them before the rest of the Christmas lights are turned on next weekend.

 

Edinburgh’s Christmas website

 

Raise a familiar glass at Christmas

AdocaatHaving not left the house in 48 hours I’m drawing inspiration from the things I see around me. Objects that strangely only appear at this time of year.

 

Like this bottle of Advocaat, in my opinion a yummy treat of a drink but similarly to Baileys and Port, one that only exists at Christmas and new year.

 

So raise your glass of your favourite festive beverage and welcome in the new year. All the best for 2014, I hope it’s a great one for you. (and I promise I will leave the house for more Edinburgh sketching soon!)

Self made Christmas cards

Hand drawn cards printed in numbers can make beautiful personal Christmas cards.

 

HarveysCard EviesCard

I love a hand made Christmas card, and this year I have been lucky enough to receive a few of these hand drawn but professionally printed cards that many nurseries and primary schools are now making for their students.

 

It’s a very personal card but one you can send to many friends and family members. And like putting a sketch behind glass, seeing your drawing printed on a card can makes it look more professional.

 

These two are by Harvey Bilsland and Evie Hudson. Thanks and well done, they look super.

 

Seeing these has made me more determined than ever to start the ‘Guest Sketcher’  part of my sight. Something I have planned to do for sometime, highlighting an amateur artist for a month at a time and giving them some space on EdinburghSketcher.com in which to show their work.

 

More to come soon… but if you are interested in showcasing your doodles leave me a message below.

 

Merry Christmas!

Pining for the North…?

MoundChristmasTreeI’m pretty sure the Christmas tree on the Mound came from Norway, which may explain its eagerness to head North this year.

 

There’s a definite lean to the splendid tree on the Mound today. Maybe it’s just the wind, or maybe it’s all the lights from Edinburgh’s Christmas markets down on Princes Street that are attracting him. What do you think?

 

It’s actually more North-East from the Mound to Norway, from where each year a Christmas tree travels as a gift to mark the assistance Scots provided Norway during  World War II. More than 7,000 exiles were based in Scotland and the help and support they received from the Scots has never been forgotten.

A post box sketch

Postbox2013This is a busy time for post boxes as the nation takes to snail mail to send there greetings cards and parcels in the run up to Christmas.

 

Today is the first of the ‘last recommended posting dates for UK letters and parcels’ before Christmas. Now is also the only time of year I would stand in line outside a post office.

 

While I waited for it to open this morning, first in a steadily growing queue on St Mary’s Street, I used my time wisely and sketched the post box outside.

 

The GR near the base dates this box as being erected within the time of King George V, 1910-1936. The G stands for George and the R for Rex, which is King in Latin. If you were wondering.

 

More final dates for UK letters and parcels:

Wed 18th Dec – 2nd class

Fri 20th Dec – 1st class

Mon 23rd Dec – Special delivery guaranteed

 

 

  • Post office website

 

Edinburgh at Christmas

EdinburghChristmasLast week I published my first sketch video, this week the sketch and 150 limited prints are available to buy.

 

From the Barron Suite on The Scotsman Hotel’s seventh floor I had a superb view of Edinburgh’s Christmas festivities on Princes Street, from the Big Wheel on the left to the new for 2013 Star Flyer on the right, and standing central the Scott Monument.

 

Shrieks of laughter and screams of joy could be heard floating over the Waverley Station, as darkness fell and the hundreds of lights from various rides and attractions shone bright.

 

The original ink sketch with watercolour wash measures 297x210mm, roughly 11x8inches and is for sale for £150. Prints will be limited to 150 high quality giclee prints on heavy fine art paper, and are £25 each. Click HERE to order or have a look through the Shop above.

 

‘3 Pods’ of the Big Wheel in Edinburgh

BigWheel_3PodsA pen and watercolour sketch from Edinburgh Christmas’s Big Wheel in Princes Street Gardens.

I was back to sketching outdoors on my lunch break today, for the past few weeks I have been concentrating on commissions in the run up to Christmas and have let the spontaneous sketching slide.

 

It felt good to wander around Edinburgh’s Christmas Markets with my sketch book in hand. I wanted to capture one of the new ‘pods’ on this years Big Wheel, previously the seating on the ride has been open. I haven’t been up this year but I imagine you must feel quite protected in there. I know from previous years it can get quite chilly at the top.

 

The statue below the pods is a very unmoved Adam Black, an early nineteenth century Scottish publisher and politician.