Tag Archives: edinburgh

Daily Sketch

Calton Hill, from the Canongate Kirk Yard

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CanongateKirkyardGraveyards can be beautiful places to draw in, the contrast between precise stone sculpture and overgrown, wild, natural habitation has always been a favourite for art students.

I am often to be found sketching in church yards around Edinburgh and over the years Canongate Kirk on the Royal Mile has become a favourite of mine. When I first started drawing for a living I sketched the kirk quite often for wedding stationary and invites for clients due to be married at the 17th-century church.

 

Current building work being carried out behind the Kirk may well change this view which I sketched last summer. I hope not too much as the view over to Calton Hill and the Old Royal High School is delightful.

 

Below is a sketch of the front of the Canongate Kirk, both drawn in black ink with a watercolour wash.

 

CanongateKirk_gate

 

Canongate Kirk website

 

Daily Sketch

A great view of a busy Nicolson Street

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NicolsonStreet_roadworksThe sun was shining and I was sketching in the city. This is my view from The City Restaurant, on Nicolson Street.

With great honest food (fish, chips and peas a speciality) and super views from their two story location right next to the Festival Theatre and opposite the Surgeons’ Hall Museums, the busy restaurant is a new favourite of mine.

 

I sketched the above whilst eating my lunch from the first floor window seat, watching the traffic weave in and out of the many road works below. I hear from the very friendly staff that they are due to close next week for a major refurbishment. I hope all goes well and look forward to welcoming them back soon.

 

The City Restaurant website

 

Competition

The WhereArtI Quiz, 15th June

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ES_WAI150615Morning everyone, can you locate today’s WhereArtI and tell me where I am sketching FROM?

 

There are points on offer for the first three correct answers and bragging rights for a week. Keep an eye on the facebook and twitter throughout the day for clues if they are needed. Answer to come before the end of the day.

 

If you would like to sponsor the quiz or indeed feature in the quiz, then get in touch HERE.

 

Daily Sketch

Just Festival launch – 15 years of light

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JustFestival_Launch2015Last night I attended the Just Festival launch at St John’s Church, Edinburgh.

Once known as the Festival of Spirituality and Peace, the Just Festival marks its fifteenth edition under the theme of ’15 years of Light’. As Festival Director puts it, ‘We are lighting up our programme with candles of celebration and reflection’

 

International, multi-cultural and multi-faith the festival hosts events in many Edinburgh locations, including the Central Mosque, various Church of Scotland kirks and and cathedrals and at The Filmhouse. Also this year the Central Hall in Toll cross will be hosting many events.

 

The programme which runs from August 7th to 31st features a huge range of art and performance art created to provoke and create conversation. Including talks, conversations, performance art, films, workshops and art installations, which is where I am extremely honoured to say I come in.

 

I will have an exhibition of sketches located in the Chapel at St John’s Church, which is stuated on the corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road.

 

‘Sketching the Shadows’ will take a look at the hidden side of Edinburgh, the shaded spots in the heart of the city which go unseen to many of the capitals population. Through my free scribbled style I hope to shine a light on these forgotten or ignored areas.

Just Festival website

St John’s Church website
 

JustFestival_Launch2015_crop

Competition

The WhereArtI Quiz, 8th June

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ES_WAI080615Morning Edinburgh fans, can you locate today’s doodle, WhereArtI?

 

There are points on offer for the first three correct answers and bragging rights for a week. Keep an eye on the facebook and twitter throughout the day for clues if they are needed. Answer to come before the end of the day.

 

If you would like to sponsor the quiz or indeed feature in the quiz, then get in touch HERE.

 

Daily Sketch

The Usher Hall, a recent commission and now a print for sale

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UsherHall_colourThis is the Usher Hall, on Lothian Road in the west end of Edinburgh. The city’s key venue for visiting national and international orchestras and the main venue for the Edinburgh International Festival.

 

The building owes its construction to whisky, as it was funded by Andrew Usher, a whisky blender who donated £100,000 to the city specifically to fund a new concert hall.

 

The building has featured in my WhereArtI competition before, I sketched the lions head above the entrance, the image is below.

usherlion

 

Although meaning to I have never sketched the building in its entirety before and so I was glad to be asked to for a commission.  If you would like to commission an illustration then prices start at just £65, email me at contact@www.edinburghsketcher.com for more information.

 

You can buy a print of this sketch from just £18 plus postage in my shop.

 

Usher Hall website

 

 

 

 

Daily Sketch

Fringe Schools Poster Exhibition Launch & Prize-giving Event

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MuseumofChildhood_exteriorThe Schools Poster Competition winner is announced today at the Museum of Childhood on the Royal Mile.

I will be there as guest artist to say a few words and help congratulate the winner, who as well as having their design seen across the city throughout the summer, will also receive a cash prize of £300, plus £750 for their schools art department. I can’t wait to see the designs, it is always a favourite part of my fringe, children’s art can be so pure and free. Very inspirational to a sketcher!

 

The competition is open to all school children, aged 5-16, across Scotland, with each child getting the same brief: to create a poster design reflecting their interpretation of the Fringe. The winning design becomes the official poster for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe and is also used on a range of merchandise such as mugs, bags and t-shirts.

 

“I feel very honoured to be invited. Children’s art can be so pure and free”

 

The top three prize-winners, as well as all of the 14 Regional Winners and over 60 shortlisted entries, will be displayed in a special exhibition at the Museum of Childhood on Edinburgh’s Royal Mile throughout the summer and for the duration of the Festival Fringe, so get along to see the amazing designs from the very talented Scottish school children.

 

Below is one of my favourite designs from past winners, by Jennifer Worrall. Click on the EdFringe website link below to see more past winners from the competition, which has been running since 1980.

 

schoolsposter2003

 

Edfringe website

Museum of Childhood website

 

Daily Sketch

Street sketching with Zoo Arts Extra in North Edinburgh and a visit to ‘Brick Beach’ in Granton

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ZooArts_BeachWalkRecently I took part in a beach walk with children and young adults from the North Edinburgh Arts group, ‘Zoo Arts Extra’.

beach3

We visited Granton’s ‘brick’ beach, so called because of all the corroded red bricks found along the coast line. Before we set off we watched some slides of environmental artists such as Andy Goldsworthy and Tony Plant to inspire us.

beach1

On the way we passed through Granton’s new housing development, past the Gas Works and the board walk water area where 2 swans have made a nest.

beach4

Once on the beach we set up camp for the day, arranging a circle of bricks and quickly getting a small fire going. Below are some of the photos from the day, as we made various works of art: balancing stones, forts, spirals and circles using drift wood and shells.

beach2

We had a great time and the children really got into and expe#ressed themselves with their creations. The rock climbing and toasted marshmallows were also a big hit!!

beach5

Click HERE to see a stop motion video on the Zoo Arts Extra Facebook page. I made the animation with Declan, Joshua and Dylan with the above spiral of bricks on the beach, and my camera phone.

 

Take a look at the links below for more photos and information about the day.

Zoo Arts Exra Facebook page

North Edinburgh Arts website

 

Competition

The WhereArtI Quiz, 25th May

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ES_WAI_250515Monday morning, and a tough one for you today – can you tell me where in Edinburgh I am drawing?

 

There are points on offer for the first three correct answers and bragging rights for a week. Keep an eye on the facebook and twitter throughout the day for clues if they are needed. Answer to come before the end of the day.

 

If you would like to sponsor the quiz or indeed feature in the quiz, then get in touch HERE.

 

Daily Sketch

Wellington, looking over Princes Street and The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh

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WellingtonStatueI’m always keen to sketch a new angle, and this one of the Duke of Wellington statue on Princes Street is from outside the General Registers House.

This memorial to the Duke of Wellington, and his beloved horse ‘Copenhagen’ was erected in 1852. It stands outside the Registers House in Edinburgh, at the corner of Princes Street and North Bridge.

 

Cast in bronze from a sculpture by John Steell, the monument was dubbed ‘the Iron Duke in bronze by Steell’ by the press at the time of it’s unveiling. John Steel scultped many of Edinburgh’s statues, including the statue of Sir Walter Scott sitting with his dog Maida under the Scott Monument.

 

My sketch is in black ink with a watercolour wash on the Balmoral Hotel in the background.

 

John Steell on Wikipedia