Tag Archives: edinburgh

Competition

The WhereArtI Quiz, 12th January

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ES_WAI120115It’s WhereArtI Monday, and this week I am in Edinburgh. Can you tell me what two words I’ve blurred out on the front of this city landmark building…?

 

There is a brand new leader board for 2015 and with points on offer for the first three correct answers all is to play for. And keep an eye on the facebook and twitter throughout the day for clues if they are needed. Answer to come by the end of the day on Tuesday.

 

If you would like to donate a prize for the quiz or indeed feature in the quiz, then get in touch HERE.

 

Remember WhereArtI runs every Monday in the Edinburgh Evening News with a fantastic prize each week. You could win a bottle of Edinburgh Gin plus a tour of their city centre distillery. Buy a copy today to find out more.

Daily Sketch

St Johns Church, Princes Street and Lothian Road

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StJohnsChurchToday I’m just looking through my sketch books, a little early spring cleaning and noticed this drawing from a sunny day in June last year.

On the corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road St John’s is a Scottish Episcopal church at the heart of Edinburgh. There is a terrace area with a few shops including a fair trade gift shop and a book shop. It’s a great place to sit in the sunshine during the summer months, like the day I sketched this which was June last year.

 

St John’s Church website

 

Daily Sketch

Aladdin at the King’s Theatre Edinburgh

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Aladdin_KingsYesterday Mrs Sketcher and I took our three year old twins to the panto for the first time, with mixed results…

The pantomime at King’s Theatre is a Christmas tradition for many in Edinburgh. Just like the brussels, cranberry sauce and turkey, Andy Gray, Allan Stewart and Grant Stott are all back this year, to entertain the crowds this time as Aladdin.

 

It was the first time for the Sketcher twins and to celebrate we booked a box on the left of the stage, which worked out well as we could easily take our wee girl out each time Grant’s Abanazar baddie came on to thunderclaps and booming drum beats!

 

By the end she and her brother were both enjoying the show, the lights and special effects were great, as were the jokes that made Mrs Sketcher and I chuckle. I’d definitely take the twins back next year, but perhaps not mention Mr Stott will be back too 🙂

 

Below is a previous sketch of the King’s Theatre exterior, a beautiful building which dates back to 1905. The sketch is available as a print from just £18, which you can buy from the link below.

 

Kings_Theatre_Colour

 

Aladdin ticket information

Kings Theatre sketch for sale

 

Daily Sketch

Sketchers luck as Edinburgh win the 1872 Cup with victory over Glasgow

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EdinburghRugby_blogmanay2014Tonight Edinburgh Rugby ended a run of six defeats against Glasgow to win the 1872 Cup on aggregate and prevent the Warriors topping the Pro12 table.

I was there at Murrayfield with the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay #Blogmanay bloggers and a crowd of 15,810 to witness a thrilling game. With two tries in the first half Edinburgh built up a good lead but Glasgow came back in the second with a try but no more, and Edinburgh held out for a famous and deserved victory, 20 – 8.

 

The sketch above is in black ink with a watercolour wash on the central illustration.

 

Edinburgh Rugby

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay

 

rugbyphoto

Daily Sketch

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Blogmanay, Day 4

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ScotLands1_blogmanay2014Yesterday the heavens opened on Edinburgh not that it dampened the spirits at Scot:Lands, a New Years Day event held in secret locations around Edinburgh’s Old Town.

Held in secret venues throughout the Old Town with the very best in music, art and theatre, the event is brand new for this years Hogmanay festival. Visitors first had to head to The Hub on the Royal Mile where they spun a wheel to decide where and what to visit.

 

I saw dance in a Cathedral, heard Rabbie Burns read to guitar music, witnessed nostalgic footage of Victorian Scotland on an outdoor screen (with gorgeous Scottish soundtrack from King Creosote), and listened to angelic Celtic singing in the stunning McEwan Hall.

 

I loved it and hope the event i back next year. Perfect for New Years Day each act  was different, relaxing but engaging. I walked home feeling chilled out and happy 🙂

 

The sketch above was sketched in black ink on location and then coloured digitally later. Below are a few of my other sketches from the day.

 
Edinburgh’s Hogmanay

Scot:Lands

 

ScotLands2_blogmanay2014

Daily Sketch

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Blogmanay, Day 3

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Fireworks_blogmanay2014Happy New Year! I hope you all had a great night. I was sketching at the world famous Edinburgh Street Party with over 80,000 revellers from around the globe.

 

Armed with my torch light, pen and watercolours I set off into the crowded streets of Edinburgh to see what I could capture in my sketchpad. If you follow me on twitter, Instagram or facebook you may of seen quick snaps of my sketches in your timeline but here I have scanned them for better quality.

HotDubTM_blogmanay2014

With so much on offer this year it was hard to decide where to start. Thankfully the #blogmanay media centre was at the Assembly Hall right next to the Hot Dub Time Machine stage on the Mound. Anthem after anthem was blasted out over the cheering crowd which was jumping all the way down to Princes Street. The Sketch above shows the stage and behind it the Museum on the Mound. I could of stayed there all night very happy.

 

MainStage_blogmanay2014

Instead I made my way down the Mound and into the Princes Street Gardens concert just as Soul II Soul were singing ‘Keep on Moving’ underneath Edinburgh Castle. I positioned myself high up towards the back and sketched the stage with the castle above.

 

After a short break and a word or two from compare Grant Stott (who did an excellent job as ever) Lily Allen took the stage for the main event. Belting out her well known pop tunes Lily didn’t disappoint and as she left the stage for the countdown the crowd were going wild.

 

For the first time the Castle was lit with different colours for each second in the final moments of 2014 as thousands of people counted down together. The fireworks were amazing of course, truly spectacular and being in the Gardens it seemed like they were going off all around me. I sketched away trying my best to capture each explosion!

 

I’d like to thank the Edinburgh’s Hogmanay team for helping me with access, it was a great experience and a terrific way to start 2015. I hope you enjoyed my sketching 🙂

 

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay

Edinburgh’s Christmas

Hot Dub Time Machine

 

 

 

Daily Sketch

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay Blogmanay, Day 2

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TorchLight_blogmanay2014Yesterday was another fun filled day for #blogmanay including a trip out to Murrayfield on the tram and the Torchlight Procession up Calton Hill.

Sketching on top of Calton Hill in the pitch black darkness with only my pen light and a the flicking light from the flaming torches around me was a challenge to say the least. The sketch above is the result, I even managed to add a watercolour wash before returning to Princes Street with the other 30,000+ walkers that helped create a river a fire through Edinburgh’s main thoroughfare.

 

With twinkling lights shining over from Fife in the distance those that climbed onto Calton Hill were treated to a huge bonfire, a mesmerising light and sound show before an amazing display of fireworks that seemed so close that we were up in the sky amongst them.

 

MurrayfieldSunset_blogmanay2014

 

Earlier in the day I visited the Edinburgh Rugby team to see them training before their match on Friday night against Glasgow. I’ll be back to watch them hopefully win that game on Friday night but yesterday the sunset was so beautiful I drew from outside the stadium. The sketch above shows part of the world famous ground to the right, silhouetted against the golden sky. To the right you can see the tram lines that take supporters into Edinburgh centre.

 

Edinburgh’s Hogmanay

Edinburgh’s Christmas

The Murrayfield Experience

Edinburgh Rugby

 

Daily Sketch

A glimpse of Christmas

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LadyStairsCloseEdinburgh city centre is currently bursting with Hogmanay and Christmas decorations, stages are being erected, shows and markets light up the night sky and fill the air with screams of laughter.

 

The Royal Mile remains relatively untouched but take a glimpse through one if its many closes which point down towards the New Town then you can see the sparkling lights below.

 

This sketch is Lady Stair’s Close which leads from the Royal Mile to The Mound,  I love the Victorian lights combined with the touch of Christmas, the big wheel on Princes Street.

 

Have a great Hogmanay folks, wrap up warm and be safe 🙂

Daily Sketch

Stockbridge Commission

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StockbridgeMontageOne of my favourite Christmas commissions this year was this montage of Stockbridge, a beautiful area of Edinburgh close to the Water of Leith and full of interesting wee shops and relaxing places to walk.

 

Before starting a sketch like this I create the montage of photographs either taken by myself or supplied by the client. This one includes a family photo, a favourite walk, the main street in Stockbridge and the family home. Once happy with the composition I run it past the client before sketching begins.

 

If you would like to commission a similar illustration then get in touch via email at contact@www.edinburghsketcher.com or you can phone me at 07870991678. Prices start at £65.