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.
Five lights, all on red. But can you tell me where I was stuck?
Leave your answer as a comment below, your entry will not show up until I reveal the answer. Get your answer in before 9am tomorrow morning and I will pick a random winner from all correct entries to win a prize.
This week’s prize is a set of six Edinburgh post cards, each featuring a sketched scene from the city.
Keep an eye on my facebook and twitter feeds for clues if they are needed, and remember you can also see my weekly competition in the printed version of the Edinburgh Evening News each Monday.
Keep looking up and noticing the beauty in the everyday, you never know where I will be sketching next!
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How lovely to see the Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh once again lit up over the festive period, awash with colour and music and spreading the Christmas spirit for many families this year.
Having been a few years ago I hadmit I had wondered if it would be worth taking my family along once again, but the trail seemed bigger and more varied than ever.
I loved the lilies in the pond (above) which slowly rotated through various colours, their reflections rippling through the water as the ducks swam along, no doubt wondering what was going on !
Another favourite was the rainbow tree forest, beautiful colours oh and I almost forgot the hanging lanterns which seemed to go on for ever, until I imagined I was in some far away land.
Above strong brightly coloured lines of light ran down a huge tree and spread out once they hit the ground, as if the roots that fee the branches were lit beneath the ground. Very cool.
So although there are only a few days left for this seasons Christmas at the Botanics, which runs until December 30th, I recommend you put this magical show in your diary for 2023.
I find a walk is always a fun way to meet up with other families, especially recently when due to the lock down restrictions meeting up indoors hasn’t been that easy to organise.
Get some exercise, tire out the kids, have a good chat and meet up with loved ones you haven’t seen for a while. And at this time of year there are plenty of night time or early evening walks being lit up around the city.
This week the Sketcher clan met up with pals at the Zoo and enjoyed a spectacular light trail around the animals enclosures. Although many of the residents were keeping a low profile it was good to see (hear and smell!!) the penguins wandering around in the dark!
There was plenty of other attractions to see, and games to play. Including a 360 light show wall and animations projected onto the rocks. Although our friends toddlers found the hedgerow filled with illuminated presents most entertaining of all.
You can see many venues in Edinburgh lit up for Christmas and I really like to see places you know and love transformed into something new. Personally I would of liked more animal themed sights as it was the zoo, but It was a great night, full of festive fun and with good company it makes it all the more memorable.
Read more and book your tickets for a fest night out at the Edinburgh Zoo website.
I’m sure many of you pass by this sign a couple of times a day, it is above the Jenners end entrance to St Andrews Square, currently unrecognisable as it is in full Festive mode. Inside you will find fair ground rides shows and market stalls for all the family, not to mention an ice rink around the Melville monument.
Definitely make time to visit if you can, and let Edinburgh’s Christmas put you in the festive mood! Also… be sure to pop in to Mimi’s Cake Cabin for some delicious treats and warming coffee.
The 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.
All 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.
