Tag Archives: Royal

Daily Sketch

Celebrating the Queen’s 90th birthday on board Britannia

Leave a comment

Britannia90thSketchOn Thursday 22nd April I was asked to create this sketch of the celebrations on board the Royal Yacht Britannia, in Leith.

There was a celebratory mood on board, helped by the brass band sounds from The Musical Mariners’ Band,who played on the dock and cake an fizz for all who came aboard. The music continued on Britannia as the Welmar Baby Grand piano was expertly played in the drawing room.

The Royal Tea Deck served some of the Queen’s favourite dishes, including coroantion chicken and chocolate perfection pie!

In the evening there was a spectacular firework display which you may well of heard across Edinburgh.

The sketch below is of visitor watching The Musical Mariners’ Band from on board Britannia.

The Royal Yacht Britannia website.

Sketches drawn in black ink and watercolour paint, on location. 

 

Britannia90th_band

 

Britannia90thSketch_boat

Daily Sketch

The Royal Yacht Britannia created from Lego bricks

Leave a comment

Britannia_Lego detailLego is everywhere in Edinburgh at the moment, including the Royal Yacht Britannia in Ocean Terminal, Leith.

Visit the five-star visitor attraction, regularly voted the UKs best attraction, just now and you will find an 11 foot Lego model of the ship on display. Using 40,000 bricks it took Lego model maker and Arbroath fisherman Jim McDonough, 51, five weeks to complete on his dining room table.

 

Britannia was launched from the John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank on 16 April, 1953. For over 44 years she served the Royal Family, travelling over one million miles to become the most famous ship in the world.

 

My sketch shows a tiny part of the model and you need to see it up close to realise the amount of work which has gone into the 1/37 scale model.

 

For more information and to book your tickets visit the Briannia website below.

 

Sketch is created in fine liner pen with a watercolour wash.

 

 

Royal Yacht Britannia website

 

Daily Sketch

Fascinating facts and fantastic food on board the Royal Yacht Britannia

35 Comments

Britannia_montageHome to Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family for over 40 years the Royal Yacht Britannia has sailed over 1 million miles around the world.

 

Now permanently berthed at Ocean Terminal in Leith, the five-star attraction is one of Edinburgh’s must see destinations for visitors to the city, however for the Sketcher family it was our first time on board. It was fascinating to see how the Royal family traveled and how homely the boat was, more like a stately home than a boat. The twins (seated under the ship’s bell in the sketch) loved looking around the many decks, cabins and hiding places, sitting in the Captains chair and trying on the uniforms.

 

A nice touch was that as the adults had listening devices telling us about the history of each room the children had their own version with watered down history and ‘Can you find the…’ type quizzes to keep them amused. Look out for the wooden monkey too…

 

Food on board didn’t disappoint either, it isn’t the cheapest place to eat in Leith but the Royal Deck Tea Room is a fine dining experience, with great views over the harbour. The servings are ample and very well cooked.

 

I recommend a trip on board both for those interested in the ships unique history and families after a educational day out, its a fascinating floating museum.

The Royal Yacht Britannia website

 

Daily Sketch

Tattoo arrives at Edinburgh’s Castle Wynd Steps

4 Comments

CastleWyndStepsThere is a iron structure growing out of the Edinburgh Castle ramparts.

If you look up towards Castle Rock just now no doubt you will see a number of cranes reaching up to the sky. The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo is coming to Edinburgh once again and with it the mighty structure of metal work which will play host to a 1000+ cast as the 65th tattoo celebrates Homecoming.

 

This view shows the start of the seating going up in the castle esplanade from the Castle Wynd Steps. Over 200,000 people will attend the tattoo this August and I am particularly excited as for the first time I will be amongst them.

 

The Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo website