<![CDATA[Edinburgh Sketcher: Looking Back]]>https://www.edinburghsketcher.com/s/daysgonebyhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!CERj!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F7a7f15a8-bd3a-4a73-89b9-1231aa6e0c6f_882x882.pngEdinburgh Sketcher: Looking Backhttps://www.edinburghsketcher.com/s/daysgonebySubstackSat, 11 Apr 2026 07:21:43 GMT<![CDATA[The Star of the Show]]>https://www.edinburghsketcher.com/p/the-star-of-the-showhttps://www.edinburghsketcher.com/p/the-star-of-the-showSat, 21 Jun 2025 09:56:21 GMT

I have sketched the Helter Skelter many times over the years, it is my favourite of the many bright attractions in the city during December. It doesn’t have the height or the noise and speed of some of its neighbours but it wins easily on charm and character.

This year it sits by the Scott Monument in East Princes Street Gardens and this view was from the top deck of a dverted number 8 bus. I took a few photos as the bus turned onto Princes Street and couldn’t wait to get my watercolours out when back in the warmth of my living room.

I hadn’t realised until looking it up now that there is a bar at the bottom of this Helter Skelter. Maybe time for a quick drink while waiting for your turn on the slide.

]]><![CDATA[Happy sad memories]]>https://www.edinburghsketcher.com/p/happy-sad-memorieshttps://www.edinburghsketcher.com/p/happy-sad-memoriesThu, 27 Mar 2025 08:20:23 GMT

I had a look through my old sketches this week for the upcoming exhibition with Arienas Collective which is looking at the balance artists have making art they love and want to experiment in and also the art they need to make to make a living.

While looking through I found this one of our cat Mocha who we had in our lives for 21 years but who sadly passed away around three years ago now.

She is much missed and remembered when we look through photos or sketches and also in my book 100 Cats in 100 Days which I made following her death. It was a form or distraction for us all and is a happy sad memory from a very sad time for us. I do like to flick through though and see these drawings, they take me right back to being there. And the one above where Mocha is sleeping beside me is so vivid in my mind. Drawing slows me down and the focus and choices I make in that moment really lodges it in my mind.

Read more about my book and order a copy

]]><![CDATA[Scotsman Hotel former newspaper]]>https://www.edinburghsketcher.com/p/scotsman-hotel-former-newspaperhttps://www.edinburghsketcher.com/p/scotsman-hotel-former-newspaperThu, 06 Feb 2025 10:06:59 GMT
Scotsman Hotel on North Bridge

This sketch I made back in 2017 for the bar by the train station, Brewhemia. It was just opening and being renovated and I was asked to create a number of old style drawings of both Edinburgh and some other European cities to tell the story of the bar.

When I worked for the Scotsman it was situated down by Holyrood Park in the building now occupied by Rockstar. How everything keeps changing.

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