Tag Archives: bridge

Daily Sketch

Sunday walks to Stockbridge

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A memory of a perfect day

There is nothing better than a family walk to somewhere warm for a relaxing catch up over lunch. A favourite walk of ours is into Stockbridge, through Inverleith Park or the Botanics and then a coffee and cake before looking around a few shops and then back home to watch a film on the sofa.

This view from the road that leads from into Stockbridge from the park, just past the duck pond. You can see St Stephens Church in the distance, with the sky reflected in the water of leith below the bridge.

Happy days. This one I decided to get printed as a limited giclee print. Beautiful prints that are undistinguishable from the original and I have had 20 made at 9×5 inches and each one will be signed and numbered, and available via the link below.

Buy one of twenty beautiful prints of this sketch here.

Daily Sketch

Victoria Swing Bridge

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My favourite Edninburgh Bridge is in need of a little love.

This beautiful iron bridge has been sadly left to deteriorait in recent years but there is good news to come as Forth Ports who own the iconic landmark are due to restore and reopen this bridge later in the year.

I will be watching on and I look forward to crossing it again soon and perhaps seeing it working again one day.

I sketched the black outline on location and then added the watercolour in my car as the rain started to pour down across the city. Can you see the couple walking their dog?

This sketch is available as a mounted, high quality signed print from my Etsy shop HERE, prices start at £24 including UK delivery.

Competition

WhereartI Quiz – 22nd NoveMber

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A view from under the bridge, but can you tell me which bridge?

Can you tell me where in Edinburgh I have sketched?

Leave your answer as a comment below, your comment will not show up until I reveal the answer tomorrow morning. Get your answer in before midnight tonight and I will pick a random winner from all correct entries by this time tomorrow.

This week’s prize is a screen printed tea towel featuring my illustration of Victoria Street.

Keep an eye on my facebook and twitter feeds for clues if they are needed later today, 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!

My Edinburgh sketched merchandise and high quality prints are available on my Etsy shop and I am available for commissions too. Email me at contact@www.edinburghsketcher.com for more details.

Daily Sketch

Stunning View from the Belford Bridge

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The Water of Leith flowing into Dean Village, such a peaceful view from the Belford Bridge in Edinburgh.

This ink and watercolour drawing was originally drawn A2 size (roughly 40x60cm) and so I managed to get great detail into the trees that line the river as it meanders its way through this scene.

I love how the ivy and other plants climb up the wall and over into the gardens of these Dean Village houses. Such a calming view from the bridge and a great place to play pooh sticks 🙂

This sketch was drawn large for a client but prints are now available from my Etsy shop in two sizes – 150x100mm for £20 and 297x210mm for £34. Buy them HERE.

Daily Sketch

Waiting to set sail on the Firth of Forth

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Three boats enjoying a magnificent view of the Forth Bridge.

I crossed the Queensferry Crossing last week for a day of sketching in Fife. This ink and watercolour drawing was created at the boat yard in North Queensferry as I was being battered by winds and showers!!

I couldn’t leave before I caught the three boats resting in the mud. I love to sketch these with a minimum of ink and a splash of colour and then zoom in to see them on their own. I just imagine the adventures they must have sailing underneath the huge iron arches of the Forth Bridge.

A fantastic place to draw and also sail under, I have in the past been lucky enough to pass under all three bridges with the Maid of the Forth and recommend you take one of their trips around the Forth.

This sketch was drawn with a fineliner and watercolour set on location and can be bought as a high quality print here: BUY THIS PRINT.

Daily Sketch

Shadows on the old railway

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I was out for a jog the other day when I was stuck by the glorious blue skies contrasting against the sandy stone coloured bridge, mottled with shadows.

The bridge carries Great Junction Street over the old railway path, now a busy cycle route into Leith.

I love these paths that criss-cross around north Edinburgh, under and over the traffic filled streets, they provide a quiet nature filled walk through the heart of the city.

This sketch was drawn with a fine liner black pen and then colour added using a waterbrush and small watercolour pallet.

Daily Sketch

Beauty around every corner in Edinburgh

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It may not be the sunniest day in the capital and it seems winter is back for the time being, but that doesn’t stop the city’s beauty shining through.

Walking through through the north of Edinburgh this morning I walked along Wariston Road and under this stone bridge over the Water of Leith. The bridge once held part of the old railway and now a stretch of the Goldenacre cycle path.

Ducks swam closeby as I sketched my drawing in ink and watercolour using my super easy water brush.

After twenty minutes my hands were numb and I packed up, raced along Warriston Road to Cannonmills and the warmth of a delicious latte in Coffee Angel on Brandon Terrace.

Water of Leith information website

Coffee Angel website

warristonbridge2

Daily Sketch

Under the bridges on the Firth of Forth with Inner Forth Landscape Initiative

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IFLI_BlacknessCastleLast week I ran a painting and sketching activity on a boat trip along the Firth of Forth with the Inner Forth Landscape Initiative.

The IFLI is a Heritage Lottery Funded Landscape Partnership Scheme which focuses on the upper Firth of Forth area. A beautiful and often overlooked part of the country home to a wide range of wildlife and plant life.

IFLI_ForthRailBridgeIFLI_BoatBusy

 

I had visited the area with IFLI  on land for a sktch trip to the stunning hidden world of Kennetpans Distillery, but that as I said was on land over the Forth Bridge and along the A985 to the Kincardine Bridge.

This time we were to travel under the Kincardine Bridge on the Maid of the Forth passenger boat, which regularly ferrys people over to the island of Inchcolm.

Around ninety people boarded at South Queensferry and we headed west under the road bridge and almost finished (the multiple sections of road are almost touching) South Queensferry Crossing. It was amazing to see these huge structures from a new angle, the stormy reddening sky behind made the view unforgettable.

We passed by various interesting sites like Rosyth Dockyard with its tenant aircraft carriers, the smoke and flame bellowing from Grangemouth contrasted well with the ghostly, now unused Longannet Power Station. As we passed by each experts took turns on the microphone to tell us about each location.

I had given out pen and paper for passengers to try and capture the sites as we floated by, and below are some of the great sketches people created.

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On the lower deck I set up a watercolouring table where paint could be added to sketches drawn or visitors had the option of colouring some pre drawn line drawings. Below is a selection of those created.

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There was a great atmosphere on board and I thank all those who took part and got into the sketching spirit. It was facinating to see an area I thought I knew from a completely new perspective so thank you to IFLI for providing such a trip. Have a look at the links below for similar events in the future, and remember to take your sketchbook!

Below are a few more of my sketches from the trip, click on each to see a larger version.

IFLI_BoatFlag IFLI_Grangemouth IFLI_LonganantPowerStation IFLI_Watching IFLI_KincardineBridge IFLI_Limekilns

Inner Forth Landscape Initiative website

Maid of the Forth website

Daily Sketch

Sunshine on Stockbridge

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StockbridgeBridgeI’ve been enjoying the recent sunshine in Edinburgh, and recently took a walk along the Water of Leith into Stockbridge.

The Water of Leith river is said to be around 22 miles long and runs from the Pentland Hills through Edinburgh to Leith and out into the Forth of Firth.

There are many beautiful sights to be seen along its winding route (look out for heron, king fishers and otters), and one such place is Stockbridge where the green vegetation contrasts well with the sandstone architecture above.

I drew the above sketch in between St Bernard’s Well and St Bernard’s Bridge, which features in the drawing. This original ink and watercolour sketch measures approx 280x200mm and is yours mounted for £145. Email me at contact@www.edinburghsketcher.com if you would like to purchase the piece.

 

Water of Leith Information Centre website

Stockbridge Edinburgh locals website

 

My sketch was drawn on location in black in with a watercolour wash. 

stockbridgelocationnature, sunshnin

Daily Sketch

The Queensferry Crossing is taking shape across the Firth of Forth.

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QueensferryCrossing_BeingBuiltToday I was at South Queensferry sketching the Forth road bridges, both current and future.

I parked my car at the RNLI car park looking out over the Forth in between the road bridge and the rail bridge. I’m always looking for new angles and I spotted this angle of the new bridge being built, behind the current road bridge, and all framed in a section of the iron railing in front of the car.

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Sketching on location.

The sketch shows one of the three towers of the new ‘Queensferry Crossing’, with cables stretching out on either side. I look forward to returning once the road bridge is complete, it looks pretty impressive so far.

Sketch drawn in an A4 heavy weight watercolour pad, with a 0.5 fineliner pen and a watercolour wash over the top.

This original ink and watercolour sketch measures 290x200mm and is available to buy for £165. Prints can be purchased at £18 for 150x100mm or £32 for 290x200mm. Email me to order.

Forth Bridges website