Tag Archives: Flowers

Flowers In Reflection

As rain falls in Edinburgh, and thoughts lie in the East, beautiful reflections of blue and yellow catch my eye.

My latest #supportabusinesssketch is this lovely independent flower shop which always catches my eye when passing by.

This is Lorraine Graham Flowers at 45 Causewayside, Newington, they create beautiful unique bouquets and deliver throughout Edinburgh.

After visiting #VanGoghAlive recently I am seeing sunflowers all over the city, and with the war in Ukraine the colours of blue and yellow are jumping out at me where ever I go.

It may be raining but I’m feeling very lucky right now. Enjoy the reflections everyone.

Sun, flowers and shadows

As the sun shone and the temperatures soared in Edinburgh I found my happy place drawing in my garden.

The morning was so hot yesterday and as you never know how long the summer will last in Edinburgh it is important to enjoy it while you can.

Last week I took a day off to head to the beach and today I took the morning to ‘work’ in the garden.

Although I am sketching and honing my skills, and my sketch may become a print and so make some money, it is really a stretch to say I was working as I relaxed into my cross hatching happy place.

I recomend picking up a pen and having ago picking out the light and dark places infront of you. This composition really jumped out at me as the contrast was so great and the shadows so strong.

The flowers are a mystery, but I am thinking a Touch-Me-Not or a lobelia? I am not sure but here is a photo too, so do tell me if you know.

Bluebells and Nettles

Bluebells and nettles on the cycle path to school pick up this afternoon. So nice to see a tint of blue to the hedgerows just now.


I’m often asked what I draw from, a screen, real life, a photograph and the honest answer is a mixture of all three.

Day to day sketches are usually made from real life, when I suddenly get some spare time or at a live event. Commissions I often take photos to capture the angle I like and then draw from photos.


Today I wanted to stop and draw these bluebells when I saw them but didn’t have the time and so photographed them instead and sketched this from the screen at home.

All three are useful and create slightly different looking sketches. For my in person workshops I have photographs to work from too, just in case the weather isn’t great out.

Sketching Workshops

Spring Equinox at Lauriston CAstle

Saturday marked the Spring Equinox and the weather was marvellous in Edinburgh.

What a perfect day in Edinburgh for the #springequinox. We enjoyed a lovely walk in Lauriston Castle meeting up with friends who we haven’t seen for ages.

Spring is here and the warm weather makes such a difference to my mood , lets hope for another glorious sunshine filled spring in the capital.

I love Lauriston Castle, such a beautiful space to stretch the legs and get some well needed fresh air. See more about the 16th-century tower house which over looks the Firth of Forth at their website below.

Lauriston Castle

Sending a little art to those you can’t be with just now.

As the world is in lock down due to the Covid-19 Coronavirus and people can’t be with the ones they love, I am painting personal gift cards.

I was thinking of drawing some ‘just to say’ cards before the outbreak started as I thought it would be lovely to just send a card to someone for no particular reason. Just to say… I love you, I am thinking of you, you are not alone. For example.

So when the lock down started and I could see people couldn’t see their loved ones, celebrate life events and be there in person for each other I thought it was an ideal time to receive a card telling you that people are thinking of you.

I hadn’t originally thought of painting each one individually though! But as I cannot get to the printers and have extra time on my hands now a lot of my work has been postponed or cancelled, then I thought why not make mini sketches for each one.

Each card is £4.95, which includes UK postage (for overseas there is an extra £1.50) and 10% from every sale will go to the NHS Lothian Covid-19 Appeal.

When ordering your card you can request a particular flower for the front (I have also drawn rainbows) and also a message for the inside which I will hand write for you, before sending direct to your loved one. You can order your cards at the link below.

EdinburghSketcher personal painted gift cards

Spring sunshine outdoors

As the Coronovirus outbreak forces people to stay in doors I am fortunate to have a garden from which to sketch in.

It is easy to get caught up the news and be feeling anxious about the things you cannot do anything about so instead I am sharing some of the beauty and colour that spring is showing us.

These mini daffodils are shooting up in pots around my garden, they look so delicate I thought I would try and capture their colour without using my pen to draw them.

This is a good exercise for you to have a go at, blocking out the colour with your paint brush and then leaving to dry before adding another slightly darker shade to create form.

My final layer is always the darker parts, the shadows which can make a drawing look 3D. I think this one may of gone a little to dark now but I am happy. I enjoyed the hour or so of creativity, concentrating and focusing on something other than the news of the day.

Stay safe everyone 🙂

Scottish wild flowers in Victoria Park

Flowers Victoria Park
There is a beautiful patch of wild looking flowers in Victoria Park running alongside the cycle path entrance and tunnel which runs under Craighall Road.

Yesterday I took and hour to capture a small selection in ink and watercolour. Drawing for me has always been a way of relaxing, of taking time out of an otherwise hectic day and to shut out the million and one things arguing for space in my head. Just for an hour or so this can be hugely beneficial and often causes a new perspective on things once I return from my ‘me time’.

I recommend you do the same, either with myself on one of my Sketcher Days or just on your own. Pick up a pad and pen and get creative!

Join me this Friday and on dates throughout September, October and November as I join up with creative hub Arienas Collective to run sketching workshops. For more information click HERE.

This drawing was drawn in a black fineliner with a watercolour wash added on location. The original has been sold but mounted prints are available from £19.50 HERE.

Spring has sprung with the colourful crocuses popping up all around Edinburgh

Crocuses VictoriaParkSigns of Spring: Lighter in the evenings, feeling warm in sheltered sunshine, and multicoloured crocuses flooding the capitals green spaces.

I love this time of year, although I love most times of the year in Edinburgh. I think it is the change I like, just when you have had enough of one season another comes along to brighten the mood and make you see yor surroundings in a new way.

Especially in Scotland, where we often get many seasons in one day of course!

These crocuses were drawn in Victoria Park on Ferry Road in Edinburgh, with a black fine liner with a quick watercolour wash over the top.

The warmer weather is making me want to sketch outdoors more and more, check out my Sketching Days page for outdoor workshops coming soon where you can come along and draw with me.

Sunshine on flowers

GardenFlowersPhotoI hope you are all enjoying the glorious sunshine in the city today. Here is my daily sketch, flowers from the garden 🙂

It’s so relaxing to while away an hour drawing in the sunshine. I’m so pleased I discovered my waterproof ink pens, allowing me to watercolour over the top of a sketch straight away.

Believe it or not in the Edinburgh heat today my watercolour pallet kept drying up!