Tag Archives: princes street

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New wooden postcards

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Samples are coming, but which to put in the shop?

I’ve been so busy with weddings recently that my Edinburgh sketching has been pretty none existent. Although I have been working on these new designs for wooden postcards which I have just sent to have samples made from.

I love the feel of a wooden postcard, the strength and durability as well as the tactile nature of holding a piece of wood all appeals to me. And so I have been keen on adding to my current couple of cards I sell in town.

I have ordered a sample run of one of each design but need to narrow the list down from 8 to 4 as I need to buy in large numbers to make it profitable. I just can’t decide which ones to go with, which is your favourite?

Daily Sketch

Festivities begin on Princes Street Gardens

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A toned back Christmas on Princes Street looks just great this year.

I am loving this years back to basics Christmas Market at the Scott Monument Princes Street Gardens. I had a wonder round this morning and it’s great to see more of the gardens and the iconic views and monuments on show, just with a little festive twinkle.

Well done all at Edinburgh’s Christmas and a Merry Christmas to all!

Daily Sketch

Wintry Princes Street Gardens

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At the start of the year Edinburgh had a dusting of snow which for me highlighted one positive of the pandemic lockdown.

Princes Street Gardens would usually be full of the Christmas and New Year festivities, including the fun fair land of markets and rides which takes up almost all of the gardens each year.

As the markets and fairgrounds were cancelled this year it was lovely to see this scene, with the only people in the gardens those sledging down the slopes or building snow men under the snow covered trees.

I love how the sun is just reaching over the buildings of the high street and highlighting those on Princes Street.

This sketch highlights the gardens in winter and I hope in future years we still get to enjoy the gardens as a space to have fun in the snow.

View this sketch as a mounted print and buy from just £20 including UK delivery here.

    Daily Sketch

    A family trip through Edinburgh’s Christmas

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    EdinburghsChristmas2017This week the Sketcher clan took a trip through Santa’s Wonderland in the Princes Street Gardens before warming up with some very fine Asian cuisine at Wagamama.

    Its at least an annual visit to Edinburgh’s Christmas markets and kids fun fair for the Sketcher family, we love having a go on the rides, watching the kids get so excited when they see the candy house and remembering how fast the little rollercoaster is when you jolt around the corners!

    I think Christmas is my favourite time of year and I love the colours, decorations, music and silliness which takes over the city centre and enjoy spending time with the family and seeing them get so excited by it all. And there is no better place to do that than in Santa’s Wonderland. The Sketcher Twins (aged 6) highlights were the Reindeer ride with falling ‘snow’ and of course the beautiful Helter Skelter, always a favourite.

    We spent the afternoon soaking up the festive spirit, and a mulled wine for Mum and Dad before heading up onto Lothian Road for dinner at Wagamama.

    Wagamama food

    Being Gluten Free myself the Japanese inspired restaurant chain is a familiar place for us, with a good choice of dishes for all. And the slightly spicy selection recommended to us by our helpful waiter was just the thing to warm us up on a frosty Edinburgh evening.

    Edinburgh’s Christmas website

    Wagamama Lothian road

    Sketches made with ink and watercolourin an A5 ArtGecko sketch pad.

    Daily Sketch

    Christmas is building, in Princes Street Gardens

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    Princes St Gardens building ChristmasThis morning whilst walking from the old to new town I noticed Princes Street Gardens is once again busy becoming a Christmas Wonderland.

    On a rainy day in Edinburgh with the leaves still changing from green to orange to red is it perhaps hard to imagine the city in it’s Christmas guise, but the season will soon be here.

    If you are in town during the next few days you will notice the transformation taking place ahead of the grand opening on the 17th November. Find out more about all the shows and attractions on over the festive period via the link below.

    Edinburgh’s Christmas website

    Christmas building 2017 Black

    Daily Sketch

    Wellington, looking over Princes Street and The Balmoral Hotel in Edinburgh

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    WellingtonStatueI’m always keen to sketch a new angle, and this one of the Duke of Wellington statue on Princes Street is from outside the General Registers House.

    This memorial to the Duke of Wellington, and his beloved horse ‘Copenhagen’ was erected in 1852. It stands outside the Registers House in Edinburgh, at the corner of Princes Street and North Bridge.

     

    Cast in bronze from a sculpture by John Steell, the monument was dubbed ‘the Iron Duke in bronze by Steell’ by the press at the time of it’s unveiling. John Steel scultped many of Edinburgh’s statues, including the statue of Sir Walter Scott sitting with his dog Maida under the Scott Monument.

     

    My sketch is in black ink with a watercolour wash on the Balmoral Hotel in the background.

     

    John Steell on Wikipedia

    Daily Sketch

    A memory of Edinburgh’s Christmas in pencil

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    ChristmasInPencilMore new year organising and tidying of the studio today, and finding forgotten sketches on scraps of paper in boxes….

    Another wintry day in the capital and one best to spend in doors I think, so I’m going through a few boxes of sketch pads and scraps of paper with doodles and notes on. I found this pencil sketch of Princes Street during Christmas time.

     

    I’m not sure when exactly I drew it but it must be at least two years ago as the Helter Skelter is in Princes Street Gardens and the big wheel is hanging out over Princes Street. For once there are no notes along side the drawing to date and give details, which itself is a sign that this isn’t a recent sketch. It is certainly pre trams though.

     

    I thought you may like to take a look though, as we say goodbye to Edinburgh’s Christmas for another 11 months and look forward to the warm  (fingers crossed) summer months ahead.

     

     

    Daily Sketch

    St Johns Church, Princes Street and Lothian Road

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    StJohnsChurchToday I’m just looking through my sketch books, a little early spring cleaning and noticed this drawing from a sunny day in June last year.

    On the corner of Princes Street and Lothian Road St John’s is a Scottish Episcopal church at the heart of Edinburgh. There is a terrace area with a few shops including a fair trade gift shop and a book shop. It’s a great place to sit in the sunshine during the summer months, like the day I sketched this which was June last year.

     

    St John’s Church website

     

    Daily Sketch

    Edinburgh’s Christmas, looking splendid

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    Mound_ChristmasThe 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.

     

    Daily Sketch

    Christmas views from the Mercure Hotel on Princes Street

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    Mercure_BigWheelAt a meeting with the Mercure hotels on Princes Street this week I noticed just how close the hotel is to the Big Wheel.

    I am currently in discussions with the Mercure Hotel in Princes Street about supplying my EdinburghSketcher cushions for their newly refurbished rooms, more of which I will tell you about soon. But while there I noticed what a great view they have of not only Edinburgh Castle and Princes Street but also the Christmas festival and the huge Big Wheel.

     

    My sketch is from their dinning room where they take Christmas lunch and dinner bookings, I will definitely be back for a little people watching!!  It’s a quick sketch in black ink with a rough watercolour wash.

     

    Mercure Hotel website