Tag Archives: watercolour

Daily Sketch

Watercolour skyline

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Layering washes of watercolour can be tricky at first, but results in faded, hazy views of a skyline

I do love to create a watercolour only painting, layering the washes of faint colours on top of each other and slowly seeing the view in front of me emerge from the paper.

Below are photos of the process as I sat sketching on Arthur’s Seat recently, looking at the magnificent Edinburgh skyline.

Have a go layering colour but wait a few minutes between each layer to make sure the paper has dried. By the time I had taken these photos and posted them on social media the paper was ready for another wash!

Like a foggy memory of the scene this resulting piece will remind me of a windy, rainy and at times dull view of the city I love.

Daily Sketch

A Sunny Hawthornvale

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A bright and sunny sketch of one of my favourite streets.

Hawthornvale, which runs down from Newhaven Road to Lindsay Road and the fab little cafe, the Haven which sits opposite the Chancellot Mill.

We nearly bought a flat here once, they have wonderful views especially the ones that have windows on both sides. I did draw a nice commission once of the view from one of the flats. I will see if I can find it and post it below.

I noticed today the street has had double yellow lines painted down the right hand side, which now means as you can see there are no cars parked along the pavement.

There is also a strange pavement/road thing at the top which I didn’t quite understand and to me looks a little dangerous for pedestrians.

Competition

WhereArtI Quiz – 20th March

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Where have I sketched this week?

View up the hill from a creative centre, but where??

Leave your answer as a comment below, your entry will not show up until I reveal the answer. Get your answer in before 9am tomorrow morning and I will pick a random winner from all correct entries to win a prize.

This week’s prize is a set of six Edinburgh post cards, each featuring a sketched scene from the city.

My post cards can be bought online HERE

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

Sign up to my monthly newsletter.

Keep up to date with my sketches as I share a more personal look at what I get up to and what I have planned, with competitions, offers and news about upcoming live events and workshops. 

Daily Sketch

Spring has sprung

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Pops of colour which mean spring, and then summer are on their way.

A clear sign It was a beautiful march morning here in Edinburgh today. Sun shining and a blue sky but bitterly cold. There was a feel of spring being just around the corner though, and that lifted my spirits.

Daffodils are springing up all over and their strong yellow colour is also a happy sign for me. This one I picked and sketched quickly before putting it in a vase of water.

The line work can make my drawings a little dark which is why I maybe over did the saturated colours. I might try again before the season is over.

Competition

WhereArtI Quiz – 6th March

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Where have I sketched this week?

A beautiful statue surrounded by pillars and nature.

Leave your answer as a comment below, your entry will not show up until I reveal the answer. Get your answer in before 9am tomorrow morning and I will pick a random winner from all correct entries to win a prize.

This week’s prize is a set of six Edinburgh post cards, each featuring a sketched scene from the city.

My post cards can be bought online HERE

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

Sign up to my monthly newsletter.

Keep up to date with my sketches as I share a more personal look at what I get up to and what I have planned, with competitions, offers and news about upcoming live events and workshops. 

Competition

WhereArtI Quiz – 27th February

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Where have I sketched this week?

A building of glass and sandstone, and water…

Leave your answer as a comment below, your entry will not show up until I reveal the answer. Get your answer in before 9am tomorrow morning and I will pick a random winner from all correct entries to win a prize.

This week’s prize is a set of six Edinburgh post cards, each featuring a sketched scene from the city.

My post cards can be bought online HERE

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

Sign up to my monthly newsletter.

Keep up to date with my sketches as I share a more personal look at what I get up to and what I have planned, with competitions, offers and news about upcoming live events and workshops. 

Competition

WhereArtI Quiz – 20th February

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Where have I sketched this week?

A no longer used entrance in the north of the city.

Leave your answer as a comment below, your entry will not show up until I reveal the answer. Get your answer in before 9am tomorrow morning and I will pick a random winner from all correct entries to win a prize.

This week’s prize is a set of six Edinburgh post cards, each featuring a sketched scene from the city.

My post cards can be bought online HERE

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

Sign up to my monthly newsletter.

Keep up to date with my sketches as I share a more personal look at what I get up to and what I have planned, with competitions, offers and news about upcoming live events and workshops. 

Daily Sketch

Old Town Angles

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This view from Upper Bow through the railings and on to The Hub caught my eye this week.

A big part of making a sketch is picking the right perspective and angle of a scene. Something I maybe picked up while at art college studying photography.#

And maybe come to think of it that is why I like double yellow lines so much! The way they can lead the viewers eye into a photo, or drawing. It helps tell a story or create more interest in the scene if your eye is led around.

Earlier this week I took a walk through the city to capture some photos of scenes like this, noticing new angles and views through streets I have walked along so many times.

Just like this view of The Hub venue through the railings of Upper Bow, as I walked up from Victoria Street onto Castle Hill. Beauty in the everyday 🙂

Daily Sketch

Mother of pearl skies

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Mother Nature put on quite the breakfast time display for us, with rainbow clouds the highlight

These are apparently Nacreous clouds and only form in the coldest of conditions and high (12-19 miles) up in the sky. Extremely rare outside of polar regions and usually seen a couple of hours either side of sunset or sunrise and, being so high, they are still lit by sunlight which makes them appear even brighter in our evening sky.

Formed in air that is around minus 80C, sunlight reflecting off tiny ice crystals in the cloud give it the pearly colours -the reason why they are also called mother-of-pearl.

And very pretty it was too. Thanks to the BBC for the information, read more HERE.

Daily Sketch

Andy Murray, happy to be winning

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Come on Andy, through to the second round with a smile.

My latest Andy Murray sketch to celebrate his amazing 5 set victory over Thanasi Kokkinakis in the second round of the Australian Open 2023.

Another amazing match of over 5 hours and Andy roars on to the third round where he will meet Spaniard Roberto Bautista Agut on Saturday.

I have sketched Andy a few times over the years and thoroughly enjoyed his never give up attitude, fantastically exciting games and last minute triumphs. Long may it continue!

Australian Open website