Rona's

Edinburgh worthies were out in force on Friday making the most of the warm sunshine although it did, at times, feel a bit like a Mother and Toddlers convention!

For once I managed not to wander around seeking out the perfect subject and location, but settled down to work on the terrace in front of Inverleith House. I did a number of quick sketches but these are the ones I was happiest with -

Trees - pencil and ink

Tree study - pencil on a watercolour background

Towards the castle from Inverleith House -

pencil, ink and Caran D'Ache Neocolour watersoluble crayons

An enjoyable day - looking forward to our next outing!



Glorious day at the Botanics - too good to be inside the glasshouses, so worked outside. Searched in vain for an exotic large leafed plant to draw (didn't fancy skunk cabbage or bergenias). Did a colour study of ducks on the pond in front of Inverleith House. They got somewhat lost against the multicoloured water I had painted but there is enough information to do another painting. In the end I did a pencil drawing of these swans preening themselves.

Mhairi's

As usual I worked in my wee A6 sketchbook and concentrated on the unusual.

This is a sculpture made of sticks in the pond at the John Hope Gateway and flowers in the sun against a rusty wall.

A warning sign and an electric van on charge

Lunch and plants for sale in the shop

 

                                                     Plant label, no plant, and a fritillaria

An oak leaf and my favourite, my toes as I sketched them!

Lovely morning at the Botanics, tucked in the corner nera the Alpine glasshouse. Enjoyed experimenting with mixed media, coloured pastels, inktense and ink.  First time I have used this method and so enjoyed working with colour, can see that this is definitely the way forward so much more interesting than line on its own.  Look forward to having another go with watercolour as well

Botanical Expedition

On Friday, the friends met up at the Botanics in Edinburgh for a sketching session.  We agreed over coffee to try and set up a blog for us to post and share our sketches.  So here we go!

Sadly I couldn't stay very long and it was such a lovely day for sketching.  My efforts were confined to an attempt in pastels at a view of the Edinburgh skyline from Inverleith House.

View from Inverleith House (Aileen Grant)

 

 

I also did a little charcoal sketch of a twisted tree before I had to go off to the station to collect my daughter.  Here it is.

Twisted tree (Aileen Grant)

So - now that I've made this start to our group blog, it's over to you guys.  I'm sure you'll have done much more interesting sketches than this!