South Queensferry

We all did variations of the rail bridge......there was no ignoring it. but I feel some of the others captured it better.

Then I got more into my comfort zone.

.....but after lunch attempted a bit of the bridge again.

Queensferry Passage

Queensferry was such a good choice for today's sketching trip - a great place for the sketching friends to meet. We were all drawn to the magic of that iconic structure - the Forth Bridge. I remember drawing it when I was a child at primary school for 'Junior Science' - I hope this attempt is a little better!

As I sketched it I was drawn into trying to understand the structure of the bridge - it is so bold and also so complex.  After this, I walked into Queensferry. I love those Terraces with streets above houses and the crow-stepped gables. I did this sketch.

 This sketch is a bit over-worked, I think. Maybe having started on the Bridge I had been drawn into thinking about detail? cos once I started this sketch, I got into the detail too much.  I think the result is a bit of a jumble.  So as a counterpoint I did this very quick sketch.

I love this building - the Black Castle. It juts out into the street, an uncompromising presence in black harling.  The Vennel slips down the steps at the side.

After lunch I didn't do much. The inevitable seagulls, preening themselves as the tide came in...

And then another attempt at capturing the townscape and the Terraces, but I think I was a bit tired by this time. Love that sweep of the street, though.

It is such a lovely place, Queensferry - a real gem.  It has resonances with Edinburgh's Victoria Street and parts of Leith.  And it also has the outlook of those two bridges. The railway bridge definitely desreves World Heritage status...lets hope this is awarded!

Port Seton

Just posting this before our next outing tomorrow to South Queensferry - got diverted by the hot summer and the garden.
It was a productive outing in spite of bracing weather. I particularly enjoyed the colours at the harbour.

Long time since I managed to get to a sketchers day out, but despite the weather enjoyed losing myself in drawing again. Great day out with great company.

Port Seton on a grey day

We almost called it off today as the weather forecast was so bad. But when we got there, it started to clear up.  I had decided the lobster pots were for me, so boldly went in with a scratchy pen.

 I think I exhausted myself doing this complicated drawing, cos it was downhill afterwards...
One of the non-working boats in the harbour - 'Swift Sure'  - I love the lines of this boat.

And the dark harbour with Fife peeping over the top - I thought it would be better in graphite....

And I was watching the men painting the big boat, so I sketched it in pen

And when I got home I added some watercolour, while the image was still in my mind. Big improvement!

On my way home, I stopped the car to do a couple of quick pastel sketches.  I was fighting against the wind, which had become rather fierce, and maybe you can see this in the sketches.  This is looking towards the Pentlands.

 
And this looks towards Musselburgh from the same spot (the red is from poppies!). I spent even less time on it, but the field of barley in the foreground looked amazing (have not done it justice).

Looking forward to seeing Mhairi's and Elspeth's sketches!  Next trip on 2nd August, no venue yet decided.....

Part of Aberdour Castle sketched on a sunny day from a conveniently positioned bench!

Aberdour...for more than half an hour

We had a really good day sketching in Aberdour yesterday.  A sunny day, but very windy, so OK for sketching.

Here are the sketches I did, starting with my favourite - the view back to Edinburgh with the storm-tossed boats in the middle-distance.

And a wee quick sketch of Inchcolme

And a charcoal sketch of the wider sea view

I also did some buildings and trees.

 I particularly loved this tree, with its rather severe haircut!

 And this curious building....

Bit of a gap with the posts, girls. We should be doing better.  This was a good sketching venue (well, it suited me) and the weather was good, so maybe it will inspire us further.

Outside Ocean Terminal

Decided to brave the weather outside and draw some boats and cranes.

I wanted to get the line and the composition fixed, but really it was the colour that was so interesting....

Then I did some little ink drawings like this....

But after lunch I stayed inside and had a go at the view from the cinema over the open ground outside Ocean Terminal and the ponding on the blaes surface.  Nice feeling of desolation...

But this effort is not nearly as good as the sketches of this view done by others - I hope they post their sketches here too!

Ocean Terminal 19Oct12

Had a great day at Ocean Terminal. Started outside with the Royal Yacht.......

Then inside....lots of shops.....and finally, lunch, of course!

More Linlithgow Sketches

As it was a bit windy, I did this sketch standing inside the Burgh Halls. A pencil sketch that took some time.  Difficult angles.

Then it was down to the loch to look at the boats, but I couldn't finish this sketch, because it rained. But I quite liked the boats all together.

After lunch, I sat on the cemetery wall and sketched the small group of houses. Anther pencil sketch.

I like the higgledy-piggeldy-ness of these houses! Great place for sketching, Linlithgow.

Linlithgow sketches

Despite it being very windy, had a great day drawing lots of things including this fireplace in the Burgh Halls and St Michael's steeple.

Linlithgow Sept 2012

We met in Sooo Strawberry Caffe....(I think I've spelt it right).....so nice we went back for lunch.

Cramond Re-Visited

Sorry to be a bit tardy with this post, but better late than never.

I started out determined to do some colour sketching and I had brought my watercolours with this in mind.  Cramond Island looked so beautiful in the sunshine.  So that's what I sketched.

Cramond Island Sketch

I couldn't quite capture the foreground, I think. And it looks a bit pale now.  The foreground was something I wanted to work on, so my next sketch in pencil was this one of the gasometer - much more scenic, don't you think?

View towards Granton Sketch

I do love the filigree effect of the gasometer - not quite sure if I've captured this well enough.
Finally - here's a skech of a boat that I did.

Boat sketch

Actually - this is a cheat.  I did it in the studio and it's based on a boat I sketched at Port Seton Harbour.  So I put it in to encourage you others to POST YOUR SKETCHES!

It was a good day and I look forward to seeing you all at our next sketching session in September.

August 2012

This is us outside the Gallery Bistro at Cramond on Friday 10th August in beautiful sunshine having tea and scones before a hard morning's work sketching.

And a sketch, the ice cream van!

Even although I couldn't get to last Friday's sketching I was looking to see what those who could get there produced...............

Better Late than Never

Here is my drawing of a crow. It took to the air and landed on one of the allotment shed roofs after being chased by a dog. The textures in the sketch were much improved by the heavy rain.

Elspeth

Botanics and Inverleith Allotments May 11th (Rona's comments)

The weather wasn't on our side this time, but undeterred, Elspeth and I headed across the road to the allotments. I love the organised chaos of allotments - the colourful huts, the salvaged materials used to build all sorts of garden necessities and all the different planting. Despite the rain and cold I managed a few wee sketches and took some photos. Eventually though the warmth of the Hope Gateway and lunch beckoned!


Allotments at Inverleith with Fettes in the distance



Some Wonky Huts (with smudges!)