Showing posts with label Scotland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Scotland. Show all posts

Monday, September 07, 2015

Scotland Vacation - Edinburgh and the Highlands

After staying in Glasgow, we headed north to Edinburgh and the Highlands.

In Edinburgh, We had a fantastic view of Edinburgh Castle from our hotel room.  Drawing buildings is not my thing but I I could not pass up trying.  We toured the castle for day before taking a three day tour of the Highlands with Haggis Adventures.


                            Edinburgh Castle watercolor pen & ink 5.5X16

Our first stop at Dunkeld Cathedral was not as long as I thought (a theme that would repeat itself through our tour), which is a shame because this is probably the best drawing of a church I have ever done, even the perspective seems correct.  T took photos and I may one day complete the painting (though probably not; too many other photos references waiting to be painted).
                                     Dunkeld Cathedral watercolor pen & ink

Another quick stop and another quick sketch.  I cannot remember the name of the river but the meat pastries I ate there were awesome.
                                    River watercolor on paper 5.5X8.5


This is one of my favorites sketches from the trip.  I sat sketching the ruins of Old Inverlochy Castle with an elegant writer pen (while a swarm of midges made midge-meat out of my legs; sometimes we must suffer for our art).  I love the simplicity of this piece, from the washes the pen creates (the blue-gray and pinks) to the limit grass
                             The ruins of Old Inverlochy Castle elegant writer and watercolor


And finally, the Isle of Sky, looking across the Sound of Raasay toward Scotland.  I could have stayed here for hours.   I could have stayed at just about every stop on the Isle of Sky for hours.  There were gorgeous vistas, in every direction, as far as the eye could see.  And the sky changed rapidly, from a deep cerulean blue to somber clouds of grey.  But I knew we only had a short time so I could only manage a small painting.  The famous Kilt Rock was off to my left, but there were too many tour groups and photographers milling about to get a good view for a painting, so I chose the opposite vista instead.
                                   by Kilt Rock watercolor pen & ink on paper 3.5X11

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

Scotland Vacation - Glasgow

I did not do as much painting/sketching while I was in Scotland as I intended, but I did do a few pieces.  Just too much to see and too much to do.  T did take a ton of beautiful pictures, so I have a plethora of source material to use for future paintings.

Below is one of the few watercolors I did.  It is not the most dynamic view of the Glasgow Cathedral (the best views had me standing out in traffic) but it is one of the best urban painting I have ever done.


                            Glasgow Cathedral watercolor, pen & ink on paper 8.5X5.5

On my first day in Glasgow I sought out  Mother India's Cafe for lunch (it was awesome, T and I ate at its sister restaurant in Edinburgh. . .twice, it was that good).  Sitting at the restaurant gave me a good view of Kelvingrove.  Below is the quick sketch. 


        Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum, pen & kiowa pecan ink on paper 3.5X5.5   


While in the Kelvingrove did do two sketches with water soluble ink (nice shading) and a water brush.  It was a great museum and I spent the entire afternoon.  I wish I had done more sketches of the Great Irish Deer (Elk). I admit to not being familiar with this particular megafauna but looking at its antlers and their 8.9 foot span, I can see how the legends of the Irish Wild Hunt were started.



                       Giant Irish Deer skeletal pen & ink on paper 5.5X8.5

And here is a sketch of the statue of Robert the Bruce (at Bannockburn).  Never made it to Stirling Castle (next time)

                                 Brian Boru statue pen & ink on paper 5.5X8.5