Black and Red in Leith, Edinburgh
These four images are from my Leith in Black and Red series which I started for my first Yodel.
The first image is a drawing of the window display of A&A Traders at the top of the street I live on, Easter Road. The shop has been there for ever. It’s hand-painted signage announces it as a purveyor of Household, Toiletries, Fancy Goods and Electrical. The second drawing is a detail of the exterior of a Turkish fast food take away. I love the tiled facade and stylized typography of this shop.
The last two drawings are of views from adjoining streets, Edina Place and Albert Street. On Edina Place I’ve drawn the A Crolla and Sons building. The Crolla family are well known in Edinburgh for owning a variety of Italian delis and eateries, most notably the famous Valvona and Crolla deli on Elm Row (where I worked for six months as a teenager). Lastly on Albert Street I fell in love with the hand-painted sign for the local butchers.
Place you live: Leith, Edinburgh
Place your postcards are designed for? Leith, Edinburgh
Can you sum up Edinburgh? I live in Leith a large district in the north east of Edinburgh. As far as I’m concerned, Leith is a vibrant, multicultural area with loads of great places to eat, drink, shop and hang out.
Occupation: Artist
Preoccupation: The city
A perfect day in Edinburgh? I’ve recently become a dad so my perfect (and at the moment hypothetically perfect) day would involve waking up after a full night’s sleep, drink coffee and listen to the radio while playing with my son Patrick. I’d then go for a walk with Patrick and his mum, my beautiful girlfriend Helen. I’d take some photos then we’d go get something to eat in Nobles bar (Constitution Street) and I might indulge in a light ale.
If someone was visiting, what must they do? Visitors to Edinburgh should explore Leith’s many fine restaurants and bars. They should also go and shop in my friend’s shops: Analogue Books an art, design, illustration, and photography bookstore, Focus Skate Shop, Red Door Gallery for affordable art and craft.
A perfect meal in Edinburgh? I said it before in my last Yodel but Stack Dim Sum on Dalmeny Street serve the best dim sum I’ve tasted (and I’ve recently come back from an extensive tour of China!)
What is the best thing about the place you live? The views
And the worst? The weather
Who are your three favorite designers/illustrators? Toby Paterson, Geoff McFetridge, Euan Duncan