by Alice Newman

Newman emphasises the compressed verticality of the Old Town: the way the buildings seem to rise almost on top of one another, climbing the slope toward the Royal Mile. Soft shadows deepen the closes and wynds that cut between them, giving the scene a sense of depth and mystery. Above this dense architectural patchwork, the spire of St Giles’ Cathedral dominates the skyline — elegant, dark, and unmistakably crown-shaped. Newman might highlight its gothic silhouette against a luminous sky, where shifting clouds and diffused light contrast with the solid, ancient stone of the city.