Iain Gale

Working now from my house in a small Scottish fishing village, I have been drawing and painting throughout my life. I was lucky enough to have been taught from an early age how to draw and paint in watercolour by my late father, the renowned political cartoonist George Gale and, having trained as an art historian, have a deep  understanding of architectural styles and artistic methods.

I work from photographs, initially in pencil, before using watercolour and if so desired finishing in pen and ink.

While painting has always been part of my life, I am perhaps best known as the author of twelve historical novels, three works of military history and eleven books on art history. I began writing full time following careers as a picture expert and head of department at Christie's and, for twenty years, as art critic for The Independent and Scotland on Sunday. From 2001 to 2011 I was also Editor of the magazine of the National Trust for Scotland.

Inevitably, living where I do, close to the 'home of golf', I also paint watercolours of Scottish golf courses and the historic buildings of St Andrews.