The Coffee Break Sketching Challenge - draw anything you like, but the sketching stops when the coffee break ends.

This postbox, which is actually built into a wall, is situated in Kilkerran Road, Campbeltown, Scotland. 

It's extremely weathered now, having been there since the days of the Queen's grandfather, George V, hence the 'cypher' with the G and R (George Rex) on either side of the crown.

This postbox always fascinated me as a wee boy.  I had never seen a 'wall box' - to me it looked like a magical doorway to another world. That, if you could find the key, you could open the door, and climb away inside!

As an adult, I realise that the magical world is actually surrounding it, as it's placed on the road down to Davaar Island, along the Learside as the locals call it, and on a summer's night must rank amongst the most picturesque places in Scotland.

If you ever visit Campbeltown, have a wee look out for it. If you buy one of the locals a dram of Springbank whisky, they might even advise you where to find the key, and you can have a wee 'keek' inside for yourself!

The Coffee Break Sketching Challenge - Draw anything and everything, but, at the end of the fifteen minute coffee break, the sketching stops.

Today's sketch shows two of my painting essentials. Titanium White, and Burnt Umber tubes of acrylic paint.

These are my go to colours when starting off any painting. I use them firstly, to paint a ground colour over a plain white canvas. Psychologically a plain white canvas can be terrifying, and so the barrier is broken by the physical action of actually colouring it. Secondly, I use them to sketch in the underpainting . Acrylic paints dry quickly, and light enough, that I can repaint, and fine tune any little mistakes in measurements.

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The Coffee Break Sketching Challenge. Draw anything and everything, but have it finished by the end of your 15 minute coffee break!

In today's wee sketch, "Viking Bear" says hello!

​What I love about this sketching challenge is the time constraint. It's quite liberating to know that it ends after the 15  minutes, and I can choose to carry on developing the drawing, or put it away, and stumble upon it after a few months.

I have so many sketchbooks, pieces of paper, backs of envelopes etc with wee characters 'resting' on them. This challenge gives the chance to breathe a little more life into each one, and see if they have more of a story to tell!

The coffee Break Sketching Challenge - draw anything and everything, but the sketching stops when the fifteen minute coffee break ends!

Today's wee sketch is of 'Big Pig', who resides at the village of Bellochantuy, in Kintyre,  on the West Coast of Scotland. When I saw him a couple of weeks ago, he was snoozing in the glorious sun, head to tail with, who I presumed, was 'Mrs Big Pig'. He was wearing such a happy wee smile on his face, I couldn't resist taking a photograph. I've drawn him from that photo, and here he is as part of the 'Coffee Break Sketching Challenge".

I hope you're all having a little go at sketching. Feel free to pop a link in the comments to your own wee drawing too!

The Coffee Break Sketching Challenge - Draw anything you like, but the sketching stops after the 15 minute coffee break is finished!

Today's wee sketch is a drawing of Dante Alighieri, a major Italian poet of the late middle ages. He was born on June 1st 1265 in Florence,  and died on September 14th, 1321, at Ravenna. He is perhaps best known for his major work -'The Divine Comedy'.

This is a sketch of a wee bust I have of him. 

For more information on Dante, please check out the following link.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dante_Alighieri

The Coffee Break Sketching Challenge - Draw anything, but , the sketching stops at the end of a fifteen minute coffee break!

The weather is glorious in Scotland, this weekend. It's so hot, that this poor  Dalek (the most feared of Dr Who's enemies), is so 'roasting' that he's had to ask a wee laddie for a 'sook' of his ice cream! 

Todays sketch is a wee tribute to Muhammad Ali, who sadly passed away this morning at the age of 74.  
Myself, growing up in the 1970's and early 80's in Scotland, Muhammad Ali, was one of these 'characters' that everyone admired. Every kid of the 70's used to go around giving little playful jabs, and pretending to be him shouting "Float like a butterfly, and Sting like a bee!"

I was lucky enough to get a pair of boxing gloves when i was little, and these, along with my Superman outfit, were my most treasured possessions!

Both heroes actually starred in DC Comics "Superman vs Muhammad Ali" in 1978, where they had to have a boxing match to save the world!

Here's a link to the backstory over on 'The Museum Of Uncut Funk'.

Definitely two of Earth's finest champions!

The Coffee Break Sketching Challenge. Draw anything and everything - but when the 15 minute coffee break ends, the sketch must stop!

This was the coolest gadget ever, in its day. Still works too!

The Coffee Break Challenge. Only one rule - when your coffee break ends, the sketch must stop!

A happy banjo playing dragon plays your favourite song!

The aim of this challenge, throughout June, is to dust off those arty cobwebs and encourage us all to pick up a pencil, pen, chalk or stylus, and draw something. The allotted time is 15 minutes, to make coffee, sit down, drink...and draw!

My first one is of a little statue I saw down in Bellochantuy, Kintyre. It's of two little stags jostling, and it's situated outside the Argyll hotel. Give them a wave if you're down that way! 

Was I tempted to go over the allotted time - yup, most definitely...but as soon as the time ends, the drawing stops! I think it's going to be a great way of sharpening up those drawing skills!

​Feel free to comment, or link to your own if you're doing this wee challenge too!