Rob Fairley
@rob-fairley.bsky.social
Painter, writer, composer ... one time crofter / mountaineer
This is another example of this virtual view of the exhibition in the Mallaig Heritage Centre being able to show more than can be seen for real ... this is the front and reverse of one of the sheets of portrait sketches. ink, crayon and pastel on A4 paper. #mallaigharbour #mallaigheritagecentre
May 9, 2025 at 8:28 AM
This is another example of this virtual view of the exhibition in the Mallaig Heritage Centre being able to show more than can be seen for real ... this is the front and reverse of one of the sheets of portrait sketches. ink, crayon and pastel on A4 paper. #mallaigharbour #mallaigheritagecentre
The drawing on the reverse side of the sheet I posted yesterday ... drawing on show in the Mallaig Heritage Centre until the end of the year ... ink, pastel and crayon on A4 paper #mallaig #mallaigharbour #mallaigheritagecentre #resipolestudios #inkportrait #portraitdrawing
May 5, 2025 at 8:46 AM
The drawing on the reverse side of the sheet I posted yesterday ... drawing on show in the Mallaig Heritage Centre until the end of the year ... ink, pastel and crayon on A4 paper #mallaig #mallaigharbour #mallaigheritagecentre #resipolestudios #inkportrait #portraitdrawing
Mending a light on one of the vessels in Mallaig harbour ... another of the drawings from the exhibition in Mallaig Heritage Centre that is on until the end of the year ... ink, pastel and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper ... #mallaig #mallaigharbour #mallaiheritagecentre #resipolestudios #inkportrait
May 4, 2025 at 9:14 AM
Mending a light on one of the vessels in Mallaig harbour ... another of the drawings from the exhibition in Mallaig Heritage Centre that is on until the end of the year ... ink, pastel and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper ... #mallaig #mallaigharbour #mallaiheritagecentre #resipolestudios #inkportrait
Cleaning down one of the boats in Mallaig harbour ... a further sketch from the exhibition in Mallaig Heritage Centre which is open for the rest of the year. ink, crayon and pastel on paper #mallaig #mallaigharbour #mallaigheritagecentre #resipolestudios #inkdrawing #inkportrait #portrait
May 1, 2025 at 9:23 AM
Cleaning down one of the boats in Mallaig harbour ... a further sketch from the exhibition in Mallaig Heritage Centre which is open for the rest of the year. ink, crayon and pastel on paper #mallaig #mallaigharbour #mallaigheritagecentre #resipolestudios #inkdrawing #inkportrait #portrait
Fisherman clearing the deck of his boat and throwing fish to one of the seals which virtually live in the harbour ... this drawn last summer while lurking in a crowd of tourists who were ecstatic at seeing a seal!!! From the exhibition on until the end of the year in Mallaig Heritage Centre
April 30, 2025 at 9:04 AM
Fisherman clearing the deck of his boat and throwing fish to one of the seals which virtually live in the harbour ... this drawn last summer while lurking in a crowd of tourists who were ecstatic at seeing a seal!!! From the exhibition on until the end of the year in Mallaig Heritage Centre
I think this is the final drawing in the Mallaig Heritage Centre exhibition on the old batch of off white paper ... once again two of the crew on the "Western Isles" Knoydart ferry remarkably difficult things to portray ... this is ... as usual ... in ink crayon and pastel and is around A4 in size.
April 29, 2025 at 8:52 AM
I think this is the final drawing in the Mallaig Heritage Centre exhibition on the old batch of off white paper ... once again two of the crew on the "Western Isles" Knoydart ferry remarkably difficult things to portray ... this is ... as usual ... in ink crayon and pastel and is around A4 in size.
I am trying to post these drawings from the exhibition of portraits made of folk who work on the Mallaig piers that is on in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 (which lasts until the end of the year) in rough chronological order however this is done by trying to recognise the paper used! ... ink and crayon
April 28, 2025 at 9:12 AM
I am trying to post these drawings from the exhibition of portraits made of folk who work on the Mallaig piers that is on in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 (which lasts until the end of the year) in rough chronological order however this is done by trying to recognise the paper used! ... ink and crayon
This drawing is from my exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 which is on until the end of the year. Ink, and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper
April 27, 2025 at 9:37 AM
This drawing is from my exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 which is on until the end of the year. Ink, and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper
It is extraordinary how Mallaig has changed in the time I have known it ... from being a place with virtually no tourist infrastructure it has sadly become a place which relies on visitors.
These sketches of a lad painting a mast were done when the boatyard still existed ... ink and crayon on paper
These sketches of a lad painting a mast were done when the boatyard still existed ... ink and crayon on paper
April 26, 2025 at 9:07 AM
It is extraordinary how Mallaig has changed in the time I have known it ... from being a place with virtually no tourist infrastructure it has sadly become a place which relies on visitors.
These sketches of a lad painting a mast were done when the boatyard still existed ... ink and crayon on paper
These sketches of a lad painting a mast were done when the boatyard still existed ... ink and crayon on paper
Although my intention is to remain as unobtrusive as possible when drawing portraits of the folk who work on or around the piers in Mallaig sometimes I am, as in this case , seen. 😂 . this is ink, pastel and crayon on an A4 sheet of paper
April 26, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Although my intention is to remain as unobtrusive as possible when drawing portraits of the folk who work on or around the piers in Mallaig sometimes I am, as in this case , seen. 😂 . this is ink, pastel and crayon on an A4 sheet of paper
This is one of the Calmac lads watching a colleague booking in vehicles for the next crossing to Armadale on Skye on the pier in Mallaig ... ink, crayon and pastel on A4 paper ... the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 of some of these sket… See more
April 24, 2025 at 8:38 AM
This is one of the Calmac lads watching a colleague booking in vehicles for the next crossing to Armadale on Skye on the pier in Mallaig ... ink, crayon and pastel on A4 paper ... the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 of some of these sket… See more
Two gentlemen getting the craic on the Mallaig pier ... yet another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on or around the piers in Mallaig from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 which is on until the end of the year.
April 23, 2025 at 8:48 AM
Two gentlemen getting the craic on the Mallaig pier ... yet another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on or around the piers in Mallaig from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 which is on until the end of the year.
Another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on or around the piers in Mallaig from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 which is on until the end of the year.
April 22, 2025 at 8:31 AM
Another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on or around the piers in Mallaig from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 which is on until the end of the year.
In the half century that I have been drawing folk working on the pier in Mallaig I have never been around when the lifeboat has been launched in an emergency. This was the nearest I have managed a practice "shout" ... from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 open until the end of the year.
April 21, 2025 at 9:05 AM
In the half century that I have been drawing folk working on the pier in Mallaig I have never been around when the lifeboat has been launched in an emergency. This was the nearest I have managed a practice "shout" ... from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 open until the end of the year.
Mending nets. Another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on or around the piers in Mallaig from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 which is on until the end of the year.
April 20, 2025 at 9:09 AM
Mending nets. Another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on or around the piers in Mallaig from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 which is on until the end of the year.
Another of the drawings in the Mallaig Heritage Centre exhibition.In all honesty in this case I think the perennial problem of how to depict hi viz jackets rather took over from the portrait ... as we shall see as we delve ever deeper into this collection it is a problem I have never really solved!
April 19, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Another of the drawings in the Mallaig Heritage Centre exhibition.In all honesty in this case I think the perennial problem of how to depict hi viz jackets rather took over from the portrait ... as we shall see as we delve ever deeper into this collection it is a problem I have never really solved!
Yet another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on or around the piers in Mallaig .... from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 which is on until the end of the year.
ink, crayon and pastel on a sheet of A4 paper
ink, crayon and pastel on a sheet of A4 paper
April 18, 2025 at 9:03 AM
Yet another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on or around the piers in Mallaig .... from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 which is on until the end of the year.
ink, crayon and pastel on a sheet of A4 paper
ink, crayon and pastel on a sheet of A4 paper
Another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on or around the piers in Mallaig from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 which is on until the end of the year.
ink, crayon and pastel on a sheet of A4 paper
ink, crayon and pastel on a sheet of A4 paper
April 17, 2025 at 9:16 AM
Another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on or around the piers in Mallaig from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 which is on until the end of the year.
ink, crayon and pastel on a sheet of A4 paper
ink, crayon and pastel on a sheet of A4 paper
Reversing the "Western Isles" into the pier after one of its ferry runs to Inverie. Another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on the piers in Mallaig from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 until the end of the year. Ink, pastel and crayon on A4 paper
April 16, 2025 at 8:46 AM
Reversing the "Western Isles" into the pier after one of its ferry runs to Inverie. Another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on the piers in Mallaig from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 until the end of the year. Ink, pastel and crayon on A4 paper
Another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on the piers in Mallaig from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 until the end of the year.
ink and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper
ink and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper
April 15, 2025 at 9:22 AM
Another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on the piers in Mallaig from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 until the end of the year.
ink and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper
ink and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper
Maybe my favourite (so far) of the portrait sketches of folk who work on the piers in Mallaig taken from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 on show until the end of the year. ink and crayon on A4 paper.
April 14, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Maybe my favourite (so far) of the portrait sketches of folk who work on the piers in Mallaig taken from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 on show until the end of the year. ink and crayon on A4 paper.
Another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on the piers in Mallaig from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 until the end of the year.
ink and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper
ink and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper
April 13, 2025 at 9:06 AM
Another of my portrait drawings of folk who work on the piers in Mallaig from the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 until the end of the year.
ink and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper
ink and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper
Yet another of the portrait drawings of folk who work on the piers in Mallaig that is on show in the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 at the moment.
As with the majority this is ink and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper.
As with the majority this is ink and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper.
April 12, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Yet another of the portrait drawings of folk who work on the piers in Mallaig that is on show in the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 at the moment.
As with the majority this is ink and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper.
As with the majority this is ink and crayon on a sheet of A4 paper.
I had probably been sketching people working on the Mallaig piers for several years before it dawned on me that my interest was that my subjects were actually working and the realisation that such a portrait is inherently different to a posed portrait. (ink and black crayon on a sheet of A4 paper)
April 11, 2025 at 9:09 AM
I had probably been sketching people working on the Mallaig piers for several years before it dawned on me that my interest was that my subjects were actually working and the realisation that such a portrait is inherently different to a posed portrait. (ink and black crayon on a sheet of A4 paper)
Another of the portrait drawings of folk who work on the piers in Mallaig that is on show in the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 at the moment. It is on the same paper as the drawing I posted yesterday so must be from around the same time ... A4 in size, ink wash and crayon.
April 10, 2025 at 8:55 AM
Another of the portrait drawings of folk who work on the piers in Mallaig that is on show in the exhibition in the 𝐌𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐚𝐢𝐠 𝐇𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐚𝐠𝐞 𝐂𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐫𝐞 at the moment. It is on the same paper as the drawing I posted yesterday so must be from around the same time ... A4 in size, ink wash and crayon.