EDINBURGH.- The celebrated, award-winning stand-up comic, performance poet and broadcast personality Phill Jupitus returns to the National Galleries of Scotland this summer with Sketch Comic. Part of the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, the show highlights his deep love of art and follows on from the success of a hugely popular run last summer.

From 7 to 27 August, Phill is spending his mornings at the National Galleries of Scotland, sketching some of his favourite works on his iPad and encouraging visitors to watch, join in, and share their own sketches. During those weeks Wednesday mornings will be dedicated to Sketch Comic for Kids!, sessions designed for under 12s to come in and sketch with Phill. On Thursday evenings, Phill will host a free special talk about his love of painting and the experience of sketching in the Galleries; special guests, including artists, will join him onstage for each talk.

The National Galleries of Scotland comprises three galleries in Edinburgh and looks after a world-famous collection, ranging from the sixteenth-century to the present day. One of the artworks sketched is be Roy Lichtenstein’s In the Car (1963), a favourite of Phill’s and one of the most popular works amongst our visitors. The Pop Art painting is currently on show at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art as part of the free ARTIST ROOMS: Roy Lichtenstein exhibition.

Perhaps best known as a team captain on the popular BBC Two pop quiz Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Phill Jupitus is a multitalented artist whose repertoire includes poetry, acting, radio DJ and drawing. Phill uses his iPad and the “Paper” app, which works as a sketchbook and allows artists to capture drawings and illustrations with a stylus, to sketch one work a day at each Gallery.

Sketch Comic is taking place from 10am-12pm at the Scottish National Gallery from 7 to 13 August, followed by the Scottish National Portrait Gallery from 14 to 20 August, and a final week at the Scottish National Gallery of Modern Art from 21 to 27 August.

The lectures will take place at the Hawthornden Lecture Theatre, Scottish National Gallery, from 7-8pm on 13, 20 and 27 August. The lectures are free and unticketed. Phill will be joined onstage by ‘mystery guests’ – artists and art specialists – with details will be announced closer to the date.

Sketch Comic was held in August 2014 and proved hugely popular with gallery visitor of all ages, who joined Phill for sketching sessions across the National Galleries of Scotland, and a joined audience of over 300 spectators for his Thursday evening talks.