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That BBC painting challenge
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Posted
Fraser Scarfe - good young painter, and one whose advice I'd listen to. I know (Ellen) that Daphne Todd is an intimidating presence, but her comment on one of the paintings nearly reduced one of the contestants to tears - of gratification and pride. She does know her business; so does Scarfe, so does Goudie - it's not them I have the problems with.
Posted
I've just spent an extremely depressing half hour looking at Pascal Anson's and Diana Ali's various websites. I now know where the problems lie - I wouldn't say that Anson is an artist at all; he's a designer, with the skills you expect in that profession and not many more. Ali - hard to tell quite what she really is, but 'highly conventional contemporary arts academic' would sum it up so far as I'm concerned.
No doubt they've very good at what they do - if you like that sort of thing and wish to be confined within its coils - but as mentors for would-be painters? No. Not in a million years. The judges are all experienced artists, and painters. The mentors are, quite simply, not. They are - and of course this is just my opinion - deathly boring hacks, working in the arts industry and identifying the best way for them of making a living in it. This programme, however, is called the Big Painting Challenge - that's painting, you'll notice, though the BBC seems not to have done. So you'd sort of hope that those trying to influence the competitors would be, primarily, painters. Wouldn't you?
Well, I would. The best thing the BBC could do if they struggle through this series and wish to commission another, is to ditch Anson and Ali - all Coles and Frostrup are there for is the links and general window-dressing, neither claims to have any practical knowledge of painting, so it's a matter of indifference to me whether they stay or go. But with those two as mentors, the programme is an absurdity just sitting there waiting to be mocked. Perhaps it was thought they'd bring a fresh and different vision to the programme - a design perspective - perhaps it was thought they might actually remember what they went to Art College for, and what they learned there, if anything. But more probably - it's just been an example of extremely poor programme planning, commissioning, editing, and vision.
As you might have divined - I think it's an abortion of a programme. I probably shouldn't have gone back to watch the first one.
Posted
Some of us perhaps underestimate the forum's reach...
I don't think, however, that the artists involved are - generally - the subject of criticism; and plainly they shouldn't be subjected to personal comments, though I don't believe any offence was meant, which is not say it wasn't taken: one admires them for having a go. I feel sorry for them, however, for being lumbered with tutors/mentors who are not primarily painters in a programme which is supposed to be about painting. I can actually see the rationale for that, but believe it's badly flawed.
Posted
I must admit I wasn't impressed last week, but I must also add, I have never done a complete painting out-doors, let alone under pressure of being on tv. BRAVE
Personally I like the way the tutor of each group comments and guide the artists, sometimes they really do need it. I have my favourite, but anything can happen on programmes like this.
Posted
Please somebody define "Amateur", masterclass" and what is art about? .
Anil is definitesly a class above the others and the two ladies, Susan and Jane are the best of the rest. I have deep sympathy with Chris's poor sight, but he is probably the least talented of the bunch. Poor Ray never really got to grips with acrylics, a great shame as he was a genuinely likeable guy. I thought they all made a real attempt at the portraits in their own individual ways and the "advisor/mentors seem to be more intent on "my way or the highway" than actually helping anything. It's fun if only for the right to emtirely disagree with most of it. 😆
Posted
I've just watched the portrait episode - well, have to eat my words a little bit: on this one, I thought the tutors/mentors were much better than they have been - Diana Ali in particular seems to have relaxed a bit and to be interacting with the contestants more freely; but the point has been made before, we're only seeing a fraction of what went on - it may be that the editing contributed to my negative opinion of the first programmes.
The other problems remain - these are very inexperienced painters, on the whole. When one said he hadn't painted dogs before - last week, the 90 year old - and several said they'd never tackled a portrait before .... well; I find that fairly astonishing, really. Of course I can understand that if you've only been painting for a matter of months you won't have tried everything, but I was trying to think of things I HAVEN'T painted over the last 50 years (well or badly) and I had a devil of a job - birds, other animals from dogs cats and rats to elephants, buildings, trees, mountains, lakes, the sea, cars: the only thing I could think of was an international space station - just because I've never seen one. My point being - surely even amateur painters must have strayed beyond their self-imposed limits at one time or other? Surely a painter of 90 would have done?
But just because he's an old chap, of course, doesn't mean he's been painting all his life. Even so - the lack of experience, the narrowness of it (the young man who's a photo-realist: very good he is too, at photo-realism - but if you can examine a crumpled crisp packet and get it to look so real you think you could pick it up, what happened to his observational abilities this time round, when he made the retired fighter pilot look as if he was risking permanent injury by staring at his own nose?). Poor old Ray (?) had to go, of course - wasn't improving, has trouble looking; wasn't impressed by Goudie's remark about the Muppet Show, which was unnecessary (and I suspect he instantly regretted saying it). Well, it'll either be the dark young man from the building trade, or the fair-haired one with the ponytail and vision problem (to whom much praise is due, but he backed away from the challenge this time and had zero confidence before he started) to march next, I suppose. All the rest have a lot of potential.
And perhaps by programme number four, I might even have learned their names ... perhaps I should just be grateful I can remember my own.
Posted
Yes - he - Anil - seems to be agreeing with his mentor, taking it all on board, then promptly either forgets it or reveals he had no intention of taking the advice in the first place... Perhaps he thinks his judgement is as good as Pascal Anson's: and given he was the popular winner who has a free pass to the next round, he may have a point.
Posted
One thing I can say from personal experience, an awful lot of filming goes on for what is seen as a one hour programme on the squawk box. Takes and retakes, hours of film that isn't even used and clever camera work where we never actually see the camera angles involved, plus the producer is ever focussed on ratings. To prove my point, I took part in a televised dance programme a couple of years ago where we practised this that and the other two hours a day, five days a week for four solid weeks and all for two one-hour viewings on T.V.. Much also goes on that involves people and temperaments believe me, that is never seen by the viewer, so it will be no different in the Painting Challenge. I bet if they showed the warts and all making of the show , it would get even more viewers than the contest itself. I could tell tales of great wonder, but non-disclosure documents prevent. 😆
Edited
by Wanderer69
Posted
I thought you'd be interested in seeing Katherine's review of episode 3 if you haven't seen it already...
https://makingamark.blogspot.co.uk/2018/04/review-portraiture-big-painting-challenge-2018.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed:+MakingAMark+(Making+a+Mark)