The Big Painting Challenge

Too many presenters. We are shouting at the screen "show us the paintings". There is too much of the presenters and judges talking and we want to see the paintings and how they develop. You don't need the rev. and Mariella, just a voice over would do. I think the teacher called Pascal inspires you and gives some very helpful hints and tips, but the other one with the silly nose ring is just very critical. I think the good thing is that these are very amateur artists which might encourage other people to have a go. The Sky arts portrait/landscape artist of the year is very enjoyable and the amateurs are more skilled, but again there is too much talking and faces, and not enough camera on the paintings and how they develop.

PRINTMISS painting is definitely NOT relaxing unless your just playing at it. It's so stressful trying to make a painting work.

I think Sunam was spot on with her painting this week. A lovely painting full of movement but with a light touch. Not sure why Jennifer always has to put hers on the floor at some point.

I am really enjoying this programme and it gave me some ideas about capturing movement. I went with my art group to draw at a dance rehearsal once and found it challenging and stressful. Came away with a lot of stick figure sketches. I think Sunam has developed her drawing/painting very well during the programme, but my money still on Jennifer. She has a lightness of touch and uses colour well - her drawing skills are her weakness.

I agree Shysal ... I immediately thought his ballerina's backside looked like hers! His figures seemed to be more "Beryl Cook" than "Degas".

Why is the Rev even on this programme? Who is he? He's just a spare part.

It amused me that Jimmy didn't know who Kim Kardashian was. What planet does he live on? I had thought his ballerina's backside looked like hers too!
I just know someone on here is going to ask who she is now

Printmiss, it's like all these programmes (Bake Off, etc), they would be boring to watch unless they put a deadline on the activity and put pressure on them to work against the clock. However, I do wonder how true it is because a friend went on the Channel 4 programme years ago called "Watercolour Challenge" and the 4 hour time slot they were allegedly given to paint was a lie.... they had almost all day! This became apparent when one episode of "WC" was filmed in the square in Monmouth and a large clock was visible in the background so it was obvious at what time they started and finished.

It all seems so very stressful to me, and I thought painting was supposed to be relaxing, but I suppose if you are as good as some of these painters are, then they need to be stretched. Not for me, although I have enjoyed the programme.

Missed last nights. DH said 'oh no, not that again' and since he's been a bit down I decided to let him 'win'!

I enjoyed watching the artists work out how to draw and paint the dancers. They all seem to listen to advice a bit more. The Rev being a ballerina was an embarrassing moment. Also the brief glimpse down Jennifer's top as she bent over to work on the floor, they quickly avoided that again.
Looking forward to the final, who do you think will win? I'm thinking Suman deserves to on the results so far.

Afraid neither of the presenters do it for me, and they certainly don't need two

i think the right person went out last night I did actually like Jennifer's this time I thought the colours and the vagueness fitted the idea of movement Sunams was certainly the most 'moving' but Davids was my favourite although my critism was it didn't fit together as a picture they were like three separate figures on the paper ......a very hard subject to do I thought Alan's first one was very nice but the second one was awful I couldn't get past that leg both he and Jimmy had a very dodgy leg haha

I think one presenter would have been sufficient.

I find him embarrassing!

I'm a total non-artist but interested in art. I am totally unimpressed with all of them and if these are the best of those who applied then the standard must have been very low indeed.

And can anyone tell me what The Rev Richard Coles brings to the programme?

He's Ruaridh = Rory in Gaelic.
I watched it again last night. One of the things is it goes so quickly and even now there are so many people I only know some of them by name.
The first pic, Alan, David and Suman were good. Rory's recognisable, but not liked......and Jennifer's looked like a week-old corpse!

(Do abstract painters try to keep themselves and their character OUT of their paintings? I was just sent a name from Japan by a friend in Queensland - Yayoi Kusama. I don't know what to say to her about this, but the main idea seemed to be for the artist to make herself invisible! Very difficult to look at, actually.....but I'm off the point here.)

The celebrities' portraits were interesting! Especially as they were so different, Floella has such a striking and unusual face and Angela..well to me she looks like a 'stereotype pretty older woman on the TV' - no insult intended, but I didn't think anyone really got a likeness of her.
Floella - I liked Jimmy's. And also Jennifer's. What happened? Suddenly she produced a real portrait, that even looked like a relative of Floella's! If she could keep that up, and keep the emotional ideas as well, she could do something really good.

I think the young lad was Rory or Ruari or something like that
I didn't like the colours in Jennifers painting of Floella

Shock, horror! Jennifer did two almost recognisable portraits! And she didn't get picked as the favourite either. I did like the idea of making the paper cylinder head - very useful for getting proportions right.

I'm still watching in the hope of picking up tips and really enjoyed the Portrait Gallery and portrait challenge last night. I agree about the mentors BB. Was surprised that they got rid of two but I think the boy, ?Daniel, was lucky to have survived so far. Jennifer's lack of grounding in drawing is very obvious but she uses colour very well I think. Art appreciation is so subjective and the judges had a disagreement last night. I'm not keen on the portrait painter judge, she appears very severe.

I think the two who went were the correct two and I think Alan's painting was one of the best I think Davids self portrait was very good but not the Angela Rippon one I thought everyone made Floella look very old whereas I think in real life she looks young for her years I don't like either of the mentors I think she is a bit ineffectual and I think he's grizzly and not got any charisma I m not that keen on the judges or presenters either but I definitely liked the programme itself better last night

I love the National Portrait Gallery and I am in awe of anyone who can capture a likeness of another, so I am not about to criticise. I have only once attempted a portrait. My father said it needed a number underneath as it looked like a police mug shot! I think the two who were voted off were a fair choice. At least Jennifer didn't bring the hair out this week ?!

Surprisingly I enjoyed last nights episode. Until now I've just found it frustrating but having no knowledge or ability of portraits I learned a lot. And I think the right people were voted out and the right people praised. Really surprised that I agreed with the judges! A very difficult subject.

I quite pitied the artists' wild life challenge. The flamingos and the elephants were difficult subject matter.

I like Jennifer's personality. She seems a lovely girl but I suspect she can't draw for toffee. I am rather annoyed that the judges pick apart honest interpretations of the subject matter, yet Jennifer's hairy, throw-paint-on-the-board abstracts get through. It's as though there are different rules for her. I did see an elephant in her work this week however. Any of the artists could do an abstract painting if the subject matter posed difficulties and they'd be scored down, yet it's as though no one will say Jennifer with her hair isn't meeting the criteria.

I was sad to see Camilla go. The stuff she does at home seems fine. I find David very pompous and conceited. He finds it hard to acknowledge constructive criticism.

Am I alone in finding the female mentor a complete waste of time? She is floundering and her advice is poor. I suspect she isn't terribly knowledgeable regarding techniques and art criticism. The man knows his stuff, but giving her a role elevated her beyond her capabilities. I hope she's been taken off the programme for good. I squirm when she offers her 'advice'.

I quite enjoyed it tonight. Like the fact that it's new challenges every week, as it tests everyone's strengths and weaknesses.

Not desperately impressed so far but will try not to miss it this week!

I watched this on catchup last night. They all seem so out of their depth, especially the poor deaf chap (I would use his name but I can't spell it!!). I think it would have been a kindness to have sent him home! There were worse elephants than Camilla's, and I have to say that I was quite drawn to Jennifer's finished painting. I really think they should ban the hair though - every time she gets it out it makes me feel quite sick!