The Great Painting Challenge

I like the experts on this programme but agree the contestants this year are pretty dire. Sky has a series called Portrait Artist of the Year ( can’t remember exact title) which is so much better than this one.

Couldn't agree more.

I was really looking forward to this programme but have to agree that the standard seems lower however I guess they will work it so there is a miraculous improvement I think the right people have gone out so far The first girl I thought was going to be a repeat of last series girl who used hair all the time in her style
It also surprises me that the pictures they show you that they do in their home lives seem very much better than what they accomplish on the show

I love the Sky Arts Portrait and Landscape painters of the year programmes but I'd agree the standard of work and format of this show is extremely poor. It's padded out with so much nonsense too.

I really do not like the female art coach. I don't know who recruited her but her advice and tutorials are (what's a polite word?) rubbish. She really does seem to be scrabbling about in offering constructive criticism. She is very weak. I'd feel cheated if she had to advise me on my work. The judges are very diplomatic when looking at the finished pieces. The contestants just don't impress me so I don't watch any more. The talent is sorely lacking and the format of the show is plodding.

I still enjoy it. It's a bit different. The poor artists are under such pressure of time plus TV filming and stupid questions being asked. I also think that they've been given very difficult tasks although I thought the tree one was nice. That distillery one and the still life items must have been a nightmare to paint.

I am not enjoying this one, and will probably not continue to watch it. I think Pascal is getting a bit cheesed off with his group, and they certainly seem to be cheesed off with him! The stuff they do at home is better because they are not under time pressure - they simply don’t have enough time.

I also think the reason the stuff they do at home is better is because they probably concentrate on one subject matter that they feel comfortable with, e.g. landscapes, portraiture, still life, etc. etc. That's why I think this programme is a good idea - it forces them to try things that they find more difficult instead of only doing what they do well. But there is a limit!

As others have said, some of the challenges have been really difficult.

I think both the coaches are good. I am sort of half admiring and half annoyed by the chap who ignores everything that Pascal tells him to do, or not to do.

I too have found this series frustrating so far.

The advice to the 90 year old was ridiculous - trying out a new medium in the context of a competition was crazy - not that he had a jot of ability as a painter anyway.

The reason the painters' own work was so much better is because, just like Monet, Picasso and any other great painter you care to mention, they have a particular style - and there is nothing at all wrong with that.

I would like to see the progress of all of the contestants throughout the weeks so we can see who has made the most progress over the time.
It is the same with the cooking and sewing programmes - if someone has a really bad day and the food or garment is not so good that is them finished - we all have bad days with whatever we are doing. To look at what they do over the course of the series would give a better idea of their progress and capabilities and give the contestants time to learn and improve.

I used to love this programme too, but the standard is ridiculously low this time. I saw the last couple of episodes of the Sky programme and it was much more interesting watching painters with talent, imho.

I agree that this series' contenders seem to have minimal talent. I think the idea is to improve those talents, but I'm not confident that that is going to happen.
Frankly, I can't stand Pascal in his red onesie rolled down, he seems awfully pretentious. I do have a lot of time for Daphne Todd, and met her last year at an exhibition, she knows what she's talking about and has a gentler approach to the contestants.
I much preferred "Watercolour Challenge" some years ago, as there was some talent on display there.
I don't have Sky unfortunately - would have liked to watch "Portrait Artist of the Year".

Agree standard not so high this series, I would love to be able to paint and have fund myself muttering "well, perhaps I could then"

No I don’t have a sky either so will stick with this I agree the distillery one was very complex The poor chap with bad eyesight must have a hard time whereas at home he can get closer to his subjects
Perhaps it ll warm up I agree the girl advisor is wishy washy and pascal seems an arrogant chappie I also can’t decide if the one who ignores his advise is right or wrong
I agree with you welshwife giving them longer would see clearler who has and who hasn’t improved

Perhaps they have chosen artists this time is to encourage budding artists and to show them what is possible by coaching and taking them out of their comfort zone. Not that I think the coaching we are party to seems very helpful. Pascal's exercises seem the most useful. It must be very stressful to produce a painting within the time and whilst being filmed, I don't think I could do it. Many amateur artists that I know are used to painting at leisure from photographs. I like it as I learn something from each programme.

I’m not enjoying this series at all, the work the artists showed they’d done at home was on the whole rather good, but during the tasks not one shows much promise, not that I could even reach their standards, either on the show or at home.

I find Lachlan rather patronising almost belittling!

Re Lachlan : he's a professional artist. I suppose art is one those things that anyone can have a go at. That's not possible (or best not tried) in other professions eg law or surgery. It must be odd for Lachlan to be presented with what all seem to be pretty poor paintings and even expected to talk about them.
I suspect that the producers have said that he must be completely honest. That may make for a more controversial programme thus more viewers? TV is a business these days after all and the competition is not just between the painters! Cynical? Moi?

I know someone who was a runner-up on Watercolour Challenge years ago, and the thing about painting within a brief time limit is a charade. On WC it was supposed to be 4 hours but my friend said they actually had about 8 hours, and this was obvious when they were painting in a market square and you could see the clock in the background. They started at 9am as the market stalls were being set up and the clock said 5.50 pm when the artists finished. These programmes are all a con.

And however good an artist may be, some can teach and some can't .... and in my opinion Pascal is one who can't. He told Ray he had used the wrong colours for his skin tones, and that he had used Ultramarine Blue which was wrong. As I have been painting for 18 years, I watch the programme for tips. Pascal did not say which shade of blue poor Ray should have used, and that is poor teaching.

Gosh that's interesting about the time (lack of) constraint sparklefizz!

Jane10 I suspect it's the same with the cookery programmes when they are trying to beat the clock.

Yes I am quite cynical these days about "reality" programmes that are not in fact what they seem and presenters are heavily scripted. Jane10 am sure you're right - it's all about entertainment.

My OH and I count seconds during the pregnant pause....."And the person who will be leaving us this week is......." This format is so hackneyed.

I also have to say that the way Frostrup flirts with Richard Coles is laughable - especially as he is gay!

Funnily enough whitewash that's just what I was saying to a friend today. The programme would be so much better if they all stayed in until the end so we could see how they progressed with the coaching. Then if they want to make it into. Competition they could have a winner on the last show. I think too many programmes now feel they have to follow the 'bake off ' formula which is a shame.

Sorry welshwife not *whitewash*.
I too preferred watercolour challenge.