Portrait artist of the year. New series 8pm We’d 9 Oct Sky Arts (11 or 36)

shysal

I thought this week's winner was awful! Not having a background in art, I don't understand the judges' reasoning sometimes.

I agree. The lady with her double portraits had a much better likeness and had the tenderness of the married couple evident in their faces.
What a wasted opportunity.
Sometimes I wonder if the judges don’t go for the new. What’s wrong with the old?

The series has become a joke. You could take bets on the worst one winning

ferry23

MayBee70

I think I’m going to give up on this series …

I rarely agree with the judges and I most certainly didn't this year. Lord knows what the commission will look like.

It wasn’t as bad as I was expecting. But why paint her in such an unflattering position? It made her legs look fat and she hasn’t got fat legs at all. I didn’t see if the face looked like her. But the judges don’t seem keen on portraits that resemble the sitter.

Agree about the use of screens. It’s painting from life for heaven’s sake. But very watchable.

Really good choice of winner this year.. I loved the final portrait, especially the legs..

I catch it now and again but never know which series I'm watching!

The last one had Joely Richardon on by herself. Some great portraits of her- she seemed to be a lovely person.

pascal30

Really good choice of winner this year.. I loved the final portrait, especially the legs..

The painting was on Lorraine’s tv show this morning ( or so my partner tells me) and she says she loves it. I guess it is Lycian Freud’ish but he had a unique talent in making the grotesque beautiful. I didn’t notice if the face was a good likeness but he says it wasn’t. I thought Brogans portrait of Joely Richardson was awful but she chose it. I’m still bemused. Mind you, I didn’t like the portrait of Lenny Henry from two seasons ago and that has grown on me.

MayBee70

pascal30

Really good choice of winner this year.. I loved the final portrait, especially the legs..

The painting was on Lorraine’s tv show this morning ( or so my partner tells me) and she says she loves it. I guess it is Lycian Freud’ish but he had a unique talent in making the grotesque beautiful. I didn’t notice if the face was a good likeness but he says it wasn’t. I thought Brogans portrait of Joely Richardson was awful but she chose it. I’m still bemused. Mind you, I didn’t like the portrait of Lenny Henry from two seasons ago and that has grown on me.

I agree I didn't particularly like the Joely Richardson portrait either.. MayBee.. but if you had watched last night you would have seen the portraits he did of his partner and friends given more time.. and seen how he portrayed (IMO) their essential essence in luscious colours and paint strokes.. in a very unusual style...

I think he is certainly a painter to watch in the future..

Sort of knew the judges would choose the one they did, but I didn't care for his style at all. Sometimes there is no accounting for taste !

Each to their own I suppose.

I fund his work ugly and unflattering and to my untrained eye, comic book like. Caricatures of the actual subjects.

The women all look like the evil old hags as portrayed in the old children's Ladybird books.

Sorry that should have read "found" not fund.

I’ve just watched Lorraine. I’m not disliking it as much now. But I now have a problem that he included her dog but not its head, it’s bottom. Why would anyone paint a dogs bottom?

MayBee70

I’ve just watched Lorraine. I’m not disliking it as much now. But I now have a problem that he included her dog but not its head, it’s bottom. Why would anyone paint a dogs bottom?

apparently in real life the dog is very shy.. and Lorraine was delighted that it was shown facing away... it was discussed at the showing..

I think the judges need a trip to Specsavers. My DH and I have frequently agreed that arty farty lot choose the most quirky, unflattering portrait and call it art. I don't get it, maybe I need a trip to Specsavers

I think it was always on the cards who the winner would be when Tai-Shan said that the judges were looking for someone who could push the boundaries of what portraiture is - or words to that effect.

I recorded the programme and sadly the last few minutes were lopped so I didn’t hear what the judges thought of the commission. Compared to the earlier rounds, I thought the artist held back a tad from the very impressionistic paintings produced in the previous rounds. The winner admitted that getting likeness is not their priority. I’m not particulary keen on the leg-dominated perspective they favour but they are an interesting young artist with much potential for development.

I had no idea that Andy Serkis and Lorraine Ashbourne were a couple or that they were mountaineers! An interesting pose, Andy outdoing Rory Stewart by standing for five hours compared to Rory’s four.

The last double pose I remember was when actors Simon Callow and Lily Cole sat back-to-back looking as if they had had an argument. Am I forgetting some others?

Saw the final and once more they have reverted to the ridiculous when they chose this year’s winner. This is supposed to be a portrait competition . Surely then it should be possible to recognise the subjects. Last night the result showed a clown and a grotesque characature of his wife. When Tai was heard to say he had trouble with the likeness of the wife it must be the understatement of the year.The judges appear to be led by that blonde curator. As for the curator of the art gallery where it was going to hung, who was supposed to be part of the judging, well I am gob smacked. This young artist had painted his girl friend which was fine if you can ignore the grotesque foreshortening of the legs. although nowhere as good as the woman artist who painted her sister. We will look at the commission of Lorraine Kelly tonight and hope things will improve for the sake of my blood pressure.

,

I think the winners work was absolutely awful throughout.

I don't think we needed to see so much of Lorraine's legs. They looked huge and they are not.

So many of this year's artists would have done a much better painting imo.

Omg I've just seen the portrait of Lorraine Kelly, although my DH thinks it looks more like Fiona Bruce What's with the red knees and pile of pink sausages (fingers) in her lap? and then there's the dog's bum??? I think this world is leaving me behind

sassenach512

Omg I've just seen the portrait of Lorraine Kelly, although my DH thinks it looks more like Fiona Bruce What's with the red knees and pile of pink sausages (fingers) in her lap? and then there's the dog's bum??? I think this world is leaving me behind

I’m assuming her dog is a Miniature Schnauzer because my daughter has one. Much as I adore my granddog I do not like her bottom; with them having curly tails there’s too much bottom exposed! It would have been much nicer to have the dogs little head peeking out shyly. Even Lucien Freud, to my knowledge, never painted his whippets in an unpleasant way. I thought the coat was a great choice. I think the judges do seem to try to pair the artist with someone that suits them personality wise. There is no way that this years winning artist would have gelled with last years sitter or that she would have welcomed the finished product.

It’ll be interesting to hear what Lorraine says about the portrait if they mention it next time she’s on The Last Leg. Rory Stewart was very uncomplimentary about the portrait of him that was chosen.

. Just seen the commission. The coat was a good choice . He obviously enjoyed painting the legs more than Lorraine’s face. She looks really severe. Where is her a warm personality? He could have really made something of the dog rather than a bundle of fur. A little face could have significance as he means so much to Lorraine. He had a pleasant personality and Lorraine wanted him to do well.

Was it a portrait of Lorraine that won?
Wee Lorraine from breakfast TV?

I want to find a picture of the winner, seeing as I've missed the programme.

I'm none the wiser.

Just watched the final on catchup. What a ridiculous choice of winner.