Portrait Artist of the Year Season 12 Episode 8

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Transcript

00:00Hello. Today's artists have some interesting hobbies, from Olympic rowing to energy healing.

00:14Let's hope all that rowing and reiki translates into a steady hand.

00:18Welcome to Portrait Artist of the Year.

00:21In the last heat, Vincent Stokes' delicate, narrative-rich pencil drawing of comedian Fatia El-Ghori wowed the judges.

00:29I'm feeling absolutely fantastic. There are lots of great artists and I'm very grateful that the judges chose mine.

00:36Who will be the final artist to claim the last remaining spot in the semi-final?

00:54The artists competing in the final heat of the competition are...

00:59Elle Barrett, a conservation biology student from Surrey.

01:03Suffolk-based commercial mural artist Lucy Ambler.

01:07Louis Meader, an artist from Hampshire.

01:12And Fiona Land, a former rowing champion from the Yorkshire Dales.

01:16My heart rate, I've got this new watch and it told me it was 110.

01:21And normally it's around about 60, so...

01:24Also in the running are...

01:29Courtney Bay, a creative marketer from Surrey.

01:33Galway-based portrait painter Steve Cannon.

01:37Han Guo, an artist living in Guildford.

01:40Eugene Evans, a social care worker from Middlesbrough.

01:43And Silas Archibong, an art student living in London.

01:49I'm comfortable, you know, feeling at ease at the moment.

01:52I love the lighting and I'm excited to start drawing, yeah.

01:55At stake is a £10,000 commission

02:00to create a portrait of award-winning mathematician and broadcaster

02:03Professor Hannah Fry for the Royal Society

02:06to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first women elected to its fellowship.

02:13Professor Kathleen Lonsdale and Professor Marjorie Stevenson.

02:17Deciding which artist will earn the last place in the semi-final are our judges.

02:21Award-winning artist Tyshan Schierenberg.

02:24Curator Kathleen Soriano.

02:27And art historian Kate Bryan.

02:30It's the wall and I'm concerned for this plant.

02:33It is wilting, so it's tied up with little bits of string.

02:36Then you realise the detail in this painting is extraordinary.

02:39His head in that space as well, you really start to think about this

02:42as an artist who's thinking about their life and their work and its meaning.

02:47This has got this really wonderful quality

02:52of being a bit like an enlarged passport photo in its seriousness

02:55and also being like a really historic mummy portrait or something.

02:59Just the reduction in the colours, how it feels very dry.

03:06It's great by virtue of what's not there really

03:08and the heightened colouration is not realistic

03:12but somehow all makes sense.

03:13Let's give this next painting a big hand.

03:18I mean, it's an absolute slab of a hand if you really look at it.

03:22And then for that face to still be able to hold its own

03:25even though that it's been cast profoundly in shadow,

03:28so beautifully observed.

03:32I love the sort of, the roughness of it, the looseness of it

03:36and the boldness of it actually with a face like that,

03:39the head slightly sort of enlarged.

03:41So you're romantic, it fits in a tradition of head and bust,

03:48looking into the future.

03:50Then you get into the face and the marks are completely different.

03:52The marks are close, they're very well observed.

03:59The technical accomplishment of this charcoal drawing is incredible, isn't it?

04:03Yeah, I think it's really exciting when you have someone who can render something in a photorealist style.

04:07So, okay, I'll give you that in the top, but then in the bottom half I'm going to present something totally different.

04:14It's late night, it's an enclosed world, there's no fresh air in there at all, is there?

04:20It's somebody deep in the zone, really.

04:25Clearly some medical motifs here, crutches and a skeleton.

04:29It's super clever.

04:31You want to understand what the iconography is referencing.

04:35Aren't they the paintings that endure, the ones that don't reveal all their secrets at first glance?

04:39But then you have a fantastic Rembrandt portrait, which is just a fantastic head and nothing else, and that can hold you as well.

04:46So there.

04:47Wish you artists would make up your mind.

04:54Artist, your sitter today is a principal dancer at the Royal Ballet.

04:58His repertoire includes all the classics, Romeo and Juliet, Swan Lake, The Nutcracker Suite.

05:04So you need to be on point as you welcome Rhys Clark.

05:09APPLAUSE

05:10Hello Rhys.

05:25Hi.

05:27Wow.

05:30Look at the size of you.

05:32Well, welcome.

05:33So you're going to stand for the whole four hours?

05:35I am.

05:35I hope that's not a bad decision.

05:36So explain this incredible outfit that you're wearing today.

05:40So this is Count Albrecht from Giselle.

05:42He's a nobleman arranged to be married from someone from the noble households, but he falls in love with a mere peasant girl.

05:48Giselle kind of deceives her.

05:50He doesn't tell her he's a nobleman.

05:52She finds out it's all very dramatic and dies of a broken heart.

05:55So this is his act two costume.

05:56He's taking white lilies to the grave.

05:58How are you going to be standing?

05:59Are you going to be standing in some sort of pose or...?

06:00A subtle kind of pose.

06:03So it'll be here, you know.

06:04Oh, right.

06:04Very elegant movement of the hand there.

06:06I might incorporate that into my daily life.

06:10Well, listen.

06:12Good luck.

06:13I leave you to your prince.

06:14Artists, your sitter today is a gifted writer whose poignant and powerful Channel 4 comedy big boys won him a BAFTA.

06:26Please welcome the hilarious and the talented Jack Rook.

06:30Hello.

06:32Hello, girls.

06:36I'm Jack.

06:37Nice to meet you.

06:38Hi.

06:39Hi.

06:39I'm Jack.

06:40Nice to meet you.

06:41Nice to meet you.

06:42Hi, Jack.

06:42Nice to meet you.

06:44This is your home.

06:45Oh, my God.

06:46Have a seat.

06:48There's more people here than I was expecting.

06:52Great outfit.

06:54I love the jacket.

06:54This is the outfit I wore in the finale episode of Big Boys.

06:58It's quite fun.

06:59And then this I brought.

07:00It was my dad's black cab badge from back in the day.

07:04So he passed away when I was about 15.

07:06And the show is kind of a bit of a tribute to him.

07:08There you go.

07:09What are you looking for today?

07:11I quite like being a writer.

07:12The dream of that job is that you get to just create whatever you want.

07:16And I would like to empower you all to just do the exact same.

07:20Perfect.

07:20What a cracking sitter you've got.

07:25Artists, when I say your sitter is out of this world, I mean it.

07:28Because he's actually been into space.

07:30Please welcome, as he enters your orbit, astronaut Tim Peake.

07:41Ivan.

07:46Hi.

07:48Hi, Tim.

07:49How are you doing?

07:50How are you doing?

07:50Take a seat.

07:51Yeah.

07:55We don't get many astronauts on this show.

07:58Welcome.

07:59Thank you very much.

07:59It's very exciting to have you here.

08:00It's great to be here.

08:01You've spent six months in the International Space Station, which I'm imagining is the size of a small cupboard.

08:07So sitting still in a chair for four hours.

08:10That should be okay.

08:11I'm all right with sitting still.

08:12Okay.

08:13What exactly is this you're wearing?

08:14Yes.

08:15So this is my training flight suit.

08:16And I spent many, many hours in it.

08:18It has been washed since, I promise.

08:20But this kind of takes me back to my days of training for my mission.

08:24Right.

08:24Well, Tim, welcome.

08:25I'll leave you in the hands of your artists.

08:27Thank you very much.

08:28Artists, it's time to launch the challenge.

08:35You have four hours.

08:37Three, two, one.

08:40Blast off.

08:41Your time starts now.

08:44I think, would it be okay to take a photo?

08:45Yeah, of course, yeah.

08:48Try and not smile.

08:49I know that's really hard.

08:51Try and not to smile.

08:56Do you want to try sitting on the floor?

08:57Maybe just like a straight arm.

09:00Nice.

09:01I'm going to keep my hands here, if that's okay for everyone.

09:04Whatever you're comfortable with.

09:06Okay, cool.

09:13As each artist begins the portrait-making process,

09:17they face the added challenge of capturing three sitters

09:20dressed in outfits that reflect their professions.

09:22I'm really excited because I think there's a lot I can play with,

09:27with his strength and muscle.

09:30But I really want to kind of crack through to his vulnerability side

09:34rather than the stage presence.

09:36So I've kind of asked him to play around with some other poses.

09:40Korean-American Courtney Bay is an artist and creative marketer for a charity.

09:45Her self-portrait uses her signature muted tones

09:48and captures a moment of raw authenticity,

09:51which she terms beautiful ugliness.

09:54Courtney, you're a woman on a mission.

09:57It's happening very quickly.

09:59Is it? That's good.

10:00And talk to me about this, because you've done this great wash

10:02and then the outline in this sort of darker line.

10:06How do you sort of think about the idea of line and drawing?

10:09I think throughout the process, you get really careful and nuanced.

10:12And in the last stage of the painting,

10:14I think, I've got to be strong rather than soft and gentle and careful.

10:19I need to have an opinion.

10:20And so it kind of comes from that place where I want to put this line

10:23that is, it's a bit scary for me too.

10:26It's risky as well.

10:27It's risky. You could go bad.

10:28Yeah.

10:29Yeah.

10:32Tim Peake. What a great sitter.

10:42I mean, an actual astronaut.

10:45Don't get to meet many of those in a day, do you?

10:47Absolutely amazing. I think I've really lucked out.

10:51Fiona Land is a former Great British Olympic rower

10:54turned graphic designer.

10:55Her self-portrait submission is based on a selfie she took in her garden

10:59and shows her discomfort with being in the spotlight.

11:03Hi, Fiona. Blue Tim.

11:05Yes. Well, he's got a lovely blue flight suit,

11:08but I usually start with a blue anyway.

11:11I'm not really sure why.

11:12OK. Well, you know, it works.

11:14Yeah.

11:14So we've got a head.

11:15Off to one side, I wanted to have a bit of space around him.

11:19Right, good.

11:20See what I did there?

11:21See what you did there.

11:22And I might even sort of do a little bit of smushing to put a little bit of...

11:26Oh, we love a smush.

11:27That's my smusher.

11:28Oh, yeah. Look at that.

11:30The smushing you could do with this.

11:32If it all goes horribly wrong, it won't get smushed.

11:33Will it? Yeah.

11:34So I'm using a picture of Jack and of the canvas,

11:48and I'm layering the picture of Jack over the photo that I have of the canvas

11:53and then changing the opacity up and down

11:55so that I can see what's going on.

11:59Commercial mural painter Lucy Ambler

12:01is also studying to be an energy healer.

12:03Her submission in coloured pencils on card

12:06is titled Doors of Grief

12:08and was created during a break-up.

12:11Lucy, you've got the whole studio here.

12:13It's fantastic.

12:15You've got a picture of Jack,

12:18and I'm looking at your black canvas,

12:20and I'm kind of thinking,

12:21what?

12:23Yeah.

12:23So talk me through your process.

12:25I'm kind of looking at the reference.

12:27I know where I'm going to sit him, if that makes sense.

12:30So this is kind of a grid in a way.

12:32My focus is just to capture something,

12:36kind of bring it to the fore

12:37instead of trying to get all of it.

12:39You know what I mean?

12:39It's focusing on what stands out the most

12:42and just trying to bring that to life the most.

12:44So you're one of these artists,

12:45you got off-piste.

12:47You know where you're going,

12:48but you're taking sort of the longer route round.

12:50Yeah.

12:50No, it's great.

13:00Drawing is a sort of tool for storytelling for me.

13:04I'll try as much as possible

13:06to be as fast as I can.

13:08So I just want to free myself

13:10and just enjoy the moment

13:12and be creative with the whole process.

13:16Silas Archibong is studying for a Masters in Fine Art

13:20at Kingston University.

13:22His submission is a charcoal drawing

13:24of a collage of two photos

13:25and is a reflection on his Nigerian heritage

13:28and his Jesuit faith.

13:30So, Silas, when I saw your image on the wall,

13:32I felt like I was in an elevator,

13:34slowly moving down from the hat

13:35to the top of the face

13:36and the lower half

13:37and then ultimately the shoulders.

13:39And I see today

13:40that you're taking a similar approach.

13:42Yes.

13:42I started with a sense of a collage.

13:45So I printed,

13:46I took a picture of him.

13:47I wanted to create

13:48both black and white and colour.

13:51And, I mean,

13:52you've got him with his eyes closed.

13:53What does that say to us?

13:55That is a reflection of science and religion.

13:58Okay.

13:58So what I'm trying to create also,

14:01I want to draw like a holo on his head

14:03but with his face,

14:04different planet,

14:05to make it look like a reconciliation

14:07with science and religion.

14:11Wow.

14:15With one hour down,

14:17the artists are taking stock

14:19of their progress so far.

14:20It's okay.

14:22Got to think and imagine

14:23and take it slow a little.

14:25It feels nice to just get going now.

14:26And you kind of remember,

14:29oh, actually, I like doing this.

14:37I feel okay right now, to be honest.

14:40We'll see where I'm at in an hour

14:41if I'm panicking.

14:42I think I've caught Tim at the moment.

14:51I'm hoping he's not going to disappear

14:54into the ether.

14:56We'll see.

14:56Our nine artists have spent the past hour

15:09bringing blank canvases to life,

15:11capturing astronaut Tim Peake,

15:14ballet dancer Rhys Clark

15:15and writer and performer Jack Rook.

15:18Han?

15:18Yes?

15:19I keep hearing everyone say,

15:21Han's put a wash on.

15:23Now, I presume you haven't just done your laundry.

15:24What does putting a wash on...

15:26I'm glad I'm not doing it today.

15:28Yeah, no putting a wash on today.

15:33Chinese artist Han Guo

15:34initially pursued a career

15:36in electronic engineering

15:37before falling in love with painting.

15:40She created her submission in a day

15:42using a mirror

15:43and found the process to be

15:45a meditative act of self-discovery.

15:48Han?

15:48I look at Jack and I think

15:50there's a great head and his hair is...

15:51He looks interesting to paint.

15:53Is he interesting to paint?

15:53Yeah, he is.

15:54He's an interesting character.

15:56But also he's got a sense of calm in him as well.

15:59Ah.

16:00Tell me, because, you know,

16:01you're so portly concentrated

16:02just head and shoulders.

16:04Yeah.

16:04What is it about Jack

16:05that you wanted to paint the whole body?

16:06First of all,

16:07because he got something special to him,

16:09which is a black cap badge from his dad.

16:12And I really like to capture it in.

16:14That's why I choose this setting

16:16rather than just the head short.

16:18Hands?

16:18Are they going to make an appearance?

16:20Yeah, it will be.

16:20It will be here.

16:21In my mind already.

16:22OK.

16:31I have the sketch down

16:32just using, like, a pencil.

16:35And now I'm just going in with the paint

16:36to kind of do the outline

16:37of all the parts that are kind of dark.

16:40And then I'll just get lighter and lighter

16:42and hopefully end up with a portrait

16:44at the end of it.

16:44Steve Cannon is an American artist

16:47who's lived in Ireland

16:48for the last 29 years.

16:50His self-portrait features

16:51his beloved peace lily,

16:53a gift given to him

16:54after his leg amputation in 2001.

16:57Steve, you get that paint on

17:00almost like it's a little charcoal

17:01or something.

17:02A bit, yeah.

17:02You're working on the side of the brush,

17:04just sort of marking it out.

17:06Almost like a sketch.

17:07Yeah, sketching rather than painting.

17:09Sketching with the paint.

17:10And you're showing Rhys standing.

17:12Yes.

17:12Which is great because, you know,

17:14we don't have many people stand.

17:16It's much harder than it looks.

17:17Yeah.

17:18What are you trying to say with Rhys?

17:19With Rhys, it's just power and grace.

17:22You can tell he's very strong.

17:23But with, like, what he does,

17:25he must be insanely graceful.

17:27So how do you feel about time?

17:28I just paint like a madman.

17:29If I could paint with two hands, I would.

17:31I'm studying conservation biology at the university.

17:45And I find art is really helpful for it

17:47because, firstly, we do field notebooks

17:49and we create artwork of species,

17:52things that we see in the natural world.

17:54And it's such a great skill to be an observer

17:57and to implement that in painting.

18:01Elle Barrett is studying at Plymouth University.

18:05Their self-portrait in acrylics

18:07sees them in deep study mode in their dorm room

18:09and reflects their two great passions,

18:11painting and biology.

18:14Elle, I see you've gone for that

18:16really sort of compressed scale again.

18:18And you've done the same thing with the hand,

18:20sort of coming forward.

18:21Yes.

18:22Enlarged.

18:22Yes.

18:23Dramatised.

18:24Why does that appeal to you?

18:25I went into him sort of on the edge of his seat.

18:26I asked him to think of the moment

18:29he first saw the Earth from space.

18:31Mm-hm.

18:31And I'm going to try and capture some of that

18:34awe, hopefully, in his expression.

18:36Yeah.

18:37I mean, the set is a gift, isn't it?

18:39Yeah, it's amazing.

18:40Are you going to sort of pare it back here?

18:42I'm going to try and manage

18:44all of the elements that I've got

18:46because there's a lot.

18:47I mean, there's the suit, there's the portrait,

18:48there's the hands, the rocket, if I have time.

18:50It's a fabulous style.

18:51Really, really good.

18:55To discover more about our celebrity sitters,

18:58we asked them to bring along a personal item

19:00that's dear to them.

19:01But today, they've taken a somewhat unusual approach.

19:06Tim, I'm looking around.

19:07Where's your object today?

19:09Well, the object is the one I'm wearing.

19:11It's flying a training flight suit.

19:13We would wear this for simulators,

19:15so flying the spacecraft and actually flying real aircraft as well

19:18and doing a lot of our emergency training.

19:20It defines you as an astral,

19:23but presumably there's a Tim Peake

19:24that is outside of this suit as well.

19:26Absolutely.

19:27It's a very different person outside.

19:29I love the outdoors.

19:30Being surrounded by nature, actually,

19:33is perhaps more the real me.

19:35When I put the suit on,

19:36it feels like going to work.

19:38It's more the operational me.

19:46Rhys, how is it going?

19:48It's going well.

19:49It is a challenge.

19:50I have to admit.

19:50And I think it might have been easier

19:52to dance around for four hours

19:53as opposed to...

19:54It would be impossible for artists

19:56to help out with the cross.

19:57Tell me about your object.

19:58You're wearing part of it.

20:00Part of it is here.

20:01Exactly.

20:01So this is Giselle Albrecht's costume in Act 2,

20:05designed by John McFarlane for the Royal Ballet.

20:07So I enter walking through the woods

20:09towards Giselle's grave.

20:10She's died of a broken heart

20:12at the end of Act 1,

20:13primarily due to my actions.

20:15Yes.

20:16So I'm sorrowful.

20:17I'm presenting the lilies to the grave.

20:19As I talk to you,

20:20you're coming in and out of role.

20:22Right.

20:22And that's what I'm curious to see,

20:23you know,

20:23if they focus, for example,

20:25more on the kind of character

20:26and the costume element

20:27or if they've been able to pick up

20:28on some kind of features about me

20:30and my kind of personality as Rhys.

20:32Okay, interesting.

20:40Jack, how are you finding this?

20:42I'm really enjoying it.

20:44It's very strange having people

20:45sort of meander around,

20:47look at you.

20:48I feel like a sort of new Gucci bag

20:50in a shop window.

20:51Maybe I'm bigging myself up a bit too much.

20:54I love your object.

20:55Tell me about it.

20:56So this is my dad's black cab badge.

21:00He was a black cab driver for 27 years,

21:03did all the knowledge.

21:05But when a cab driver passes away,

21:07you're supposed to give it back.

21:09And my mum was like,

21:11it's of too much sentimental value.

21:12So it has just sat at home in a safe.

21:15And I kind of think it's a nice way

21:17of me sort of paying tribute to him in this.

21:20Yeah, exactly.

21:21I like to think of the canvases

21:32and the image within it as portrait.

21:34So I like to position things in such a way

21:36that there's a kind of a symmetry

21:38between the objects

21:40as well as the person

21:41that I'm actually painting.

21:43Eugene Evans is a social care worker

21:46from Middlesbrough.

21:46He painted his self-portrait

21:48during a period of recovery

21:50from foot surgery

21:51and included various symbolic objects

21:53such as the skeleton

21:55which represents his arthritis.

21:57Eugene, you're working from life.

21:59I am indeed, yes.

22:00How is Jack as a sitter for you?

22:02He's very good.

22:03Occasionally he has a little smile

22:04that comes out

22:04or a little frown that comes out

22:06and I really like to kind of try

22:07and capture one of those two things.

22:09Yeah.

22:09And tell me about this fantastic composition.

22:11So this is the set.

22:13Yeah.

22:13The complete set without Jack sat in it.

22:16So there's the podium with his shadow on it.

22:18Yeah.

22:19But also this podium kind of reflects

22:21the object that he's brought in.

22:22Yeah.

22:22So we're kind of mirroring that a little bit.

22:25Trying to give him a sense of place

22:26rather than just a portrait

22:27where he could be anywhere.

22:28I mean, it's absolutely terrific

22:29and I really hope you can pull this off

22:32because I love your imagination at play here.

22:34I'm a fan of traditional skill.

22:47I like things to look like what they look like

22:50but at the same time

22:51I wouldn't want to do the job of a printer

22:53or a photographer.

22:54I want to change things

22:56so that they look the way I would like to see them.

23:00Hampshire-based artist Louis Meader

23:02teaches and grades online portraiture courses.

23:06His self-portrait in oils

23:07is a reflection of his two artistic sides.

23:10The methodical, realistic face

23:12contrasts with the more chaotic abstract background.

23:16Louis, what are you doing with your finger?

23:19I'm basically just blurring the edges

23:21making sure the brush strokes blend together

23:24so that there's a soft transition between the forms.

23:27It's kind of remarkable.

23:28We haven't reached lunchtime

23:30and I think you're pretty much finished.

23:31And the likeness is great.

23:33Now, is Risa's likeness an easy one to get?

23:36In a certain way

23:37because it kind of falls in the averages of a face.

23:41Like they say that someone who is typically attractive,

23:44let's say,

23:45will fall in to the perfect average of a face.

23:48What are you going to do for the next half of the day?

23:51I'll find something to fiddle around with

23:53or play around with.

23:54Are you telling me that you're like other artists,

23:56you're never quite happy?

23:57No, I'm never quite happy.

23:59That's absolutely right.

24:00Halfway through the challenge

24:06and it's time to talk tactics.

24:10The head and hand are fairly close to being done,

24:13but I can't just stay on them.

24:15I have to move on.

24:16I have to kind of work on everything else

24:18and make it a full picture instead of just a head.

24:21But yeah, it's actually going all right.

24:23I'm a little bit shocked, to be honest.

24:24I don't have a plan, but no plan is good.

24:31Never get wrong because no plan.

24:32I am happy with where I am so far.

24:44There's a lot more to go, so a lot can happen still.

24:47Just got to keep powering through, I think.

24:49For over two hours, nine artists have been painting

24:59writer Jack Rook, dancer Rhys Clark

25:01and astronaut Tim Peake,

25:03who is checking in with ground control.

25:05How are you all doing?

25:07I'm good.

25:09Good, good.

25:10How's the sitting going?

25:12It's tough work here.

25:13Costume day.

25:17Or wearing their objects, you're right.

25:19Does that mean that we have artists

25:21trying to decide who to paint,

25:23the character or the person?

25:24It means that the artists can't decide

25:26whether or not they include something.

25:27It is part of that person.

25:29Even if they're only doing a head and shoulders,

25:31the colour will inform it in some way.

25:33Jack's being a fantastic sitter.

25:34Yeah, he's got a lovely, warm presence,

25:37fantastic object, gorgeous story.

25:38He's got two artists working from life,

25:41Han and Eugene, and he's really sitting for them.

25:42And it doesn't really matter

25:43if he's sitting still for Lucy

25:44because she's sort of painting him,

25:46I don't know, like in the constellations

25:47in some sort of energy orbit.

25:49I can barely see Jack,

25:50but what I can see feels like Jack.

25:53I just wish I was in Lucy's head

25:54and I knew where she was going

25:55because it's pretty radical.

25:57Eugene, interesting composition.

25:59Yeah, I mean, he's very keen to throw

26:01the whole of today in there.

26:02He's even included the sort of the top of the ceiling,

26:06which is, I think, the first time

26:07we've seen that in a long time.

26:08So it's like all of today in one painting.

26:10And Hans is, in comparison,

26:12a straight bit of portrait painting, isn't it?

26:14The likeness isn't there.

26:15She's filled the canvas and everything's there,

26:18but I think it needs tightening in certain places.

26:21It was great excitement to paint Rhys this morning.

26:24For the record, I could pull that outfit off

26:25if I wanted to, just saying.

26:27It's not the outfit, is it?

26:29It's the way he's standing.

26:30It's incredible.

26:30I mean, the whole thing is incredible.

26:31We're all slouchers.

26:32It's ridiculous.

26:33I'm not having it.

26:35I love Courtney's painting.

26:36It's very, very stylized.

26:38It's on the right side of caricature.

26:41So I think she needs to be really, really careful, actually.

26:45Steve's left the background empty

26:47and certain parts of Rhys's costume.

26:51And the minimalism, I think, works really well.

26:54It's a surprising departure

26:55from his very complete self-portrait.

26:58The thing about Lewis is that

26:59he's learned this sort of classical style,

27:01but I'm amazed at how brilliant he is

27:03at working from life.

27:04Though I do think as much as

27:06I'm not normally someone who likes a polished picture,

27:08I think it could do with a bit of polish.

27:10Tim, obviously, is an incredibly disciplined human being.

27:12Yeah, I mean, he's a very serious sitter,

27:14although he has a lovely smile on his face.

27:17There's a real intentness and a focus to him,

27:19which is not surprising, really.

27:21Fiona, she has this beautiful blue drawing,

27:24but the paint is coating on so slowly.

27:27My suggestion would be to go with a kind of turbocharged,

27:31more washed out for the hair and the clothing.

27:34With Silas, it is loaded with symbolism.

27:38So he's been very inventive,

27:39but you need that meaning explained to you, I think.

27:42I miss the polish of the submission.

27:44Elle's obviously got a very strong compositional drive,

27:49and I think what they've done with Tim is so sophisticated.

27:53I am terrified of that rocket.

27:55All afternoon, I'm going to be looking at that

27:56to see how it transpires, because it doesn't need it.

27:59I'm really quite frightened about today, I have to say.

28:01What, because it's too good and it might go wrong?

28:03I think we're going to have real trouble picking.

28:10So first time getting my portrait done,

28:12I kind of went in with open arms,

28:13not really knowing what to expect,

28:15but it's a lot more intimate, I feel,

28:17than maybe I expected,

28:18because obviously I'm on stage quite often,

28:20but I'm not this close to, like, an audience, so to speak.

28:24But even from the get-go,

28:25when the other artists began their work,

28:27I can really feel the kind of creative juices flowing.

28:30I really feel a part of today as well.

28:37I'm really excited.

28:39I think that they may vary from the abstract

28:42to the ultra-abstract.

28:46Eugene, I think, is a gent,

28:49and I'm really excited to see what he's done.

28:52I like his process.

28:55Han, she seems so measured and grounded and sweet.

28:59She's got the earphones in.

29:01She takes a little look at me,

29:03shoots me a very sweet smile.

29:05I think Lucy is doing something completely in her own lane

29:10and of her own accord, which I'm quite down for.

29:12I feel like it could be mad.

29:14This has been a fascinating experience so far.

29:23I'm really enjoying it.

29:25Watching the expressions of people as they're going by

29:28is the most interesting thing,

29:30and I'm getting three very different looks from the artists.

29:35I think they're all going to be very different,

29:37which is going to make it very hard to choose.

29:39Courtney, there's a very delicate line

29:48that you walk between stylisation

29:50and tipping into caricature.

29:52Mm-hm.

29:53And I just wondered how you walk that line.

29:56I think my biggest challenge is trying to find my style.

30:00I do have this sort of relationship

30:01between how much I'm putting detail into something

30:04versus how much I just try to let it sort of say it

30:08with less strokes.

30:09Yeah.

30:15I guess it's become more specific now.

30:17Like, I'm having to kind of zoom in a bit more

30:19and be a bit more considered, I guess,

30:22in the way that I'm doing things,

30:25because I don't want to overdo it as well.

30:26Like, I'm conscious of that.

30:28But I feel like everything is in the right place,

30:30which is the most important thing.

30:31You feel the pressure.

30:37Oh, yeah.

30:38How often do you look at a finished painting and go,

30:40that is unimprovable?

30:43I'm still waiting for that.

30:45Right.

30:53Lagging slightly.

30:54I'm just going to fiddle about,

30:56but hopefully not too much.

30:58Do you want to kind of lose it?

31:01The last brushstrokes are the only thing anyone sees.

31:09What's on the surface?

31:10It doesn't matter what I've done underneath it,

31:12because no one can see that.

31:13They can only see what's on top.

31:15I'm feeling good, and it's a good vibe,

31:23and I'm enjoying myself.

31:25For artists, it's either way good flow

31:27or everything not working,

31:28so today I'm luckily, I'm in the working style.

31:31I've got in the suit and the hands, mostly, and the portrait.

31:39I'm working on the background,

31:41but I'm not sure if it was the right decision to put it in.

31:44Stress is increasing slowly by the minute.

31:47With less than ten minutes to go,

31:57the artists are making their final marks

31:59on portraits of ballet dancer Rhys Clark,

32:02writer and performer Jack Rook,

32:04and astronaut Tim Peake.

32:07No panic so far?

32:08You all seem very calm.

32:09Yeah, almost done.

32:10If one of you has painted me as Mr. Potato Head,

32:17I will kick off.

32:19Don't build your hopes up too much.

32:24I hope it's as good as I think it is.

32:28Artists, you have one minute.

32:30OK.

32:40Artists, your time is up.

32:44Please stop what you're doing

32:45and step away from your artwork.

32:52So beautiful, guys.

32:54Very good.

33:07Rhys, I'm delighted to see

33:08you can actually lower your arms.

33:09I thought we'd have to sort of prise it off.

33:12How was it to stand there all day?

33:14The legs were OK,

33:15but the arms started to ache

33:17after a certain amount of time,

33:18so I hope I didn't fidget too much for everyone.

33:20Yeah, you need to do more exercise.

33:21You're not fit enough.

33:24So let's not prolong it any longer, shall we?

33:26Artists, can I ask you please

33:28to turn your easels?

33:35Wow.

33:36Almost lost for words.

33:37I don't know what to say.

33:39Beautiful.

33:40Shall we have a closer look?

33:41Yes, please.

33:44Steve.

33:44It's really beautiful.

33:46The detail that you see on there is great.

33:48All these costume details,

33:49which I love wearing,

33:50is really on there, on display.

33:52And the background as well

33:54is really complementing everything.

33:55So thank you.

33:56You're very welcome.

33:59Incredible.

33:59What I love about Courtney as well is before we started,

34:03she came over and directed me

34:04and had me sitting down

34:05and doing a few different angles,

34:06so I like how it did it in your own way,

34:08which is also equally beautiful.

34:11Thank you, Courtney.

34:12Pleasure.

34:12Lewis.

34:14Lewis.

34:15It's also incredible.

34:17I immediately picture this strolling through the woods,

34:19which is exactly what my character's all about

34:21and where he's going.

34:22And again, the details in the eyes and the eyebrows.

34:25I've been told I have quite prominent eyebrows.

34:27I wouldn't know about that myself.

34:32So then, what are you thinking?

34:35As an artist, I've always been told

34:37that eyes are so expressive

34:39and you really can tell a lot about humans through the eyes,

34:41and I think for that reason,

34:43I think I'm going to choose Lewis's.

34:51How did you find it?

34:52I've absolutely loved it,

34:53and the anticipation's really built,

34:55so I can't wait to see what has been produced today.

34:58Well, let's have a look, shall we?

34:59OK.

35:00Artists, can I ask you, please, to turn your easels?

35:07Oh, wow.

35:08They are fantastic.

35:10Let's have a closer look so you can see what's going on.

35:14Fiona, this is amazing.

35:16I love the expression.

35:17It's kind of got that sort of staring off into space

35:20and the thoughtful pose of thinking about the universe,

35:24so I love it.

35:28Hi, Elle.

35:28Hi.

35:29This is really interesting.

35:31It's got that kind of dynamic perspective

35:33moving from the ground up to space.

35:36You almost feel like you're launching off,

35:38and then you've got the rocket up at the top there as well.

35:40Brilliant.

35:41Thank you, Elle.

35:42Hello, Silas.

35:45Hello.

35:45This is amazing.

35:46I know you wanted to have a kind of connection

35:49between science and religion,

35:51which I think you've captured,

35:51and to do it with the eyes closed as well.

35:54Brilliant.

35:54Well done, Silas.

35:55Thank you, Silas.

35:56Thank you, Silas.

35:57Well, Tim.

35:58Oh.

36:00If I have to pick one, which I know I do,

36:02You do.

36:02Um, I am going to go for Elle.

36:05How was it, Jack?

36:14Do you know what?

36:15I really, really loved it.

36:17I entered a sort of meditative state,

36:20and then I overheard that in one of the paintings

36:22I've got a really small head,

36:24which I have to say has never been words attributed to me before,

36:28so I kind of can't wait.

36:30Right.

36:30Well, let's not prolong the agony.

36:31No, let's not do it.

36:32We're going to ask the artist, please, to turn your easels.

36:42Oh, my God!

36:45They're all great.

36:46They're all very different.

36:48Well, let's go and have a look, shall we?

36:49Let's go and have a closer look at them all.

36:52Anne, I really, really like it.

36:55I feel like there's a sort of Lady of the Manor stroppy energy in there,

36:59which I quite appreciate.

37:00And I love how you featured this prominently, too.

37:03I'm a big fan.

37:05So, yeah, thank you so much.

37:09Eugene.

37:10I love all the colours.

37:11I love how you've sort of captured me,

37:14just sort of plopped here.

37:16And I think it's really inventive,

37:17and I really, really like your style of painting,

37:19so thank you so much, Eugene.

37:20Thank you. Thank you so much.

37:21Well, Lucy, I love it.

37:26I think it's fantastic.

37:27I think it's really abstract.

37:29I think with the materials you've used,

37:30you've done a phenomenal job.

37:31So, thank you so much.

37:34Right, Jack.

37:35So, it's really, really difficult,

37:38and I need to pick right now.

37:39I'm afraid so.

37:40Right now.

37:40OK, cool.

37:42Right.

37:42I think I'm going to go for the mad one.

37:47I'm going to go for Lucy.

37:58While the artists reflect on the day,

38:00the judges sharpen their focus on today's portraits.

38:04I think Lewis has got a fantastic likeness today.

38:06Beautiful touches of paint on the cheek and the shadows.

38:09I'm not 100% about the background.

38:12But I do get the performer.

38:17It's interesting watching Courtney not only paint,

38:20but deal with the situation, deal with her model.

38:22And the likeness is there.

38:25It's pushed to extremists,

38:27but I think that's because the dynamics demand that,

38:29in a sense.

38:31I'm so pleased that Stephen showed Rhys standing up.

38:35And not only show him standing up,

38:36but show him with such an extraordinary physique.

38:39I'm not mad on his color choice,

38:40but I do think they inform the skin tone beautifully.

38:48Marcel was quite startled by how Lucy started today.

38:52And she started making these marks,

38:54and Jack was nowhere to be seen.

38:56And she arrived at this very mystical version of Jack,

39:00with a very solemn and quite melancholic face,

39:04peering through this mark-making.

39:07Eugene arrived straight away with an idea.

39:10I want to capture the whole of the day in one painting.

39:13And I think he gave himself just too much to do in a single day.

39:18Good likeness, though.

39:19I think Hans, which is very sweet.

39:23I like the reduced scale.

39:24The object is very prominent and proudly displayed.

39:27The head has a lovely, quiet quality to it.

39:29I just think the likeness isn't there.

39:36Goodness gracious.

39:37I mean, the symbolism that Silas puts into his work.

39:40I think in this version, it's quite heavy-handed,

39:45but you've got to admire his inventiveness.

39:48I thought Elle's idea of Tim in this dynamic pose

39:53works very well as a composition.

39:56But there are certain elements that Elle has brought into the picture

39:59which push it slightly into a flat, poster-like scenario.

40:05But I'm so pleased for Tim.

40:06What a great painting for him to have.

40:08Fiona sped up this afternoon and really resolved the portrait.

40:14But there's some passages of paint that I think are a bit clumsy.

40:16That said, she's caught this lovely expression that Tim has naturally

40:19of someone who's very pleased to be wherever he is, it seems.

40:27I feel like we've got a slight sort of superhero exhibition emerging.

40:30These quite extraordinary sitters.

40:33Which demanded a kind of inventiveness.

40:36And I think some of the inventiveness didn't lead to a winning painting.

40:42There's some trouble ahead.

40:44Because I think if we're losing these two, then we're left with these three.

40:47And then we've got a very hard decision to make.

40:49And we need to see the self-portrait submissions, don't we, really,

40:52to sort of understand where they might go next.

40:54Artists, thank you for giving it your all today.

41:00It's been absolutely fantastic watching you work.

41:02The judges have looked at the portraits and have come up with a shortlist of three.

41:07The first artist is...

41:11..Lewis Meader.

41:13APPLAUSE

41:14The second artist is...

41:21..Courtney Bay.

41:26APPLAUSE

41:27And the third and final artist on the shortlist is...

41:34..Lucy Ambler.

41:37APPLAUSE

41:38I have actually had a beautiful day of just kind of painting and meeting people.

41:49It's a challenge, you know, and you just rise to the challenge and do the best you can.

41:53So I say go for it.

41:57Interesting shortlist.

41:58I mean, we have a more traditional portrait, one end,

42:01and two not-so-traditional portraits.

42:04Yeah, it was very, very difficult today.

42:06And you're comparing chalk and cheese, in a way, so you've got an element of fantasy,

42:10an element of very strong stylisation, and then tradition.

42:15So even just having them together now makes it even harder as well.

42:19Lucy didn't give us much information in her self-portrait.

42:24It's almost less today of Jack.

42:25I mean, is there enough of Jack for a portrait in today's work?

42:28I found it hard to find, but then Jack walked past me and I realised,

42:33oh, yeah, she's actually caught the essence of the man with very little,

42:36and that's surprising.

42:37Of course you can do it in a self-portrait.

42:39We all know ourselves very well.

42:40But to do it in somebody she's never met and then find his most vital elements

42:44and sort of lose it in this sort of myriad mark-making

42:47and still have a sense of the person, I think it's magical.

42:50Lewis clearly has a great facility for capturing likeness.

42:53They're very similar, aren't they?

42:54With Lewis, when you see them side by side, it feels like a template, in a sense,

42:58because it has exactly the same treatments of the head and shoulders,

43:02the way the top of the outfit falls away.

43:06Yeah, but what a facility.

43:08I mean, it was extraordinary the way he got the likeness so quickly.

43:11I would say, though, that when you look at Courtney,

43:13that there is a quality that she brings as well that I suspect would be repeated,

43:17which is, you know, finding serpentine shapes,

43:20a heavy outline, exaggerating certain facial features

43:24to take the portrait, to twist it slightly, to make it feel more modernist.

43:28I think she's definitely an artist who doesn't care that much

43:31about making a portrait as she does making a great painting.

43:34Well, you sent all the astronauts into orbit.

43:37We're left with two ballet dancers and a writer.

43:39We need an end to this story.

43:40Nice!

43:41Don't just turn up and, you know, just throw this stuff together, you know?

43:44Wow!

43:48Congratulations, Lucy Courtney Lewis.

43:50Thank you so much for making the judges' shortlist.

43:52We wish we didn't have to, but this is the moment we whittle you down

43:55to one artist who will appear at this year's semifinal.

44:00The artist the judges have chosen painted a dynamic portrait

44:03that demonstrates a strong relationship between the artist and sitter.

44:09And that artist is...

44:15Courtney Bay.

44:16Honestly, I didn't even think I'd be shortlisted.

44:27I just was waiting for someone else's name to be sent beside me.

44:30So, it's unreal.

44:32It's such an honour.

44:33I'm so happy.

44:34I think the main positives we're going to take away from today is that I can't actually

44:40do something like this.

44:41It's been very nerve-wracking.

44:43And I've had moments beforehand thinking, God, I'm not sure I can do it.

44:47But I did it.

44:47I thought Courtney's portrait is very beautiful.

44:51I like the size and I like the fact that it really captured the sitter.

44:55Yeah, I think she did really well.

44:58We're really excited about Courtney as an artist.

45:01She pushes it.

45:02She's experimenting.

45:04But I think ultimately you get a painting that feels very complete, very exciting.

45:08And quite frankly, one that you can't stop looking at.

45:10So, I just really want to make sure that in the semi-final she brings all of that risk-taking

45:14but stops shy of going too far.

45:17My plan for the semi-final, I'm going to come down from this high and then I'll do all the

45:22strategy and figure out my plan of attack for next time.

45:27But right now I'm just going to enjoy it.

45:30If you want to find out more about the competition and the artists featured, visit our website,

45:35skyartsartistoftheyear.tv

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