1 00:00:15,040 --> 00:00:17,279 Today, a fresh batch of nine artists 2 00:00:17,280 --> 00:00:20,119 take on the four-hour portrait challenge. 3 00:00:20,120 --> 00:00:22,719 Something inside is doing a happy little dance. 4 00:00:22,720 --> 00:00:24,759 But things aren't always straightforward 5 00:00:24,760 --> 00:00:26,639 when it comes to creating a masterpiece. 6 00:00:26,640 --> 00:00:28,959 Look at the mess you've made here, there's stuff everywhere. 7 00:00:28,960 --> 00:00:30,999 I don't find this fun, this is stressing me out. 8 00:00:31,000 --> 00:00:33,039 There are people there with one pencil... I know. 9 00:00:33,040 --> 00:00:35,160 ...and a piece of white paper. Stop it. 10 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:56,719 Today's artists are preparing for an exciting day of painting. 11 00:00:56,720 --> 00:01:00,839 It's amazing, being able to just paint the sitter 12 00:01:00,840 --> 00:01:03,159 and be with so many artists. 13 00:01:03,160 --> 00:01:05,960 I got like three hours of sleep last night, but it's alright. 14 00:01:07,440 --> 00:01:10,519 The winner will earn a career-defining opportunity, 15 00:01:10,520 --> 00:01:13,559 a £10,000 commission from the National Portrait Gallery, 16 00:01:13,560 --> 00:01:16,919 to paint British actor and musician, Damian Lewis. 17 00:01:16,920 --> 00:01:20,319 Deciding who wins the heat are our judges: 18 00:01:20,320 --> 00:01:22,680 Director of Frieze London, Eva Langret. 19 00:01:23,880 --> 00:01:26,760 Art Historian and Broadcaster, Katy Hessel. 20 00:01:27,440 --> 00:01:30,640 And portrait painter, Jonathan Yeo. 21 00:01:34,200 --> 00:01:36,879 So, we have our wall. Nine artists, chosen by you. 22 00:01:36,880 --> 00:01:38,999 Nine self-portraits. 23 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:43,039 We start with Ruth, who is saying, "I'm an artist." 24 00:01:43,040 --> 00:01:45,279 This is a pallet portrait, 25 00:01:45,280 --> 00:01:47,519 and so she's got her paintbrush in hand, 26 00:01:47,520 --> 00:01:48,759 but she's also got her pallet, 27 00:01:48,760 --> 00:01:51,399 and I love how her pallet actually makes up the colours 28 00:01:51,400 --> 00:01:52,839 of the entire painting, 29 00:01:52,840 --> 00:01:54,599 so you kind of see the different clues, 30 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:56,879 like the way that the red comes out in the dress, etc. 31 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,719 I like the little yellow light in the room, in the background, 32 00:01:59,720 --> 00:02:01,319 creating a sort of interesting glow 33 00:02:01,320 --> 00:02:03,120 and another depth level to the painting. 34 00:02:04,600 --> 00:02:06,199 So, our next artist is Shyem. 35 00:02:06,200 --> 00:02:08,279 It's an interesting contrast to the previous one. 36 00:02:08,280 --> 00:02:11,439 This looks, to me, like someone who isn't so experienced at painting. 37 00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:13,839 But it's graphic, it has a sort of intensity to it. 38 00:02:13,840 --> 00:02:17,079 Shyem's also a property developer as well, 39 00:02:17,080 --> 00:02:20,480 and so it's interesting, this idea of kind of wearing many hats. 40 00:02:22,200 --> 00:02:24,919 I love this work. I think this is a painting 41 00:02:24,920 --> 00:02:28,079 about the artist himself, but this is also the artist 42 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:32,039 really tackling fabrics and textures. 43 00:02:32,040 --> 00:02:33,679 The knitted jumper is extraordinary, 44 00:02:33,680 --> 00:02:36,519 the kind of chiaroscuro on it is amazing. 45 00:02:36,520 --> 00:02:38,599 I know that Jacob's only about 20 years old, 46 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:40,999 and I like this idea of an artist catching themself 47 00:02:41,000 --> 00:02:43,960 exiting teen-hood and entering adult-hood. 48 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:47,639 And now, Amy, 49 00:02:47,640 --> 00:02:49,559 who's emerging from the paper. 50 00:02:49,560 --> 00:02:51,519 It feels really intimate, 51 00:02:51,520 --> 00:02:55,519 and I feel also a sense of the ephemeral as well. 52 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,999 It's all about the artist showing herself, but also disappearing. 53 00:02:59,000 --> 00:03:01,479 Exactly, it's got the nice mix of kind of very 54 00:03:01,480 --> 00:03:04,359 precise and representational, and the more abstract 55 00:03:04,360 --> 00:03:07,800 at the sense that the bottom half has been obscured or blown away. 56 00:03:08,880 --> 00:03:11,879 Now, Rafaela's giving us two for the price of one. 57 00:03:11,880 --> 00:03:14,999 And it's a composition that famously 58 00:03:15,000 --> 00:03:17,039 references a Frida Kahlo painting, 59 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:18,999 about her kind of double identity. 60 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:23,319 In one case, she's crossing her legs in this ladylike pose, 61 00:03:23,320 --> 00:03:25,959 and then the other one is maybe more manspreading, 62 00:03:25,960 --> 00:03:28,959 looking at you with this sort of like "so what?" look, 63 00:03:28,960 --> 00:03:30,999 and I really love this as well in this painting. 64 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:32,999 I'm fascinated to meet her. Mm. 65 00:03:33,000 --> 00:03:35,159 I wonder which one we're gonna get today. 66 00:03:35,160 --> 00:03:37,239 Right, Leo. 67 00:03:37,240 --> 00:03:40,439 He's 23, he's one of five artists today in their 20s. 68 00:03:40,440 --> 00:03:42,439 We've got quite a young collection of artists. 69 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:44,359 This is a technique called trois crayons 70 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:47,679 which goes back to Renaissance art, 71 00:03:47,680 --> 00:03:49,999 when artists were, you know, making those studies 72 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:51,559 using three colours. 73 00:03:51,560 --> 00:03:54,479 We're in a world where we have more access to art history than ever, 74 00:03:54,480 --> 00:03:56,559 and so I think it's fascinating the way that people 75 00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:58,840 bring these techniques into the present day. 76 00:04:01,400 --> 00:04:04,799 Sophie studied Jonathan Yeo for A-Level. 77 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,359 Oh, well, I mean, she's obviously got a great talent. 78 00:04:07,360 --> 00:04:09,759 - I mean, she gets my vote today. Have you got a winner? - Yeah. 79 00:04:09,760 --> 00:04:13,119 This is the young artist where we saw potential 80 00:04:13,120 --> 00:04:16,639 in the way they've done their base paint confidently and competently, 81 00:04:16,640 --> 00:04:18,719 we don't know whether that was just like a one-off 82 00:04:18,720 --> 00:04:21,839 or this is actually just a taster of what more they can do. 83 00:04:21,840 --> 00:04:24,839 How's she gonna cope with you looming up behind her... A great master. 84 00:04:24,840 --> 00:04:26,399 ...after studying you for A-Level? 85 00:04:26,400 --> 00:04:28,239 I studied William Shakespeare for A-Level, 86 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:29,959 if he turned up when I was writing an essay, 87 00:04:29,960 --> 00:04:31,360 I'd have completely freaked. 88 00:04:32,480 --> 00:04:35,079 So, Sara, she's from the Isle of Wight. 89 00:04:35,080 --> 00:04:37,319 The reddishness of the skin, 90 00:04:37,320 --> 00:04:39,679 this is something also, as women, like we're always 91 00:04:39,680 --> 00:04:41,519 constantly trying to hide this, 92 00:04:41,520 --> 00:04:44,319 and then she's using this as a device to play with colour. 93 00:04:44,320 --> 00:04:46,719 "This is what my skin is like today, it's reddish, 94 00:04:46,720 --> 00:04:48,319 I'm painting it this way, this is me." 95 00:04:48,320 --> 00:04:50,960 "Deal with it." "Deal with it." And I like that. 96 00:04:52,840 --> 00:04:55,959 So let's go to Scotland next, and this is Rikki, and it's bin day. 97 00:04:55,960 --> 00:04:58,359 We can't actually really make out Rikki's face, 98 00:04:58,360 --> 00:05:01,279 they're sort of identifying themselves by a place, 99 00:05:01,280 --> 00:05:02,559 and via sort of purpose, 100 00:05:02,560 --> 00:05:04,199 rather than what they look like. 101 00:05:04,200 --> 00:05:06,119 It could be a scene from a horror film almost. 102 00:05:06,120 --> 00:05:08,359 They've just cut someone up, put them in the bins, 103 00:05:08,360 --> 00:05:10,159 they're wondering what to do with them. 104 00:05:10,160 --> 00:05:12,359 Clearly happened in there, 'cause it's black in there 105 00:05:12,360 --> 00:05:14,600 and we're not showing you any of it. 106 00:05:19,480 --> 00:05:22,840 Before they can put paint to canvas, the artists must meet the sitters. 107 00:05:24,400 --> 00:05:26,759 From his flamboyant performances on X-Factor 108 00:05:26,760 --> 00:05:29,399 to his larger than life energy and infectious charm, 109 00:05:29,400 --> 00:05:32,679 your sitter certainly never fails to turn heads. 110 00:05:32,680 --> 00:05:34,519 Your job today is to capture 111 00:05:34,520 --> 00:05:37,639 the magnetic presence of Rylan Clark. 112 00:05:45,400 --> 00:05:47,839 Rylan, nice to meet you, are you alright? 113 00:05:47,840 --> 00:05:49,840 Alright mate, I'm Rylan, nice to meet you. 114 00:05:50,680 --> 00:05:52,719 I'm Rylan, nice meeting you, are you alright? 115 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:54,719 Hello. 116 00:05:54,720 --> 00:05:57,120 Have a seat. Hello. 117 00:06:00,960 --> 00:06:04,679 The oohs and the aahs and the gasps when I said your name. 118 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:06,319 You're a very popular man. 119 00:06:06,320 --> 00:06:08,399 I think it's just the... the glare of the teeth 120 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:09,919 is probably what got everyone. 121 00:06:09,920 --> 00:06:12,919 So they're gonna capture you in your glory, 122 00:06:12,920 --> 00:06:15,279 and you haven't just fallen out of bed, have you? 123 00:06:15,280 --> 00:06:17,559 You know, you look... Oh, no, there's a team of 20 people 124 00:06:17,560 --> 00:06:20,239 behind that door have been spraying me, waxing me, 125 00:06:20,240 --> 00:06:22,119 you know, all ready to go. 126 00:06:22,120 --> 00:06:23,959 You obviously think a lot about how you look, 127 00:06:23,960 --> 00:06:26,559 have you got an idea of what sort of portrait you're looking for? 128 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:29,679 D'you know what, I... I haven't. And I think that's the one thing 129 00:06:29,680 --> 00:06:31,839 I'm really excited to be here for, 130 00:06:31,840 --> 00:06:35,439 is because a few years ago, myself and my friend, Rob Rinder, 131 00:06:35,440 --> 00:06:37,519 we did an art show, and I think my eyes are just 132 00:06:37,520 --> 00:06:41,439 so wide open now when it comes to art in general. 133 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:43,719 I like a lot of different things, so, yeah. 134 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:45,319 So you're happy with whatever you get? 135 00:06:45,320 --> 00:06:47,360 I'm just happy to be out the house, to be honest. 136 00:06:48,200 --> 00:06:50,279 And, we asked you to bring along something 137 00:06:50,280 --> 00:06:52,999 - that means something to you. - Yes. - What have you got with you today? 138 00:06:53,000 --> 00:06:54,759 Well, I've actually brought two things. 139 00:06:54,760 --> 00:06:57,639 So, I was raised by my mum and my nan. 140 00:06:57,640 --> 00:06:59,919 Sadly, I lost my nan ten years ago, 141 00:06:59,920 --> 00:07:01,999 and when she passed away, 142 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,439 I had her ashes made 143 00:07:04,440 --> 00:07:08,079 into these beautiful glass paperweights, 144 00:07:08,080 --> 00:07:10,119 so that's actually my nan's ashes. Wow. 145 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:11,839 And then this gold necklace 146 00:07:11,840 --> 00:07:14,159 is actually my mum's gold necklace, 147 00:07:14,160 --> 00:07:16,999 but it was originally my nan's, so my mum wears it every day, 148 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:19,079 so she's fuming I've made her take it off. 149 00:07:19,080 --> 00:07:20,479 Excellent. 150 00:07:20,480 --> 00:07:23,519 So, I'll leave you in the capable hands of your artists, 151 00:07:23,520 --> 00:07:25,479 and Jonathan Yeo. 152 00:07:25,480 --> 00:07:27,919 I'm so nervous. 153 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:29,639 Hi. Hello, mate. How are you? 154 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:31,639 - Yeah, good, thanks. Nice to meet you. - You too. 155 00:07:31,640 --> 00:07:34,239 So the thing, as a sitter, what I always people to do is just 156 00:07:34,240 --> 00:07:36,679 to try and keep their head in more or less the same position. 157 00:07:36,680 --> 00:07:38,999 Other than that, kind of want the sitter 158 00:07:39,000 --> 00:07:41,919 to be talking and engaged 'cause you wanna see how their face moves. 159 00:07:41,920 --> 00:07:44,199 My face doesn't move that much. 160 00:07:46,840 --> 00:07:49,439 Well if it does, I want my money back. Just saying. 161 00:07:52,760 --> 00:07:55,479 Artists, your sitter has an OBE, 162 00:07:55,480 --> 00:07:57,879 is a three-time classic BRIT Award-winner, 163 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:00,839 and has performed with orchestras all across the globe. 164 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:04,879 Widely considered the finest trumpet soloist of her generation, 165 00:08:04,880 --> 00:08:06,999 please welcome Alison Balsom. 166 00:08:14,920 --> 00:08:17,199 Hi, how are you? I'm great. 167 00:08:17,200 --> 00:08:19,440 Hello. Hi, nice to meet you. 168 00:08:20,320 --> 00:08:22,639 Hello. Nice to meet you. 169 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:23,959 Hello. Hi, how are you? 170 00:08:23,960 --> 00:08:26,240 Doing good. Have a seat. Thank you. 171 00:08:28,360 --> 00:08:30,999 Well, I mean, who's this, first of all? 172 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:32,879 This is Cooper. Cooper. Hello, Cooper. 173 00:08:32,880 --> 00:08:34,599 And she's the best dog ever. Excellent. 174 00:08:34,600 --> 00:08:36,759 Obviously, Cooper's an important part of your life. 175 00:08:36,760 --> 00:08:40,519 She is. She's 11, so she's quite an old lady, 176 00:08:40,520 --> 00:08:43,359 but I thought this would be a wonderful chance to immortalise Cooper, 177 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:45,519 to bring her today. And the trumpet, Alison. 178 00:08:45,520 --> 00:08:47,839 You are one of the finest trumpet players out there, 179 00:08:47,840 --> 00:08:50,679 if not the finest. But, you've retired, is that right? 180 00:08:50,680 --> 00:08:53,399 That's right, I retired last year, but I really wanted to bring 181 00:08:53,400 --> 00:08:56,839 my trumpet because it's such a central part of my life, 182 00:08:56,840 --> 00:08:59,719 and obviously because I'll always be a musician. 183 00:08:59,720 --> 00:09:01,879 Have you stopped playing? 184 00:09:01,880 --> 00:09:04,159 I actually haven't played a note since last September 185 00:09:04,160 --> 00:09:06,039 when I did my last concert. Is that right? 186 00:09:06,040 --> 00:09:08,639 You can't half play the trumpet, you've gotta really commit, 187 00:09:08,640 --> 00:09:11,079 and now I enjoy listening to my friends and colleagues 188 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:13,959 play the trumpet, if possible even more, 189 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:15,919 because I can just sit back and enjoy it. 190 00:09:15,920 --> 00:09:18,519 It's a great choice, you've brought your professional life, 191 00:09:18,520 --> 00:09:20,999 and you've brought your... And the bottom of my dog. 192 00:09:21,000 --> 00:09:22,720 Your dog's bottom. 193 00:09:24,880 --> 00:09:28,439 Your sitter today has redefined the modern theatre experience, 194 00:09:28,440 --> 00:09:30,519 reimagining familiar classics, 195 00:09:30,520 --> 00:09:34,399 including Evita, Sunset Boulevard, and Romeo and Juliet, 196 00:09:34,400 --> 00:09:38,959 into boundary-pushing productions that keep him winning awards. 197 00:09:38,960 --> 00:09:42,079 Please welcome director, Jamie Lloyd. 198 00:09:49,360 --> 00:09:51,399 How you doing? Nice to meet you. 199 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:53,439 Nice to meet you. 200 00:09:53,440 --> 00:09:56,159 Hello, nice to meet you, nice to meet you. 201 00:09:56,160 --> 00:09:57,960 Hi, hello. Hello. 202 00:10:00,600 --> 00:10:04,399 Welcome. So, Jamie, I mean, the first thing we notice about you 203 00:10:04,400 --> 00:10:07,239 - is the incredible art you've got on your body. - Yeah. 204 00:10:07,240 --> 00:10:10,159 You're covered in tattoos, is art important to you? 205 00:10:10,160 --> 00:10:12,519 Yeah, I mean, for sure. I mean it's my life, obviously. 206 00:10:12,520 --> 00:10:15,119 And, you know, making stage pictures and considering 207 00:10:15,120 --> 00:10:17,679 the aesthetic of what the audience sees 208 00:10:17,680 --> 00:10:19,639 is absolutely paramount to what we do on stage. 209 00:10:19,640 --> 00:10:21,999 Have you thought about the portrait today, 210 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:23,519 how you'd like it to be, 211 00:10:23,520 --> 00:10:26,359 or is there a side of you that you think people never see? 212 00:10:26,360 --> 00:10:29,079 The amount of people that stop me, in New York, in particular, 213 00:10:29,080 --> 00:10:31,079 and they think they recognise me from prison. 214 00:10:31,080 --> 00:10:33,159 I think I've got one tattoo that looks almost like 215 00:10:33,160 --> 00:10:34,879 a kind of prison number, and it's actually 216 00:10:34,880 --> 00:10:38,439 Norma Desmond's house number, from an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. 217 00:10:38,440 --> 00:10:40,279 Right. So I think people always think 218 00:10:40,280 --> 00:10:42,879 that I'm probably tougher than I actually am. 219 00:10:42,880 --> 00:10:46,359 Jamie, normally, we ask sitters to bring along an object 220 00:10:46,360 --> 00:10:48,119 that means something to them. 221 00:10:48,120 --> 00:10:50,439 Am I missing something or... 222 00:10:52,440 --> 00:10:55,439 This is it. That's it. I love it. 223 00:10:55,440 --> 00:10:57,599 So, this is pink confetti 224 00:10:57,600 --> 00:11:00,079 that we used in our production of Much Ado About Nothing, 225 00:11:00,080 --> 00:11:02,719 with Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell, 226 00:11:02,720 --> 00:11:04,999 and we used something like 227 00:11:05,000 --> 00:11:09,879 71 million pieces of pink confetti across the run. 228 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:13,519 Apparently, that would weigh the same as a male giraffe. 229 00:11:13,520 --> 00:11:16,239 You're not gonna get one of those in a bucket, are you? No, exactly. 230 00:11:16,240 --> 00:11:19,519 And Much Ado is set at a kind of festivity. 231 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:22,039 The idea is to kinda create this energy. 232 00:11:22,040 --> 00:11:25,279 At Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, we used an enormous amount 233 00:11:25,280 --> 00:11:27,239 of confetti to kind of have a massive party. 234 00:11:27,240 --> 00:11:28,839 There you go. So there you go. 235 00:11:28,840 --> 00:11:31,679 Jamie, tattoos, pink confetti. 236 00:11:31,680 --> 00:11:33,359 What more d'you want? 237 00:11:37,640 --> 00:11:41,199 Artists, there's a whiff of creativity in the air. 238 00:11:41,200 --> 00:11:42,639 Or is that confetti? 239 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:46,279 You have four hours to complete your masterpieces. 240 00:11:46,280 --> 00:11:48,599 I wish you all good luck, let the painting begin. 241 00:11:54,240 --> 00:11:55,799 Do you paint, Alison? 242 00:11:55,800 --> 00:11:57,639 I love painting, and I'm just getting 243 00:11:57,640 --> 00:11:59,279 more and more into portraiture myself. 244 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:02,079 I feel really awed to be in your presence doing this, 245 00:12:02,080 --> 00:12:03,919 and it's gonna definitely inspire me. 246 00:12:03,920 --> 00:12:06,959 How do you feel with the roles reversed, in terms of... 247 00:12:06,960 --> 00:12:09,160 I know, exactly. You direct me. 248 00:12:11,440 --> 00:12:13,759 I feel like you're praying to me. 249 00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:16,159 I know, it's so weird. Like that. 250 00:12:16,160 --> 00:12:18,360 You can get down too. Like that. 251 00:12:20,080 --> 00:12:22,439 - If you're happy, I'm... I'm pretty happy. - Yeah. 252 00:12:22,440 --> 00:12:24,359 Don't just say yes because you're being polite. 253 00:12:24,360 --> 00:12:27,199 Shall we both just go and stand at our things and have a look? 254 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:29,760 If you kind of take a pose. Yeah, yeah, of course. 255 00:12:30,920 --> 00:12:33,599 Yeah, that... that's lovely, that one. 256 00:12:33,600 --> 00:12:35,879 Maybe if you can kind of hold it up that way. 257 00:12:35,880 --> 00:12:38,719 Kinda just like that. Like that? 258 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:40,839 - Yeah. - Yeah? - Yeah, that's perfect, thank you. 259 00:12:40,840 --> 00:12:42,479 D'you want me to stay like that? Yeah. 260 00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:44,519 Looking at it or... This is getting very elaborate. 261 00:12:46,400 --> 00:12:48,559 Yeah, those are beautiful, I think. Is that alright? 262 00:12:48,560 --> 00:12:51,560 - That's all I need. Yeah. - OK.Thank you so much.- No worries. 263 00:12:52,840 --> 00:12:55,279 Rylan, he's got such an amazing face. 264 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:56,759 What I love as well, 265 00:12:56,760 --> 00:12:58,719 in terms of my style, 266 00:12:58,720 --> 00:13:00,639 is that I love to kind of 267 00:13:00,640 --> 00:13:04,119 sketch things out quite angularly, and he's got such a sharp jaw, 268 00:13:04,120 --> 00:13:07,359 cheekbones, very striking look, and radiant skin. 269 00:13:07,360 --> 00:13:10,639 I think it's so fun. I'm very happy. 270 00:13:10,640 --> 00:13:12,280 Very happy. 271 00:13:13,680 --> 00:13:16,879 20 year old artist, Jacob Skinnard, is from London. 272 00:13:16,880 --> 00:13:19,199 For his self-portrait, he deliberately made things 273 00:13:19,200 --> 00:13:21,999 hard for himself by taking on a new challenge, 274 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:24,439 painting a cable-knit jumper, 275 00:13:24,440 --> 00:13:26,320 and shiny shoes. 276 00:13:27,120 --> 00:13:29,519 Hello, Jacob, talk me through what you're doing. 277 00:13:29,520 --> 00:13:32,559 I've just grided it up to kind of map proportions, 278 00:13:32,560 --> 00:13:35,399 and now I'm kind of carving in to the actual figure 279 00:13:35,400 --> 00:13:37,199 inside where it sits 280 00:13:37,200 --> 00:13:39,159 before I work in with the paint. 281 00:13:39,160 --> 00:13:41,559 And you'd usually paint with the Zorn Palette? 282 00:13:41,560 --> 00:13:43,439 Yeah, that's 'cause I'm colour blind. 283 00:13:43,440 --> 00:13:45,879 So it's yellow ochre, titanium white, 284 00:13:45,880 --> 00:13:48,119 cadmium red, and ivory black, 285 00:13:48,120 --> 00:13:50,599 and I add a few other colours... Yeah, I was gonna say. 286 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:51,999 We've got blue here. 287 00:13:52,000 --> 00:13:54,359 The blue and the red makes quite a transparent black, 288 00:13:54,360 --> 00:13:57,759 and I think that'd be really nice, like the accents in his collar. 289 00:13:57,760 --> 00:13:59,959 It makes me be able to control the red, 290 00:13:59,960 --> 00:14:02,559 the Zorn palette, which is important because I sometimes... 291 00:14:02,560 --> 00:14:05,399 'cause I'm red-green colour blind, sometimes I make them look like a zombie, 292 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:07,479 or I make them look sunburnt, 293 00:14:07,480 --> 00:14:09,919 so I've gotta find a middle ground somehow. 294 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:19,359 Got one. 295 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:21,559 So, Sara, fan of confetti? 296 00:14:21,560 --> 00:14:23,279 Oh, yes, I love it. 297 00:14:23,280 --> 00:14:25,239 Who doesn't love confetti? 298 00:14:25,240 --> 00:14:26,879 Maybe people who have to sweep it up. 299 00:14:26,880 --> 00:14:28,960 Oh, yeah, definitely. 300 00:14:31,040 --> 00:14:33,759 Sara Netherway is an artist from the Isle of Wight. 301 00:14:33,760 --> 00:14:37,759 Her acrylic and oil self-portrait is a quiet reflection 302 00:14:37,760 --> 00:14:41,560 of creativity in the age of artificial intelligence. 303 00:14:42,960 --> 00:14:45,799 - Your self-portrait had quite a limited palette, didn't it? - Yes. 304 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:48,599 So what are these pinks and the... that green? 305 00:14:48,600 --> 00:14:50,759 I know, I haven't brought a green with me. 306 00:14:50,760 --> 00:14:51,999 OK. 307 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:53,999 I've actually got a neon pink with me, 308 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:57,599 so I was quite happy because there's a lot of bright... 309 00:14:57,600 --> 00:15:00,959 it's quite high chroma. And he's got amazing tattoos. 310 00:15:00,960 --> 00:15:03,919 Are they gonna feature? Oh, yeah, it's part of his... 311 00:15:03,920 --> 00:15:05,479 Yeah. It's him. 312 00:15:05,480 --> 00:15:08,119 Yeah, that's gonna be a challenge to work on. 313 00:15:08,120 --> 00:15:10,399 I mean, will we be able to see him by the end of the day 314 00:15:10,400 --> 00:15:12,999 if that confetti keeps pouring? Yeah, it's sort of growing up. 315 00:15:13,000 --> 00:15:15,079 It's gathering. Yeah. 316 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:27,319 She's got a great profile as well. She has got a great profile. 317 00:15:27,320 --> 00:15:29,319 If you can look a little bit forwards, 318 00:15:29,320 --> 00:15:31,000 so I can get some of your face. 319 00:15:32,440 --> 00:15:34,639 That's really sweet. 320 00:15:34,640 --> 00:15:36,679 My initial thoughts of Alison 321 00:15:36,680 --> 00:15:40,319 is that she seems really lovely and bright and joyful, 322 00:15:40,320 --> 00:15:42,639 and the dog is just... I love the dog, 323 00:15:42,640 --> 00:15:44,320 so that's very exciting. 324 00:15:45,520 --> 00:15:49,079 22-year-old art student, Sophie Cleave, is from Surrey. 325 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:51,279 She created her self-portrait, 326 00:15:51,280 --> 00:15:53,559 featuring her beloved dog, Herbie, 327 00:15:53,560 --> 00:15:56,359 using a mix of ink, acrylic, pencil, oil paints, 328 00:15:56,360 --> 00:15:58,160 and oil sticks. 329 00:15:59,560 --> 00:16:02,559 Hi, Sophie, could you tell me a bit about the composition? 330 00:16:02,560 --> 00:16:04,839 Because, of course, we know in your submission, 331 00:16:04,840 --> 00:16:06,959 it was this lovely sense of, 332 00:16:06,960 --> 00:16:08,759 you know, connection and companionship 333 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:10,799 that you can have with the dog. 334 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:13,239 Well I took a few photos of Cooper sitting upright, 335 00:16:13,240 --> 00:16:15,199 and her looking at Alison, 336 00:16:15,200 --> 00:16:19,439 so I thought that was a nice kind of connectedness through looking. 337 00:16:19,440 --> 00:16:22,079 And can we talk about your process? 338 00:16:22,080 --> 00:16:24,959 Yeah, so I like to layer up, 339 00:16:24,960 --> 00:16:28,079 so I obviously start with the water-based materials, 340 00:16:28,080 --> 00:16:30,679 and you can like kind of rub the soft pastel on to the board 341 00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:32,919 and use water, so it goes in to like a watercolour. 342 00:16:32,920 --> 00:16:34,959 And it just covers the canvas really quickly. 343 00:16:34,960 --> 00:16:36,479 And I love like the pencil, 344 00:16:36,480 --> 00:16:39,119 like, the texture and mark-making they provide. 345 00:16:46,320 --> 00:16:48,559 How you getting on? Pretty good, I think. 346 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:50,479 You happy? So far, yeah. 347 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:52,759 You've given me quite a lot of thumbs up throughout. 348 00:16:52,760 --> 00:16:55,599 Yeah, you're doing a good job. Am I?Very still. 349 00:16:55,600 --> 00:16:57,920 I'm trying to be, as much as I can. Yeah. 350 00:16:59,200 --> 00:17:02,799 Leo Bignall is a 23 year old artist based in Edinburgh. 351 00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:05,639 He creates a self-portrait each year 352 00:17:05,640 --> 00:17:08,239 to track his artistic progress over time. 353 00:17:08,240 --> 00:17:11,039 Hi, Leo. I think you've made a really confident start to this. 354 00:17:11,040 --> 00:17:12,559 Do you always work in the same way? 355 00:17:12,560 --> 00:17:14,359 Yeah, typically a... a red 356 00:17:14,360 --> 00:17:16,479 kind of red chalk, red pencil. 357 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:18,159 Just because there's some history to it, 358 00:17:18,160 --> 00:17:20,239 so, Renaissance, Italy, 359 00:17:20,240 --> 00:17:22,039 those kind of Old Masters. 360 00:17:22,040 --> 00:17:25,599 Also, I think it looks nice. If it's done well. 361 00:17:25,600 --> 00:17:27,679 What's specific to Rylan do you think 362 00:17:27,680 --> 00:17:29,639 that maybe you haven't encountered before? 363 00:17:29,640 --> 00:17:31,559 It's not that I haven't encountered it before, 364 00:17:31,560 --> 00:17:33,679 but it's more difficult, his very dark hair. 365 00:17:33,680 --> 00:17:36,320 You've just gotta work more. Yeah, to see the shape in it. 366 00:17:40,160 --> 00:17:41,799 I'm trying to work out what you're doing, 367 00:17:41,800 --> 00:17:43,879 because I keep seeing your dirty tissue. 368 00:17:43,880 --> 00:17:45,839 No peeking. 369 00:17:45,840 --> 00:17:48,399 I'm at the end of that one, I'm just trying to block in 370 00:17:48,400 --> 00:17:50,559 all the masses of the head first and then I will... 371 00:17:50,560 --> 00:17:52,400 keep carving in to it, as I go. 372 00:17:53,960 --> 00:17:55,799 Going with composition was quite hard 373 00:17:55,800 --> 00:17:57,479 'cause it's like a lot rides on it, 374 00:17:57,480 --> 00:17:59,799 but once you start, you can't go back. 375 00:17:59,800 --> 00:18:01,960 It's too late now. 376 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,239 Nine artists have been challenged to capture the portraits 377 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:17,079 of theatre director, Jamie Lloyd, 378 00:18:17,080 --> 00:18:18,919 musician, Alison Balsom, 379 00:18:18,920 --> 00:18:21,280 and broadcaster, Rylan Clark. 380 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:24,719 I'm really interested with what you're doing 381 00:18:24,720 --> 00:18:27,319 because I can see sketches of myself. 382 00:18:27,320 --> 00:18:29,039 You're like, "What's going on?" 383 00:18:29,040 --> 00:18:30,959 You've done so many different doodles, 384 00:18:30,960 --> 00:18:33,759 sketches, this, that, have you started yet? 385 00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:35,999 No. I'm not gonna start till after lunch. 386 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:37,719 You're really worrying me. I know. 387 00:18:37,720 --> 00:18:39,759 And I knew this would be scary and I just... 388 00:18:39,760 --> 00:18:42,439 I had to remind myself to just stick to my guns, 'cause... 389 00:18:42,440 --> 00:18:44,919 Listen, you know you better than anyone. 390 00:18:44,920 --> 00:18:46,519 And if that's what works for you, 391 00:18:46,520 --> 00:18:48,759 so this sort of first couple of hours is you 392 00:18:48,760 --> 00:18:51,479 just getting to know what you're gonna do. 393 00:18:51,480 --> 00:18:52,759 Exactly. 394 00:18:52,760 --> 00:18:54,640 Get back over there. Thank you. 395 00:18:55,520 --> 00:18:57,839 Oh, Jesus, she's not started. 396 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:01,319 Rafaela de Ascanio is a painter and sculptor 397 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:03,719 based between London and Madrid. 398 00:19:03,720 --> 00:19:06,479 Her double self-portrait explores the different aspects 399 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:09,119 of her cultural and sexual identity. 400 00:19:09,120 --> 00:19:11,679 - Hi, Rafaela. - Hi. - I love seeing what you're doing, 401 00:19:11,680 --> 00:19:14,239 because your approach is so different from everyone else's. 402 00:19:14,240 --> 00:19:16,279 Is this normally how you work? Yeah. 403 00:19:16,280 --> 00:19:19,279 So now, I'm just practising the composition and the colours 404 00:19:19,280 --> 00:19:21,279 just to make sure that I'm happy with them 405 00:19:21,280 --> 00:19:23,359 before I go to the final portrait. Right. 406 00:19:23,360 --> 00:19:25,959 So which one's the composition? This is the composition. 407 00:19:25,960 --> 00:19:29,079 - I really wanna catch that length of him. - Yeah. 408 00:19:29,080 --> 00:19:31,159 It's one of those things, it's always difficult, 409 00:19:31,160 --> 00:19:33,519 to know whether to fit the whole of someone in to a picture, 410 00:19:33,520 --> 00:19:36,519 means then shrinking everything... The head... including the face, 411 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:38,079 which is the interesting bit. I know. 412 00:19:38,080 --> 00:19:40,399 And so, do you distort it? D'you cut them off? 413 00:19:40,400 --> 00:19:43,319 I have no problem with exaggerating features, 414 00:19:43,320 --> 00:19:45,799 and I often do much larger heads, and eyes, and for me, 415 00:19:45,800 --> 00:19:48,159 it's more interesting that you're getting the thing 416 00:19:48,160 --> 00:19:49,759 that you get when you meet a person, 417 00:19:49,760 --> 00:19:51,759 so that... that's kind of what I'm aiming for. 418 00:19:51,760 --> 00:19:53,479 Yeah. 419 00:19:58,040 --> 00:20:01,240 That's lovely. Serious. Not friendly. 420 00:20:02,080 --> 00:20:04,319 I like to play with paint. 421 00:20:04,320 --> 00:20:06,839 So it might come through in mark-making, 422 00:20:06,840 --> 00:20:08,879 it might come through in use of colour. 423 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:12,039 Pops of colour where they're perhaps not quite expected. 424 00:20:12,040 --> 00:20:15,239 I want my paintings to look very real from a distance, 425 00:20:15,240 --> 00:20:18,359 but very playful and a little bit crazy 426 00:20:18,360 --> 00:20:20,719 when you get very close to them. 427 00:20:20,720 --> 00:20:22,759 Ruth Fitton, originally from Leeds, 428 00:20:22,760 --> 00:20:25,079 is a portrait painter based in London. 429 00:20:25,080 --> 00:20:27,599 Her self-portrait was painted from life, 430 00:20:27,600 --> 00:20:30,959 to mark her ten years as a self-taught artist. 431 00:20:30,960 --> 00:20:33,920 The piece took 120 hours to complete. 432 00:20:35,200 --> 00:20:36,599 Hi, Ruth. 433 00:20:36,600 --> 00:20:39,919 So, were you familiar with Alison before? 434 00:20:39,920 --> 00:20:41,959 Yes, very much so. 435 00:20:41,960 --> 00:20:43,679 I trained as a musician, 436 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:45,519 and I come from a musical family, 437 00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:49,039 so, I've been aware of Alison since I was in my teens. 438 00:20:49,040 --> 00:20:53,079 So, yeah, you couldn't have picked a more exciting sitter for me. 439 00:20:53,080 --> 00:20:57,279 What type of connection you feel there is between music and painting? 440 00:20:57,280 --> 00:21:00,719 If you perform a piece of music, you're not just playing the notes, 441 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:04,319 you have to perform it in a way that tells the listener 442 00:21:04,320 --> 00:21:07,199 what you want them to feel, and it's the same with a painting. 443 00:21:07,200 --> 00:21:11,319 You can't just copy what's there, you have to guide the viewer, 444 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:14,399 and say, "This is the exciting bit, this is the less important bit." 445 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:22,719 Mm? 446 00:21:22,720 --> 00:21:24,840 Is there one on my head? 447 00:21:26,200 --> 00:21:28,479 I'm gonna work from life today as much as possible, 448 00:21:28,480 --> 00:21:30,399 and that's why I've got this long brush. 449 00:21:30,400 --> 00:21:33,839 I'm trying to observe him and my canvas at the same time, 450 00:21:33,840 --> 00:21:35,359 it allows you to stand back, 451 00:21:35,360 --> 00:21:38,000 so hopefully that works out as planned. 452 00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:42,039 California-born artist, Rikki Niehaus, 453 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:44,879 now calls rural Scotland home. 454 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:47,959 In this self-portrait, Rikki celebrates the small triumph 455 00:21:47,960 --> 00:21:51,360 of taking out the bins for a new farming community. 456 00:21:54,720 --> 00:21:58,159 Rikki, the big green barn in your self-portrait, 457 00:21:58,160 --> 00:22:01,479 green jumper, green background, 458 00:22:01,480 --> 00:22:03,159 green here so far. 459 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:05,999 D'you like green? I do. I lucked out today. 460 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:08,279 Happy so far with how it's going? 461 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:10,079 Yes, I'm very happy with Jamie. 462 00:22:10,080 --> 00:22:11,639 He's very handsome, 463 00:22:11,640 --> 00:22:14,039 the background's beautiful with the confetti, 464 00:22:14,040 --> 00:22:15,479 his tattoos, 465 00:22:15,480 --> 00:22:17,799 happy with everything except my painting. 466 00:22:17,800 --> 00:22:19,959 Is that how you normally are with your paintings? 467 00:22:19,960 --> 00:22:23,959 Yeah. But I'm hoping that it's just in that stage. 468 00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:26,359 You're not just happy in your work, you're sort of slightly 469 00:22:26,360 --> 00:22:28,559 struggling with it and... No, I feel awful. 470 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:30,479 You've got a feel. Gotta feel awful. 471 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:33,039 No pain, no gain. Exactly. 472 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:44,879 What an exciting day, so far. 473 00:22:44,880 --> 00:22:47,799 It's been really interesting to see 474 00:22:47,800 --> 00:22:51,439 how they're tackling this assignment versus their submission, 475 00:22:51,440 --> 00:22:54,559 and I think Sophie, you know, is a really good example 476 00:22:54,560 --> 00:22:59,559 of someone who's almost trying to recreate the submission, 477 00:22:59,560 --> 00:23:02,879 at all cost, and now she's faced with a really interesting challenge 478 00:23:02,880 --> 00:23:06,039 of bringing together a portrait from the bust up, 479 00:23:06,040 --> 00:23:07,839 and a dog that's sitting on the floor, 480 00:23:07,840 --> 00:23:10,039 so I'm like "How is this gonna work, Sophie?" 481 00:23:10,040 --> 00:23:12,199 And then there's Rafaela, 482 00:23:12,200 --> 00:23:14,439 where I haven't actually seen someone 483 00:23:14,440 --> 00:23:16,399 use that sort of approach before. 484 00:23:16,400 --> 00:23:19,199 Well, she hasn't even begun. She's almost approached it as, 485 00:23:19,200 --> 00:23:20,999 you know, a whole project. 486 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:23,359 You get a real glimpse into her studio 487 00:23:23,360 --> 00:23:26,239 and her practice as a whole, but this is a specific assignment, 488 00:23:26,240 --> 00:23:28,039 you only have a set amount of time, 489 00:23:28,040 --> 00:23:31,079 so how is that going to turn out today? I'm not sure. 490 00:23:31,080 --> 00:23:34,239 There's Amy who, I mean, I walked past an hour in 491 00:23:34,240 --> 00:23:36,079 and we're still looking at a blank page. 492 00:23:36,080 --> 00:23:38,959 Did she start again? What happened? It all feels a bit unnerving, 493 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:41,319 we've got four hours and she spent the first hour 494 00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:44,079 just analysing photographs of Alison. 495 00:23:44,080 --> 00:23:46,719 She has said that once she gets started, 496 00:23:46,720 --> 00:23:49,279 the process itself is really fast. 497 00:23:49,280 --> 00:23:51,080 So let's see how this goes. 498 00:23:58,360 --> 00:24:01,199 I'd say my work is all about 499 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:05,559 amplifying beauty in ordinary moments. 500 00:24:05,560 --> 00:24:07,359 Or the mundane things. 501 00:24:07,360 --> 00:24:12,319 Like, for me, I see beauty in the unforgotten, 502 00:24:12,320 --> 00:24:15,879 or the kind of discarded things in life. 503 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:17,880 I like depicting that. 504 00:24:19,280 --> 00:24:22,399 Amy Zhou is an art student based in London. 505 00:24:22,400 --> 00:24:24,119 Her self-portrait in charcoal 506 00:24:24,120 --> 00:24:27,199 explores the quiet power of a lingering gaze, 507 00:24:27,200 --> 00:24:29,200 and took eight hours to complete. 508 00:24:32,920 --> 00:24:35,479 Hi, Amy. I was looking at your portrait earlier, 509 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:38,439 and parts of it are extremely defined, 510 00:24:38,440 --> 00:24:41,039 and then part of it feels like it's kind of fading away. 511 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:42,479 Why do you like that? 512 00:24:42,480 --> 00:24:47,119 Because when you focus on one point in a drawing, 513 00:24:47,120 --> 00:24:51,079 and you don't make everything as sharp or as focused, 514 00:24:51,080 --> 00:24:54,999 that's how you depict that kind of atmosphere, 515 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:56,679 or that kind of dream-like feel, 516 00:24:56,680 --> 00:24:58,999 because the rest of it is foggy, almost. 517 00:24:59,000 --> 00:25:02,719 But obviously there's no right or wrong when it comes to drawing, 518 00:25:02,720 --> 00:25:05,360 you know, but that's just what I've learnt that I like. 519 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:20,319 It means a lot to me to be selected for the competition, 520 00:25:20,320 --> 00:25:24,799 because I've always had the hobby and ambition to do art, 521 00:25:24,800 --> 00:25:26,839 and I always do it whenever I can. 522 00:25:26,840 --> 00:25:28,479 And being selected again, 523 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:30,999 I wanna showcase myself properly, 524 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:33,559 and show my evolution as an artist. 525 00:25:33,560 --> 00:25:37,319 Property developer, Shyem Ramsay, is from London 526 00:25:37,320 --> 00:25:40,639 and first took part in the competition in 2024, 527 00:25:40,640 --> 00:25:42,639 painting musician, Baaba Maal. 528 00:25:42,640 --> 00:25:45,719 His self-portrait in oils, like today's challenge, 529 00:25:45,720 --> 00:25:48,279 was completed in four hours. 530 00:25:48,280 --> 00:25:49,799 How is it going? 531 00:25:49,800 --> 00:25:53,639 Oh, yeah, I think it's going alright at the moment. 532 00:25:53,640 --> 00:25:56,559 My whole art style is about choosing 533 00:25:56,560 --> 00:25:58,599 a iconic characteristic, 534 00:25:58,600 --> 00:26:00,839 or like a moment, so for example, 535 00:26:00,840 --> 00:26:03,999 my submission, when I'm touching my chin here, 536 00:26:04,000 --> 00:26:07,039 Jamie said that one thing he's not aware of 537 00:26:07,040 --> 00:26:10,199 but he regularly does and his family or friends notice, 538 00:26:10,200 --> 00:26:11,519 he does a type of frown, 539 00:26:11,520 --> 00:26:14,999 and I saw him do this type of look which I wanted to capture. 540 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,959 Mm. And how do you feel about the tattoos? 541 00:26:17,960 --> 00:26:21,359 My main focus point is the eyes. 542 00:26:21,360 --> 00:26:23,519 - I don't want to spend too much detail on the tattoo. - OK. 543 00:26:23,520 --> 00:26:26,519 I wanted to show it subtle, because I don't wanna take away the focus 544 00:26:26,520 --> 00:26:30,119 of the main body of the painting which was his look, his frown. 545 00:26:32,600 --> 00:26:35,279 Are these portraits breeding? How many are there? 546 00:26:35,280 --> 00:26:38,959 Well, I don't know, if you count all the sketches, ten, maybe. 547 00:26:38,960 --> 00:26:41,079 Ten? I mean, can you ever have too many Rylans? 548 00:26:41,080 --> 00:26:42,519 That is true. 549 00:26:45,840 --> 00:26:47,799 D'you know what this reminds me of? Go on. 550 00:26:47,800 --> 00:26:49,479 Mary Magdalene. Really? 551 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:52,959 Yeah. So Mary Magdalene would often have a jar of ointment. 552 00:26:52,960 --> 00:26:55,960 Call me Mary. 553 00:27:04,640 --> 00:27:07,559 Our nine artists are busy creating portraits 554 00:27:07,560 --> 00:27:09,919 of broadcaster, Rylan Clark, 555 00:27:09,920 --> 00:27:11,599 director, Jamie Lloyd, 556 00:27:11,600 --> 00:27:14,039 and classical musician, Alison Balsom, 557 00:27:14,040 --> 00:27:15,999 and her pet dog, Cooper. 558 00:27:16,000 --> 00:27:17,839 Cooper, Cooper. Cooper. 559 00:27:23,160 --> 00:27:25,519 Come on. Look at this. 560 00:27:25,520 --> 00:27:27,120 On your bed. 561 00:27:29,200 --> 00:27:30,919 This is actually really nice. 562 00:27:30,920 --> 00:27:32,600 Literally like cherry blossom. 563 00:27:36,680 --> 00:27:39,399 So, there's a sort of air of studied concentration in the room. 564 00:27:39,400 --> 00:27:41,439 Are you happy with the progress in general? 565 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:43,519 There's a bit of a hare and tortoise thing going on. 566 00:27:43,520 --> 00:27:45,279 The ones where you didn't know 567 00:27:45,280 --> 00:27:48,759 which way it was going in the first hour are now starting to race ahead. 568 00:27:48,760 --> 00:27:52,079 Rylan, it's such a strong look, isn't it? 569 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:54,479 Well, I think he's our modern-day Renaissance man. 570 00:27:54,480 --> 00:27:56,159 I told him he looked like Mary Magdalene, 571 00:27:56,160 --> 00:27:58,279 with his kind of ointment jar next to him. 572 00:27:58,280 --> 00:28:01,439 Don't call his grandmother an ointment jar. 573 00:28:01,440 --> 00:28:06,759 Leo's giving us something that is quite similar to his self-portrait. 574 00:28:06,760 --> 00:28:10,319 Are you seeing enough from him at the moment to excite you? 575 00:28:10,320 --> 00:28:13,159 It's a sort of formula, in a way, and therefore, you know, 576 00:28:13,160 --> 00:28:16,079 the question in my mind is will he get enough of the personality 577 00:28:16,080 --> 00:28:18,679 of the subject rather than just following a style 578 00:28:18,680 --> 00:28:20,879 that he's obviously used to and is based on 579 00:28:20,880 --> 00:28:23,239 works he obviously loves in the past. 580 00:28:23,240 --> 00:28:27,439 Alison, sitting very well, that's a very well-behaved dog. 581 00:28:27,440 --> 00:28:31,559 Very well-behaved dog and such a gorgeous, gorgeous sitter. 582 00:28:31,560 --> 00:28:34,599 Ruth's dreamy portrait, has it got a likeness? 583 00:28:34,600 --> 00:28:36,839 I think she's still got a way to go, 584 00:28:36,840 --> 00:28:39,799 and I think when she fills in the details, we'll see more of it. 585 00:28:39,800 --> 00:28:41,719 I mean, Alison just generally has that 586 00:28:41,720 --> 00:28:43,479 almost spiritual look about her. 587 00:28:43,480 --> 00:28:46,239 I think that's what Ruth is especially capturing. 588 00:28:46,240 --> 00:28:49,999 We'd better talk about Jamie before he disappears in pink confetti. 589 00:28:50,000 --> 00:28:51,559 What a good sitter. Yeah. 590 00:28:51,560 --> 00:28:53,799 He's concentrating, isn't he? He's giving them a lot. 591 00:28:53,800 --> 00:28:56,239 Or meditating. I mean, he's here, he's almost motionless. 592 00:28:56,240 --> 00:28:59,639 It's really impressive. Rikki is... I mean, it's just green. 593 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:02,879 I think they've set themselves up with a real challenge. 594 00:29:02,880 --> 00:29:05,279 They've included the hands, and they've also included 595 00:29:05,280 --> 00:29:07,439 such a huge part of the jacket, 596 00:29:07,440 --> 00:29:09,919 and I'm a little bit concerned about 597 00:29:09,920 --> 00:29:11,799 is one going to be able to tackle 598 00:29:11,800 --> 00:29:14,479 all those technical challenges at once? 599 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:17,119 You were saying earlier, Jonathan, about Shyem, you felt from 600 00:29:17,120 --> 00:29:19,159 this self-portrait, he might be inexperienced, 601 00:29:19,160 --> 00:29:22,519 are you feeling that now? No, I don't think so, so much, 602 00:29:22,520 --> 00:29:26,159 but I think it feels like he's got an approach which he sticks to. 603 00:29:26,160 --> 00:29:28,119 Right. And the sort of precision of it, 604 00:29:28,120 --> 00:29:29,639 which he's obviously good at. 605 00:29:29,640 --> 00:29:32,199 Sara's using her iPad, and she's obviously got a plan. 606 00:29:32,200 --> 00:29:34,799 She's put so much emphasis 607 00:29:34,800 --> 00:29:37,839 on getting the tones of the skin right, 608 00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:40,599 and I'm really excited to see where she goes with this, 609 00:29:40,600 --> 00:29:42,439 but to me, the strength of that painting 610 00:29:42,440 --> 00:29:44,919 is really in Sara's approach to skin. 611 00:29:44,920 --> 00:29:47,439 So, Jacob has Rylan looking 612 00:29:47,440 --> 00:29:50,879 slightly coyly or beatifically away, 613 00:29:50,880 --> 00:29:53,879 but we lose the eyes. D'you think that's gonna be an issue? 614 00:29:53,880 --> 00:29:56,159 Well, I think, also, when you paint someone from life, 615 00:29:56,160 --> 00:29:58,399 you're painting their internality, 616 00:29:58,400 --> 00:30:01,799 and actually, sometimes maybe we need to see that inner Rylan 617 00:30:01,800 --> 00:30:03,119 in order to get to him. 618 00:30:03,120 --> 00:30:05,719 You know, we know him as the face of all these things, 619 00:30:05,720 --> 00:30:07,960 but actually, maybe it's about looking within. 620 00:30:11,200 --> 00:30:14,119 I'm looking at your self-portrait from here, 621 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,839 and I love the fact that it's two versions of you, 622 00:30:16,840 --> 00:30:19,559 because that's exactly how my life is. 623 00:30:19,560 --> 00:30:22,439 - Yeah. - I'm Rylan at work, but then I'm Ross at home. 624 00:30:22,440 --> 00:30:25,919 - Yeah. - And it's like the wayI separate the two sides of me. 625 00:30:25,920 --> 00:30:28,559 And it seems like you've done the same with your painting. 626 00:30:28,560 --> 00:30:30,799 And I think I've probably got that set of boots as well. 627 00:30:33,480 --> 00:30:36,559 Why theatre? Why are you not making films or in television? 628 00:30:36,560 --> 00:30:38,519 Like even today, having this audience here, 629 00:30:38,520 --> 00:30:40,719 it kinda transforms the energy of this room, 630 00:30:40,720 --> 00:30:43,279 and that's what I love about it, connecting with as many people 631 00:30:43,280 --> 00:30:45,239 as possible and how it's a real conversation 632 00:30:45,240 --> 00:30:47,879 in the moment, and it changes from night to night, as you know. 633 00:30:47,880 --> 00:30:49,880 That's what makes it so exciting and electric. 634 00:30:53,160 --> 00:30:56,439 So not just music, art. You're a painter, is that right? 635 00:30:56,440 --> 00:30:57,879 Well, I'm learning to paint, 636 00:30:57,880 --> 00:30:59,879 and I've learnt a lot today, actually, 637 00:30:59,880 --> 00:31:02,079 just by watching my three artists here. 638 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:04,599 And of course, there's such a freedom to painting, 639 00:31:04,600 --> 00:31:06,719 does that appeal? Yeah, it does, actually. 640 00:31:06,720 --> 00:31:08,519 - Yeah. - It does, and I've done itall my life, 641 00:31:08,520 --> 00:31:10,559 it's just that being a classical soloist 642 00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:12,599 is something that you dedicate 643 00:31:12,600 --> 00:31:14,759 every cell in your body to, 644 00:31:14,760 --> 00:31:16,719 and I didn't have the band width before now, 645 00:31:16,720 --> 00:31:19,199 so to have that, it feels like a wonderful gift, 646 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:21,879 to have the chance to explore other creative areas. 647 00:31:21,880 --> 00:31:24,479 I'm really enjoying it and I feel like I'm gonna, hopefully, 648 00:31:24,480 --> 00:31:27,280 be propelled on by today as well. 649 00:31:36,040 --> 00:31:37,319 So what are you still gonna do? 650 00:31:37,320 --> 00:31:39,319 You're not finding the tattoos too difficult? 651 00:31:39,320 --> 00:31:43,039 I've kind of given a nod to them, I haven't fully drawn them. 652 00:31:43,040 --> 00:31:45,519 I think that's quite a good idea, 'cause there's a lot of them, 653 00:31:45,520 --> 00:31:48,399 and it could be quite distracting doing them all in huge detail, 654 00:31:48,400 --> 00:31:50,799 I think the way you've done the bit on the side of his head 655 00:31:50,800 --> 00:31:53,440 a bit more precisely is quite effective. 656 00:31:56,080 --> 00:31:59,319 How has it been, getting to know Rylan through this process? 657 00:31:59,320 --> 00:32:01,159 Oh, he's great. I love it. 658 00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:03,759 What I love is he's got such a big character 659 00:32:03,760 --> 00:32:05,799 that you can read almost instantly. 660 00:32:05,800 --> 00:32:08,359 There's no hiding, and that's why I kinda wanted to show 661 00:32:08,360 --> 00:32:10,919 a slightly more vulnerable side, 662 00:32:10,920 --> 00:32:14,079 using the object he brought in, and the story that says. 663 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:16,079 Can you relax now a bit? 664 00:32:16,080 --> 00:32:19,200 - Yeah, I think so. Huh? - Yeah. 665 00:32:21,880 --> 00:32:25,439 I am nervous about the big reveal, we're not that far off now. 666 00:32:25,440 --> 00:32:27,399 I'm not nervous for me, 667 00:32:27,400 --> 00:32:29,159 I'm nervous because I know, ultimately, 668 00:32:29,160 --> 00:32:31,319 I can only choose one to take home. 669 00:32:31,320 --> 00:32:34,559 And from getting to know these people over the past few hours, 670 00:32:34,560 --> 00:32:36,919 they're all brilliant, and I've not even seen their work, 671 00:32:36,920 --> 00:32:39,919 so, I think that's gonna be the toughest part for me. 672 00:32:50,680 --> 00:32:52,959 My twin's right there, you can see it, yeah? 673 00:32:52,960 --> 00:32:55,079 Are you giving him advice? A bit of advice. 674 00:32:55,080 --> 00:32:56,439 What advice? 675 00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:58,720 Telepathic advice. OK, I see. 676 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:04,959 This whole experience, like I'm just so happy. 677 00:33:04,960 --> 00:33:08,199 Like, honestly, there's no words to describe like how 678 00:33:08,200 --> 00:33:10,239 exciting this all is to me. 679 00:33:10,240 --> 00:33:11,919 I almost feel a little bit emotional. 680 00:33:16,000 --> 00:33:17,999 I have to, like, walk away, 681 00:33:18,000 --> 00:33:20,599 clear my face, and then look at it again. 682 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:23,959 But, I mean, I think I can tell the hair is too high up, 683 00:33:23,960 --> 00:33:27,920 and it still hasn't got the softness that I'm looking for. 684 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:44,559 The artists are racing to the end of their four-hour challenge 685 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:47,919 to paint retired trumpeter, Alison Balsom, 686 00:33:47,920 --> 00:33:49,919 theatre director, Jamie Lloyd, 687 00:33:49,920 --> 00:33:51,959 and broadcaster, Rylan Clark. 688 00:33:51,960 --> 00:33:53,959 Go on, Raf, you've got this, girl. 689 00:33:53,960 --> 00:33:56,159 I just need to fix the lips. 690 00:33:56,160 --> 00:33:58,599 I can probably stop. I am almost there, 691 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:02,320 if not already there, but, I don't think it hurts to keep checking. 692 00:34:05,280 --> 00:34:08,240 Artists, you have one minute. Aaargh! 693 00:34:10,720 --> 00:34:12,480 I'm so scared! 694 00:34:19,320 --> 00:34:22,279 Artists, we've run out of confetti and time! 695 00:34:22,280 --> 00:34:26,319 Please stop what you're doing and step away from your easels! 696 00:34:28,920 --> 00:34:30,320 Wow! Amazing. 697 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:39,120 Oh, look! Oh, it's so cute. 698 00:34:47,720 --> 00:34:50,519 Look at the mess you've made, Jamie. I know, I know. 699 00:34:50,520 --> 00:34:52,079 What was going on through your mind? 700 00:34:52,080 --> 00:34:54,119 'Cause, four hours, you're so disciplined. 701 00:34:54,120 --> 00:34:56,479 I'd never ever, ever, get a chance just to kind of sit 702 00:34:56,480 --> 00:34:58,799 and be still and quiet. So... For a whole day. 703 00:34:58,800 --> 00:35:01,839 For a whole day, so it was actually like so beautiful to do that. 704 00:35:01,840 --> 00:35:03,719 Right, well let's have a look. OK. 705 00:35:03,720 --> 00:35:07,239 Artists, can I ask you, please, to turn your easels? 706 00:35:11,840 --> 00:35:13,080 Wow. 707 00:35:14,120 --> 00:35:18,239 Oh, my gosh, congratulations, everyone. That's amazing. 708 00:35:18,240 --> 00:35:19,679 Amazing. 709 00:35:19,680 --> 00:35:21,320 Shall we have a closer look? Let's do. 710 00:35:22,720 --> 00:35:25,439 Sara. Look at those eyes. I know. 711 00:35:25,440 --> 00:35:29,559 Got a real sense of the suggestion of the detail of the tattoos, 712 00:35:29,560 --> 00:35:32,160 it's really beautiful actually. Thank you, Sara. 713 00:35:33,640 --> 00:35:35,519 Rikki, oh, this is moody. 714 00:35:35,520 --> 00:35:39,879 There's a kind of sadness in that, which is interesting. 715 00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:41,959 And a kind of movement in the hands. 716 00:35:41,960 --> 00:35:44,159 I found myself playing with the confetti. 717 00:35:44,160 --> 00:35:45,880 Thanks, Rikki. Thanks, Rikki. 718 00:35:46,960 --> 00:35:48,759 And Shyem. 719 00:35:48,760 --> 00:35:50,799 The light in the eyes is really cool. 720 00:35:50,800 --> 00:35:53,479 And the kinda texture in the beard is kind of amazing, isn't it? 721 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:56,159 A man lost in his thoughts. It's interesting that they're all 722 00:35:56,160 --> 00:35:58,239 kind of internalised thoughts, aren't they? 723 00:35:58,240 --> 00:36:00,919 Yeah. Great, Shyem, thank you. Thanks, Shyem. 724 00:36:00,920 --> 00:36:03,599 OK, you get to take one with you, only one. 725 00:36:03,600 --> 00:36:07,239 I mean, they're all really amazing, but, I think... 726 00:36:07,240 --> 00:36:09,519 purely on instinct, 727 00:36:09,520 --> 00:36:12,239 I'm gonna go with... 728 00:36:12,240 --> 00:36:13,679 Sara. 729 00:36:22,640 --> 00:36:24,759 Where's Cooper? She's having a rest. 730 00:36:24,760 --> 00:36:26,639 Is she? It's been such a big day for her. 731 00:36:26,640 --> 00:36:29,159 You nervous? Are you... I am just so excited, 732 00:36:29,160 --> 00:36:30,559 and I've heard lots of rumours 733 00:36:30,560 --> 00:36:33,879 that they're wonderful, so, let me see. 734 00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:35,599 Right, let's have a look. 735 00:36:35,600 --> 00:36:38,439 Artists, can I ask you, please, to turn your easels? 736 00:36:43,200 --> 00:36:44,960 Oh, my goodness. 737 00:36:45,920 --> 00:36:47,919 You're so talented. 738 00:36:47,920 --> 00:36:49,719 All three of you. 739 00:36:49,720 --> 00:36:51,599 They're brilliant. 740 00:36:51,600 --> 00:36:54,080 Shall we take a closer look? Yeah, definitely. 741 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:58,079 Ruth. It's so beautiful. 742 00:36:58,080 --> 00:37:00,159 Your skin tones are so incredible, 743 00:37:00,160 --> 00:37:02,719 it's got that sort of impressionistic quality, 744 00:37:02,720 --> 00:37:04,559 but also it's so human. 745 00:37:04,560 --> 00:37:06,879 I think it's really, really special. 746 00:37:06,880 --> 00:37:08,920 Congratulations. Thank you. 747 00:37:10,280 --> 00:37:13,159 Sophie, this is so amazing, it's like I know that's exactly 748 00:37:13,160 --> 00:37:15,839 what I look like, and I've got my dog looking at me 749 00:37:15,840 --> 00:37:19,119 adoringly, which is... Really is, isn't she? I love that about her. 750 00:37:19,120 --> 00:37:22,799 - Yeah, it's really great, thank you. Thank you. - Fantastic. 751 00:37:22,800 --> 00:37:24,439 And Amy. 752 00:37:24,440 --> 00:37:27,679 Amy, again, this is a different me, but it's me. 753 00:37:27,680 --> 00:37:30,439 I mean, the eyes are really alive. 754 00:37:30,440 --> 00:37:32,839 How have you done that with charcoal? 755 00:37:32,840 --> 00:37:34,919 It's really special and fantastic. 756 00:37:34,920 --> 00:37:37,039 Thank you, congratulations. Thank you. 757 00:37:37,040 --> 00:37:39,600 Now, it's hard, isn't it? It's really, really hard. 758 00:37:40,480 --> 00:37:42,559 I think... 759 00:37:42,560 --> 00:37:44,600 I'm gonna have to go... 760 00:37:45,960 --> 00:37:47,520 I'm gonna have to go with Ruth. 761 00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:00,679 - You did it. - I know.- You survived. 762 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:04,119 I don't think I've been quiet for four hours before in my life. 763 00:38:04,120 --> 00:38:06,719 You're the only person in this room who doesn't know 764 00:38:06,720 --> 00:38:08,719 what's on the other side of those canvases. 765 00:38:08,720 --> 00:38:12,919 It's awful because I can see every face behind them, all going... 766 00:38:12,920 --> 00:38:16,079 ..."We know what's going on." 767 00:38:16,080 --> 00:38:18,759 Let's not prolong your agony any longer. 768 00:38:18,760 --> 00:38:22,199 Artists, can I ask you, please, to turn your easels? 769 00:38:28,520 --> 00:38:30,880 Oh, my goodness. 770 00:38:32,680 --> 00:38:35,800 Wow. This is... 771 00:38:37,320 --> 00:38:39,799 Wow, I don't know what else to say. 772 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:42,759 I don't wanna be that "wow" man on telly, but, wow. 773 00:38:44,880 --> 00:38:47,880 Right, stop saying wow, let's go and have a look, shall we? 774 00:38:48,960 --> 00:38:51,319 Leo. Oh, Leo. 775 00:38:51,320 --> 00:38:53,559 Look at this brooding, intense beast up here. 776 00:38:53,560 --> 00:38:57,799 And then look at the painting. 777 00:38:57,800 --> 00:38:59,679 Honestly. 778 00:38:59,680 --> 00:39:03,919 The whole time I've been sat there, Leo has said nothing, 779 00:39:03,920 --> 00:39:06,320 but said everything. He just kept going to me... 780 00:39:07,400 --> 00:39:10,160 And that is just... 781 00:39:11,120 --> 00:39:12,399 My God, the talent. 782 00:39:12,400 --> 00:39:14,239 You don't need me to say that. Thanks. 783 00:39:14,240 --> 00:39:16,439 I'm not trying to dish it out like I'm Caravaggio, but, 784 00:39:16,440 --> 00:39:18,319 genuinely, it's incredible. 785 00:39:18,320 --> 00:39:19,520 Thank you. Thank you. 786 00:39:20,880 --> 00:39:22,880 Jacob. Jacob. 787 00:39:23,720 --> 00:39:25,959 It's very like Renaissancey, 788 00:39:25,960 --> 00:39:29,119 like if I was walking around a gallery in Italy I'd be like, 789 00:39:29,120 --> 00:39:31,639 "Who's that handsome Italian chap?" 790 00:39:31,640 --> 00:39:34,359 "And why is he holding a crystal ball?"Yeah. 791 00:39:34,360 --> 00:39:36,720 I love it. Thank you so much, I love it. 792 00:39:38,400 --> 00:39:40,559 And... Raf, yes! 793 00:39:40,560 --> 00:39:44,199 ...painting number 706 today, from Rafaela. 794 00:39:44,200 --> 00:39:47,439 I mean, I don't need my lips done after this, clearly. 795 00:39:47,440 --> 00:39:49,839 It's stunning. D'you know what, it's chaos. 796 00:39:49,840 --> 00:39:51,759 It really is, in the best possible way. 797 00:39:51,760 --> 00:39:54,759 I love the fact you get to know your subject, 798 00:39:54,760 --> 00:39:58,479 and it really comes across in the final picture. 799 00:39:58,480 --> 00:40:00,360 I'm so impressed. 800 00:40:01,120 --> 00:40:02,879 You only get to take one home with you. 801 00:40:02,880 --> 00:40:04,239 Ooh! What are you thinking? 802 00:40:04,240 --> 00:40:07,199 Genuinely, hand on heart, this has just been 803 00:40:07,200 --> 00:40:10,319 the biggest pleasure, but, I think 804 00:40:10,320 --> 00:40:13,359 the one I have to... 805 00:40:13,360 --> 00:40:16,399 choose today, just for the sheer gasp, 806 00:40:16,400 --> 00:40:17,719 is Leo's. 807 00:40:17,720 --> 00:40:20,560 It's incredible. 808 00:40:24,800 --> 00:40:26,600 Well done. 809 00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:31,639 Artists, what a brilliant day, thank you so much 810 00:40:31,640 --> 00:40:33,679 for your creativity and your energy. 811 00:40:33,680 --> 00:40:36,359 After careful consideration, 812 00:40:36,360 --> 00:40:40,319 the judges have selected a shortlist of three artists. 813 00:40:40,320 --> 00:40:41,880 The first artist is... 814 00:40:43,320 --> 00:40:45,079 ...Jacob Skinnard. 815 00:40:50,280 --> 00:40:52,840 The second artist is... 816 00:40:54,480 --> 00:40:55,959 ...Ruth Fitton. 817 00:41:00,160 --> 00:41:03,480 And the third artist to be shortlisted is... 818 00:41:04,760 --> 00:41:06,399 ...Rafaela de Ascanio. 819 00:41:14,520 --> 00:41:17,599 So, good day, and I have to note 820 00:41:17,600 --> 00:41:20,359 that we had five 20-somethings today, 821 00:41:20,360 --> 00:41:22,279 only one of them's made it through. 822 00:41:22,280 --> 00:41:25,279 Is that a case of a bit more experience telling, 823 00:41:25,280 --> 00:41:28,359 at the end of the day? Jacob really stood out today 824 00:41:28,360 --> 00:41:31,959 in terms of being such a confident artist, whilst being so young. 825 00:41:31,960 --> 00:41:34,799 Having said this, experience also does really help, 826 00:41:34,800 --> 00:41:36,559 and so, he's surrounded there 827 00:41:36,560 --> 00:41:38,199 by two artists 828 00:41:38,200 --> 00:41:40,599 who are professional artists, 829 00:41:40,600 --> 00:41:42,239 and both are really experienced, 830 00:41:42,240 --> 00:41:45,359 so it's a really interesting mix that we've ended up with. 831 00:41:45,360 --> 00:41:47,879 I think when we saw their self-portraits earlier on, 832 00:41:47,880 --> 00:41:50,559 I think I was definitely drawn to these three painters. 833 00:41:50,560 --> 00:41:53,519 Rafaela gives us the art historical reference of Frida Kahlo, 834 00:41:53,520 --> 00:41:56,559 Jacob just absolutely shines with his excellence 835 00:41:56,560 --> 00:41:58,279 when it comes to textures. 836 00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:01,119 And Ruth's portrait was extraordinary. 837 00:42:01,120 --> 00:42:04,319 not only is she an incredible painter, but the composition, 838 00:42:04,320 --> 00:42:07,079 whether it's the palette on the floor or it's the scattered papers, 839 00:42:07,080 --> 00:42:09,479 it's the Hammershoi-esque portal-like door 840 00:42:09,480 --> 00:42:11,839 at the back of the canvas, I think they all did something 841 00:42:11,840 --> 00:42:13,559 that's really unique and arresting. 842 00:42:13,560 --> 00:42:15,759 D'you think Ruth's portrait today 843 00:42:15,760 --> 00:42:17,799 is on the way to being something similar 844 00:42:17,800 --> 00:42:20,239 to what she did in the self-portrait, given more time? 845 00:42:20,240 --> 00:42:22,799 Yeah, it might've got a little bit three dimensional, 846 00:42:22,800 --> 00:42:24,879 a bit more emerged from the background. 847 00:42:24,880 --> 00:42:27,319 It's almost like a fleeting moment or a memory of someone, 848 00:42:27,320 --> 00:42:29,279 what you remember when you've looked away, 849 00:42:29,280 --> 00:42:31,639 rather than the literal photographic depiction. 850 00:42:31,640 --> 00:42:34,279 Just feels like someone who's wanting to tell stories, 851 00:42:34,280 --> 00:42:36,599 and I think that makes the whole thing more interesting. 852 00:42:36,600 --> 00:42:38,559 It's a good use of that technical talent she has. 853 00:42:38,560 --> 00:42:41,039 Seeing them side by side, there's an intensity 854 00:42:41,040 --> 00:42:44,159 to the self-portrait, and there's a dynamism to it. 855 00:42:44,160 --> 00:42:46,199 I mean, that figure is alive. 856 00:42:46,200 --> 00:42:48,319 Are we missing that in today's work? 857 00:42:48,320 --> 00:42:50,759 She had four hours to make a painting, and I actually 858 00:42:50,760 --> 00:42:53,119 quite like how fragmented the painting is, 859 00:42:53,120 --> 00:42:55,279 I love the fact that it's slightly unfinished. 860 00:42:55,280 --> 00:42:57,279 Some of my favourite paintings by Lucian Freud, 861 00:42:57,280 --> 00:42:59,679 when he leaves parts of the canvas bare. 862 00:42:59,680 --> 00:43:03,079 Jacob's clearly got a great facility for painting different 863 00:43:03,080 --> 00:43:06,519 surfaces and objects. Is that what appeals to you about his work? 864 00:43:06,520 --> 00:43:09,239 I would say one of the things that really strikes me, 865 00:43:09,240 --> 00:43:11,479 looking at the two works together, 866 00:43:11,480 --> 00:43:14,719 is that there was such an intensity to the gaze, 867 00:43:14,720 --> 00:43:18,959 to the way he was looking back at us in the self-portrait. 868 00:43:18,960 --> 00:43:20,359 But having said this, 869 00:43:20,360 --> 00:43:22,999 there is also something maybe more around showing off 870 00:43:23,000 --> 00:43:24,879 Rylan's vulnerable side 871 00:43:24,880 --> 00:43:27,479 in the way he's been presented today. 872 00:43:27,480 --> 00:43:30,759 So I think different approaches, equally successful, 873 00:43:30,760 --> 00:43:34,279 but I think the intensity in the self-portrait was really strong. 874 00:43:34,280 --> 00:43:37,439 For me, I think the one today is better than the self-portrait and submission. 875 00:43:37,440 --> 00:43:40,999 I think that the pose is sort of contrast with this playfulness, 876 00:43:41,000 --> 00:43:43,479 the joy of the picture, and you don't know whether 877 00:43:43,480 --> 00:43:46,799 it's serious or tongue in cheek, and it draws you in, 878 00:43:46,800 --> 00:43:49,839 and the fun of it, I think, just exudes from every part of it. 879 00:43:49,840 --> 00:43:52,359 And an artist who has brought definitely a huge amount 880 00:43:52,360 --> 00:43:54,759 of herself to today is Rafaela. 881 00:43:54,760 --> 00:43:57,439 What do you like about her stuff? I mean, it's the confidence. 882 00:43:57,440 --> 00:43:59,639 It was so much fun watching her paint. 883 00:43:59,640 --> 00:44:02,319 We saw her make these huge sweeping gestures that I thought, 884 00:44:02,320 --> 00:44:05,199 oh my God, you know, to put that amount of black on a canvas 885 00:44:05,200 --> 00:44:08,679 with such vivacity and confidence is just extraordinary. 886 00:44:08,680 --> 00:44:12,359 The slouching pose, you get a sense of Rylan's expression, 887 00:44:12,360 --> 00:44:15,039 and you also feel her, she is present in this, 888 00:44:15,040 --> 00:44:17,839 and I love that, that's what a portrait of someone should be. 889 00:44:17,840 --> 00:44:19,999 It should be equal the portrait and equal the artist. 890 00:44:20,000 --> 00:44:24,119 To me, she's the artist that feels maybe the freest. 891 00:44:24,120 --> 00:44:27,839 She's the one who's really being playful with painting 892 00:44:27,840 --> 00:44:30,559 and really thinking about visual languages. 893 00:44:30,560 --> 00:44:32,239 And that, to me, is exciting. 894 00:44:32,240 --> 00:44:34,520 So, you can only put one through to the semi-final. 895 00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:38,079 You've gotta pick an artist you think could hang on the walls 896 00:44:38,080 --> 00:44:40,239 of the National Portrait Gallery. 897 00:44:45,120 --> 00:44:47,799 Ruth, Jacob, Rafaela, congratulations again 898 00:44:47,800 --> 00:44:49,999 on getting through to this stage of the competition. 899 00:44:50,000 --> 00:44:53,599 But only one of you can go through to the next round. 900 00:44:53,600 --> 00:44:57,319 The artist that the judges would like to see in the semi-final 901 00:44:57,320 --> 00:45:00,439 impressed them today with their compelling process 902 00:45:00,440 --> 00:45:02,439 and engagement with the sitter 903 00:45:02,440 --> 00:45:06,959 that produced a portrait full of emotion and originality. 904 00:45:06,960 --> 00:45:09,000 And that artist is... 905 00:45:14,080 --> 00:45:16,159 ...Rafaela de Ascanio. 906 00:45:22,440 --> 00:45:25,239 I'm feeling really happy. It was such a special day, 907 00:45:25,240 --> 00:45:28,239 and that's really surprising in an environment like this, 908 00:45:28,240 --> 00:45:31,200 so I'm really thrilled that it came out this way. 909 00:45:31,920 --> 00:45:36,079 Rafaela completely deserved it, the looseness, yeah, beautiful. 910 00:45:36,080 --> 00:45:39,279 I'm really happy with the painting I did of Alison, 911 00:45:39,280 --> 00:45:41,599 and she loved it, which is wonderful, 912 00:45:41,600 --> 00:45:44,200 and she's keeping it, which is even more wonderful. 913 00:45:46,120 --> 00:45:48,919 It was so exciting watching Rafaela work today. 914 00:45:48,920 --> 00:45:50,719 It was also a little bit nerve-wracking 915 00:45:50,720 --> 00:45:54,599 because there were times where we felt "What's happening here?" 916 00:45:54,600 --> 00:45:56,799 But in retrospect, of course, it all made sense, 917 00:45:56,800 --> 00:45:59,519 and it's actually because she took those risks that, 918 00:45:59,520 --> 00:46:02,319 in the end, she was able to give us such an incredible work. 919 00:46:02,320 --> 00:46:04,359 I'm really excited to see what she does next. 920 00:46:04,360 --> 00:46:06,360 Thank you so much. 921 00:46:07,640 --> 00:46:09,639 I don't wanna think about, this evening, 922 00:46:09,640 --> 00:46:11,439 about doing it again for the semi-final. 923 00:46:11,440 --> 00:46:15,599 But my brain is already thinking of how to organise it a bit better 924 00:46:15,600 --> 00:46:18,959 and it will be nicer knowing the hoops. 925 00:46:18,960 --> 00:46:21,839 If you'd like to find out more about the competition 926 00:46:21,840 --> 00:46:24,199 and the work of the artists featured, go to: 927 00:46:24,200 --> 00:46:27,200 skyartsartistoftheyear.tv 928 00:46:49,560 --> 00:46:52,560 Subtitles by Sky Access Services www.skyaccessibility.sky