Review: Episode 4 of Portrait Artist of the Year 2018

This is a review of Heat 4 of Portrait Artist of the Year - which this week saw six amateur artists and 3 professional artists

You can see links at the end to my reviews of the first three episodes.

Heat 4 of Portrait Artist of the Year

The Professionals

Three professional artists were:

• Jamie Green (Instagram) - age 27, based in Manchester and a shortlisted contestant in 2017 - who who was back by virtue of viewers of Sky voting for him to be the artist they'd most like see again. He has a very strong style which I guess is "a bit like marmite".
• Etha Gurak?? - an Eyptian by birth, who studied art and a professional artist in Cairo before getting married and coming to live in London 10 years ago. Her self-portrait took her 28 hours and she listened to an "inspiration playlist" while she painted which included 'Eye of the Tiger"
• Jackie Edwards - Born in London to Irish parents, she now lives in Ireland. She studied art at Dun Laoghaire School of Art and Design. She's also been exhibiting in Ireland, the UK and Europe since 1989. She exhibited a stunning portrait of "The Artist's children" at the Royal Ulster Academy last year (see Putting on an Art Exhibition - Behind the Scenes at the Royal Ulster Academy)

The Amateurs

Six amateur artists brought their kit to the Wallace Collection. They were:

• Olivia Crossman - uses pastel on canvas and has a somewhat unique technique to her work. She uses a palette knife to scratch at the pastel layers. Produced a very impressive self-portrait.  She had completed a Foundation Art Year at Camberwell College of Art - but was now pursuing a science degree (Biology at Imperial College) and hoped to combine the two.
• Anna Kenneally - She recently completed a BA in Fine Art at Bath Spa University - which I think she means she was in her final year when she painted in Heat 4. Her paintings on her website have a strong narrative edge notwithstanding some are contemporary updates on paintings by past masters.  She did an Interview with Cass Arts back in 2016.  Her goal is becoming a professional artist.
• Aret Shukovsky?? - Comes from Poland and now lives in Southampton. He placed an emphasis on wanting to get the drawing right
• Lisa Puhlhofer (Facebook Page) - Based in Suffolk, she is a former nurse. Between 2015 and 2017 she completed the Diploma Course at 2015-2017 Diploma in Portraiture Heatherley's School of Fine Art. Little did I know I was in the same room as Lisa just a few days ago - at the The Bankside Staff Show Private View 2018. I thought the hair looked vaguely familiar!

I took early retirement moved to Suffolk to free up the money I needed to go to college. I studied at Heatherley’s School of Fine Art in Chelsea, because it was the only School which had a Portrait Diploma at the time, and I liked the idea of being taught by professional working artists.

• Roy Goodman - A career in science - he now lives and works in Cornwall. After he took retirement he became a a painter and photographer. In 2007 he obtained an MA in the History of 20th Century Art from Falmouth University, followed by an MA in Photography from Plymouth University in 2012. He has a painting which has just reached Second Stage of the John Moores Painting Prize.  I'm not quite sure why he has himself down as an amateur portrait painter since he exhibits in galleries - however he mostly paints landscapes.
• Sam Smith - A self-taught IT Manager from Hertfordshire who had only painted 7 portraits before - including his self-portrait. He learned how to paint from watching videos on YouTube! Just a little competition from a bloke of the same name to find his website! 

The sitters were:

• Game of Thrones star Conleth Hill - who plays Varys
• model turned TV personality Rachel Hunter and 
• actor Stefanie Martini.

Discussions and Observations

Using a grid to get the outline embedded

The commentary noted that 8 of the 9 artists were choosing to draw in the outline using pencil, while one eyeballed the sitter and dew using her paintbrush. Guess which one impressed the judges?

Gridded up two ways on the iPad

The use of an app on their ipads to get the drawing started and well placed on the support was also very ubiquitous. I can understand why people might do this if they are not confident drawing from life - but it does speak to a lack of experience in drawing from life.

It's been a bit of time since I went to a life class (or the one I used to go to at the Royal Drawing School - which was about drawing a head) - but I don't recall iPads in use for that purpose. Maybe they are now?

That said at least two of the portraits ruled themselves out because they had MAJOR errors of facial structure and proportion.  Can you tell which two I mean? At least one of the artists knows it....

Artists websites in 2018

This is about artists websites in 2018 - what has changed and what has not - and what needs to change!  It looks at:

• the pros - what has improved
• the design - what has and has not changed
• the words - why these are now much more important than they used to be
• the weaknesses - identifies perennial weaknesses which still need to be remedied
• the faults - highlights aspects which MUST be addressed 

some of the key factors which enable people to find and like your artist's website

I look at thousands of artists websites every year. That's because I write posts about those artists selected for the exhibitions of major art competitions and those winning prizes at the exhibitions of national open art societies in the UK.

I'm possibly one of a relatively small number of people (who knows - there may only be me!) who looks at so many artists' websites on a regular basis - and has done so for most of the last decade.  I'm also not just "looking" at them - I'm trying to extract data about the artist to check I've identified the right person and/or create a brief profile.

It occurred to me at the end of last year to write a post about artists' websites in 2018 after I wrote Selected artists for Columbia Threadneedle Prize Exhibition 2018

Recently this has been reinforced by writing about the professional and amateur artists appearing in the Portrait Artist of the Year competition on Sky Arts and the blog post I wrote yesterday about Selected UK artists for 'In Ruskin's Footsteps' (Botanical Art Worldwide #4).

Then I spotted a comment on Facebook yesterday by Jimmy Wright writing on behalf of The Pastel Society of America

You need to have a basic website that makes you and your work visible online. While doing research for the summer issue of PSA's Pastelagram, it was frustrating for the editors to not be able to look at an artist's work or do basic research on an artist online. A website is worth the effort and expense. How will a magazine editor, gallery director or collector find and follow your work? You can't expect an effective introduction to a gallery without having a website.

Below I'm going to write about the current trends I've spotted.  

This follows on from a selection of my posts about artists' websites in previous years:

• Marketing art - people buy you as well as your art #1 (2009)
• The Websites of Contemporary Painters in the UK (2010)
• Do you price your art on your website / blog? (Poll Results) (2011)
• What makes you leave an artist's website? POLL RESULTS (2012)
• Search Quality Guidelines: Find out how Google rates websites (2015) Note - these have been updated again (last year) since this post. You can download Google's Search Quality Evaluator Guidelines
• 30 questions: a Website Checklist for Artists (2016)
• It's all in the domain name (2016)
• How do you get your art ranking in Google? Your NEW Google Guide to SEO (2017)

Artist Websites - The Pros

I'm now noticing a sea-change amongst those SELECTED for prestigious art competitions - which are typically contested by professional or 'aspiring to be' professional artists.

The following observations are based on my standard research query which is "name of artist" + art.

• artists' websites are now much easier to find - re. younger / professional artists ONLY! Most of these now have websites and most are on the first page of Google. Many are in the top five results on Google for my search query. (Galleries showing the artist often do better than the actual artist's website).
• almost all professional artists now use their name for their website's domain name. Where the name is common (or there is a popular person - or another artists - with the same name) it is common to find websites which have added 'art' or 'artist' or 'fineart' to the personal name in the domain name URL. This pretty much now seems to be the rule - signal occupation as well as name - to ensure the website gets found quickly.
• many have dropped the arty bollocks style of writing and are now using plain english. Such a relief!

Artists Websites - The Design

Websites MUST now be optimised for tablets and smartphones. There has been some major changes in the devices used and the structure and coding of websites in the last decade.The major change is the way traffic has switched away from desktop computers to mobile devices.

In design terms, on artists websites I now see the following much more and indeed they are becoming common features on the websites of more professional artists.

Events, demos and workshops at the 2018 Pastel Society Exhibition

One of the really good aspects of the Annual Open Exhibitions by National Art Societies is the fact most make an effort to put on a range of learning events for the public.  Most do demonstrations, some do guided tours and some do workshops

The Pastel Society is better at this than most and below you can find a list of the upcoming workshops which will run during their Annual Exhibition which runs between 20 February and 3 March at the Mall Galleries.

Cover of The Pastel Society Catalogue

Below you will find the link embedded in

• the title of the event are to a page which should tell you more about it. 
• the name of the artist are to their website (if they have one)

Tour

• 22 February 2018 (1-3pm) - President's Tour - Jeannette Hayes PPS, President of The Pastel Society will be leading a tour of the Annual Exhibition

Events: drink and sketch or paint

The Mall Galleries organises a drink and sketch event on the last Thursday of each month - which generally coincides with one of the annual exhibitions by one of the national art societies. They each have a different theme. There's no tutor but lots of people wanting to sketch.

• 22 February 2018 (10:00am to 12:00pm) - Coffee Morning with sketching Ballet Dancers - visitors will be able to sketch with posing dancers or examples of ballet costumes. Plus get hot drinks and pastries are available. Munch/drink/sketch!
• 27 February 2018 (6:00pm to 8:30pm) - The Pastel Society Art Event Evening - Draw, paint, drink and listen to music! £10 

Demonstrations

All these events are free to attend with admission to the exhibition

• 21 February (12:00pm to 4:30pm)- Working with Portrait Models - Susan Relph PS will be in the gallery working from two portrait models and visitors can bring their own sketchbooks and media and join in
• 24 February 2018 - Two members of the Pastel Society will be pastel painting in the galleries 
• 11:00am to 1:30pm David Brammeld RBA PS RBSA Pastelliste de France - Graphite demo
• 2:00pm to 4:00pm Past President Cheryl Culver PPPS RBA 

Pastel landscape by Cheryl Culver in the 2018 Exhibition by the Pastel Society

Workshops

The workshops will be held in the dedicated Learning Centre (accessed via the main entrance to the galleries) and run from 11:00am to 5:00pm. All workshops costs £60 or £55 if you book four workshops or are a Friend of the FBA (or £50 if a Friend books 4)

Participants may bring a packed lunch although drinks and snacks are available from the Mall Galleries Café. Easels and drawing boards will be provided, but students should bring their normal range of materials. Models will be available, but where the subject is landscape, participants are recommended to bring sketches to work from.

Now is the time to get signed up before all the spaces go!  

You can Download an Application Form 

• 23rd February - The Urban Environment - John Tookey PS - how to create urban scenes in pastel using sketches produced on location. 
• 24 February 2018 - Romantic Colours and Dynamic Movements in Pastel - Eiko Yoshimoto PS
• 25 February 2018 - Life and Portrait - with Susan Relph PS - for all levels of experience
• 26 February 2018  - Patterns, Pots and Flowers - with Jan Munro PS - I've much admired Jan's pastel still lifes in the past. This could be an excellent one for anybody interested in how to use pastels with still life.

Pastel still life by Jan Munro in the Pastel Society Exhibition 2018

• 27 February 2018 - Treescapes in Graphite  - with David Brammeld PS RBA
• 28 February 2018 - People and Places - with Jenny Halstead PS
• 2 March 2018 - Water in the Landscape - with Michael Norman VPPS

PS You can see the Catalogue for the Pastel Society Exhibition 2018 on Issuu

Works on Paper Art Fair 2018 - review

The Works on Paper Fair continues at the Royal Geographical Society at the Albert Memorial end of Exhibition Road until 6pm on Sunday 4th February.

RECOMMENDED: I visited yesterday slightly later than I intended to (it's been one of those weeks!) I've already written one blog post about it for the botanical art fans - see Works in Paper Art Fair features botanical art. This one is for everybody else who enjoys works on paper like I do.

don't take a panoramic pic when somebody is walking left to right....

The Fair comprises covers anything done on paper - which essentially means watercolour paintings, drawings in a variety of media and a range of prints. It's busy without being silly - although I guess that can depend on when you go. I like going towards the end of the day when it quietens down and often try and go on the Thursday night when it opens until 9pm.

Features of the Fair is that, as with most Art Fairs, it's organised in a series of stands. These are in different rooms and it's a bit of a maze and very easy to overlook parts of the Fair if you don't go round in  a systematic way. I always lose track of where I am which for me is most unusual - I have an inbuilt compass!

The stands are hosted by

• conventional art galleries who sell works on paper by contemporary artists 
• other art galleries whose stock covers 18th - 20th century artwork
• art dealers who may well operate without the benefit of permanent premises - as many dealers operate these days.  It keeps the costs down and allows them to move around the various art fairs without having to shut up shop!

You can see the exhibitor list here. Some of them have online catalogues of work they took to the fair.

Sheppard and Welbourne Fine Art

This is the stand of Sheppard and ​Welbourne Fine Art​ who are

independent dealers based in Sussex specialising in 18th,19th and Early 20th Century Watercolours and Prints.

(left) Karen Taylor Fine Art (right)Michael Parkin Fine Art 

Karen Taylor Fine Art is owned by the lady who used to run auctions of Topographical Paintings and British Watercolours. for Sothebys for 10 years. She provides advice on buying and selling.

Richard Bawden RWS NEAC (1936 - )
House and Garden
Watercolour, pen & ink
£950

Michael Parkin Fine Art specialises in the Bawdens of Bardfield and had a rather nice painting by Richard Bawden of his home in Suffolk. I'm a fan and was tempted....

Harry Moore-Gwyn

Harry Moore-Gwyn was founded in 2000. It has become one of the leading British dealers in 18th and early 19th Century drawings and British art of the period 1900-1950, with a particular focus on neglected artists of the time.

Japan Print Gallery

The Japan Print Gallery was established in Notting Hill Gate, London in 1976 and specialises exclusively in fine Japanese woodblock prints from the 18th to the 20th Century.

The reasons I go are:

• the sheer variety of work on display - you discover new painters you didn't know you liked!
• you get to see original work by past masters.  Yesterday I viewed watercolour paintings by a very wide range of artists from the past and present.
• there always seems to be a strong representation by the Japanese Print dealers.
• one stand has an art book dealer - who always seems to have something I have to have. I came away yesterday with catalogues from past exhibitions by David Hockney (@ Pace, New York 2015) and Lucian Freud (@ Hayward Gallery 1974)

It's still on tomorrow 11am - 6pm and is well worth a visit.

Review: Episode 3 of Portrait Artist of the Year 2018

The sitters for Episode 3 of Portrait Artist of the Year were Ross Kemp, Freddie Fox and Vicky McLure.

The portrait artists again split across amateurs and professionals.

I really think Sky Arts ought to publish the NAMES of their contestants - either on screen or in the credits list at the end! I've tried to listen carefully to the names five or six times and there is NO WAY I'm going to get the spelling right for all of them let alone find their websites! [Update - many thanks to Jean Edwards who had subtitles on and hence picked up the names as published in that format!]

Here they all are - lined up at the end waiting to hear who has been shortlisted....

Portrait Artist of the Year - Episode 2 contestants
(from left to right: Anirudh, Chiara, Bríd, George, Jack, Shanti, Catherine, "Gosha" and Rebecca)

The Professionals

• Shanti Panchal - whose work I know very well (and admire) and see very regularly in the exhibitions of prestigious art competitions and the open exhibitions of national art societies. Born in Bombay he came to the UK on a British Council Scholarship in the late 70s to go Art School and he now lives and works in London.  He also used to be artist in residence at the Winsor & Newton Paint Factory - when they still had one in the UK.
• Catherine McDiarmid - a portrait artist who lives in Cumbria and teaches at a local art centre. She's had her portraits selected for the BP Portrait Award on two occasions.  She also participated in Portrait Artist of the Year in 2015
• Gosha Sabinska- worked in watercolour and did a sketch and then a final painting
• Bríd Higgins Ní Chinnéide - lives and works in Dublin. A a figurative artist who works primarily with oil paint and is interested in painting people. Studied art at the St Petersburg Academy of Arts in Russia in the late 90's and early 2000's. Regularly selected for groups shows at a national level. 

The Amateurs

• Anirudh Shenhoy - no website. This is the one who's a medical student who paints at weekends. His self-portrait was the first time he had painted himself.
• Jack Freeman - no website. has a degree in fine art from Falmouth (who I've noted have supplied a lot of heat contestants in the past) and hopes to teach art
• George Metuwonyake - no website. Age 17, George is the one who draws with a pencil using a technique he invented for himself. He grew up in Nigeria and came to the UK 6 years ago.
• Chiara Crompton - no website  She had never worked with a life model before.
• Rebecca Oliver - no website. She's a retail manager for a large fashion outlet.  She tried to paint the entire sitter - on the basis that she'd have less to do on the face. 

I THINK I'm right in saying that none of the amateurs had websites.

I'm intrigued as to why artists who have not displayed their art on websites would want to show what they do on television. I can't work that one out....

Would you apply for a painting competition on the television before putting your work up on a website?

The Sitters

The sitters were Ross Kemp, Freddie Fox and Vicky McLure.

Discussions and Observations

Before I start, the major bonus for me of this episode is I now understand how Shanti Panchal works with watercolour - and it looks like magic! I knew what it was in theory but seeing it happens makes complete sense of how his paintings look. This episode is worth watching by people who paint in watercolour for that 'reveal' on its own.

Experience

In this episode, there was at least one and possibly four artists who were out of their depth. It's not an age thing, it's an experience 'thing'.