Big Painting Challenge

[quizzywig]

Is it absolutely necessary for the judges to be so nasty in their criticisms? There was no need for the woman judge to tell one lady that that she was sniggering at her picture of the dancers behind her back. The army bloke did a really good drawing of the first model but they were quite harsh about it. These amatuer artists are doing their best. I wonder if the judges had their early work commented on like that.

[Canary42]

These "reality" judges are all the same - recruited for their inherent nastiness but knowing little about art. Sniggering is destructive negative criticism, budding artists need positive constructive criticism.

But baying audiences seem to prefer watching the mangling (a bit like the primitive old Roman Circuses).

[DTCwordfan]

someone has to say it, it's like watching paint dry.

The 19 year old is very talented and ought to win. As to the criticisms, largely true but a wee bit direct, but then the contestants should know that, going into the competition.

[carolegif]

Don't think the female judge liked that woman very much. She had been nasty to her in previous programmes.

[lidlicker]

Mary Berry would not criticise a cake by saying it is rubbish, she has some tact. I thought that woman judge was awful, as quzzywig says, they are all doing their best.

[Old_Geezer]

They do seem to be unnecessarily harsh on some artists/paintings, but as Canary says, it's what makes for popular TV. The viewer dictates what gets watched in numbers.

I'm unsure contestants would necessarily know what they were in store for them. It's been ages since I last found the time / enthusiasm to paint. Always one of those many many things I wanted to get properly trained in, but decades past, and I didn't get around to it. But were I an amateur and thought to have a bash, I think I'd expect constructive criticism and advice, but wouldn't expect my effort or self to be put down and disparaged / discouraged. After all, it's not easy to get a good representation especially of something moving around and a brief to show motion in a static painting.

[Retrochic]

The Painting Challenge isn't your average reality show though is it? I can imagine it attracts people like myself that 'dabble' a bit and are hoping to get a few tips, not people just watching to view a 'car crash'. Sneering and being critical without giving advice is destructive and would personally put me off for good. I have to admit I've seen a few of their offerings and thought 'what were they thinking' but everyone has a bad day and it actually gives me hope that perhaps I'm actually not that bad lol!