0:00:02 > 0:00:08'Britain's top artists make big money. Their works can go for millions.'
0:00:08 > 0:00:116 million 5. 7 million. Thank you.
0:00:11 > 0:00:15'So how do you get a slice of the action?
0:00:15 > 0:00:17'Now's your chance to find out
0:00:17 > 0:00:21'as we offered all-comers the opportunity to fight for a spot
0:00:21 > 0:00:24'at the hottest exhibition in town.
0:00:25 > 0:00:30- Please, open the door.- Art really matters to me.- It's something I want to do for the rest of my life.
0:00:30 > 0:00:34'They could stand to make some serious cash.'
0:00:34 > 0:00:39- Could you tell us what price you'd put on your piece?- 30 grand.- 30,000?
0:00:39 > 0:00:41I'd like £100,000 for it.
0:00:41 > 0:00:46'But first they need the seal of approval from three of the art world's toughest critics.'
0:00:46 > 0:00:49I think it looks like it's from the centrefold of a men's magazine.
0:00:49 > 0:00:53My first impression when I saw the picture was actual disgust.
0:00:53 > 0:00:57'Their hopes and dreams are in the hands of the hanging committee.'
0:00:57 > 0:01:01I think you need to go back to the drawing board, literally.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04'It's time to Show Me The Monet.'
0:01:06 > 0:01:09Hello and welcome to the Royal College of Art in Central London
0:01:09 > 0:01:12for this special Show Me The Monet exhibition.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14This world-famous school
0:01:14 > 0:01:18has launched the career of many British artists.
0:01:18 > 0:01:23Over the past few months, creative folk ranging from working professionals to complete amateurs
0:01:23 > 0:01:27have been vying for the chance to show their work here.
0:01:27 > 0:01:32But to earn their place, they had to face our hanging committee.
0:01:33 > 0:01:38'Our hanging judges are three ruthless and much-respected artist critics.
0:01:38 > 0:01:42'They're searching for new work to exhibit at the Show Me The Monet exhibition.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45'Only the very best will make the grade
0:01:45 > 0:01:49'and get the chance to sell for hundreds or even thousands of pounds.
0:01:49 > 0:01:54'Hanging judge David Lee prides himself of cutting through the hype
0:01:54 > 0:01:56'when it comes to modern art.'
0:01:56 > 0:02:01I'm looking for originality, the ability to surprise us.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03All good art is about surprise.
0:02:03 > 0:02:08'Critic Charlotte Mullins has spent over 15 years writing about the modern art world.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13'She knows what separates a genuine new talent from a passing fad.'
0:02:13 > 0:02:15We're looking for technical ability.
0:02:15 > 0:02:18Not perfectionism. It has to be appropriate to the subject.
0:02:18 > 0:02:24'And Roy Bolton has worked for some of the world's most exclusive auction houses.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27'He knows what gives an artist the edge.'
0:02:27 > 0:02:30It has to jump out and grab me as a viewer.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33If it says something directly to me and I feel involved, it's done its job.
0:02:38 > 0:02:42'We've scoured the country in our hunt for the best artistic talent.
0:02:44 > 0:02:48'Against the imposing backdrop of some of Britain's finest galleries,
0:02:48 > 0:02:51'hopeful contenders came to present their work.
0:02:53 > 0:02:56'They needed two yes votes to get through.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59'And at stake was a chance to fulfil their dreams
0:02:59 > 0:03:04'and the opportunity for many to make some serious cash from their work for the first time.
0:03:04 > 0:03:08'But not all the judges agreed what makes good art.'
0:03:08 > 0:03:10The pair of you.
0:03:10 > 0:03:16'Student Alex Jones presented a quirky axe sculpture as his signature piece.'
0:03:16 > 0:03:20I was interested in trying to create a relationship between
0:03:20 > 0:03:23what the axe is and what it's used for.
0:03:23 > 0:03:26'Alex wanted to see if he has what it takes.'
0:03:26 > 0:03:32Alex, the axe is used to chop down a tree. Is that it?
0:03:32 > 0:03:34'But one judge wasn't on board.'
0:03:34 > 0:03:41This is an artistic interpretation of a current issue which, for me, is what art is all about.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45'But Alex got through with a chance to sell for big money.'
0:03:45 > 0:03:48I won't rabbit on about it, an absolute yes from me.
0:03:48 > 0:03:52- Alex, it's a yes from me.- Thank you. - It is coming to the exhibition.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55- I'm very pleased to see it there. Well done.- Thank you.
0:03:55 > 0:03:59'Teacher Daniel Collins also stepped into the firing line
0:03:59 > 0:04:04'with a mysterious painting inspired by Asian carvings.'
0:04:04 > 0:04:09A couple of people have asked me recently, "What does it mean?" I think the job of an artist
0:04:09 > 0:04:12isn't always necessarily to know what it symbolises.
0:04:12 > 0:04:15'David for one didn't know what to make of it.'
0:04:15 > 0:04:21Nobody's mentioned the fact that she seems to have a pair of fruit bats dangling from her ears.
0:04:21 > 0:04:24THEY LAUGH It's supposed to be about spirituality.
0:04:24 > 0:04:27Frankly, it makes my spirit sink.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31'There was only one judge who rated Daniel's work.'
0:04:31 > 0:04:35I couldn't disagree with them more. I'm intrigued and I want to look at it
0:04:35 > 0:04:37- and I would look at that again and again.- Thank you.
0:04:37 > 0:04:41'28-year-old artist Rebecca Fontaine-Wolf was looking for feedback
0:04:41 > 0:04:47'on her approach to portrait painting. She submitted a giant image of herself.'
0:04:47 > 0:04:52I'm really interested in the way in which portraiture can turn a person into a sort of icon.
0:04:52 > 0:04:57'The panel was quite impressed by her nod to fame.'
0:04:57 > 0:04:59I can see you're playing with celebrity,
0:04:59 > 0:05:06what it means to be a celebrity. There are elements of Holly Golightly in Breakfast At Tiffany's there.
0:05:06 > 0:05:10'But it was Rebecca's style of painting that bowled them over.'
0:05:10 > 0:05:15I love the way you've painted it so thinly and the canvas itself is unprepared and very thin.
0:05:15 > 0:05:19You can see through it. I've never seen that before.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22- No question, yes.- It's a yes.
0:05:22 > 0:05:24Three yeses. Well done.
0:05:24 > 0:05:30'Rebecca has got a spot to sell her painting, and its price tag, £1,800.
0:05:31 > 0:05:36'At London's Foundling Museum, I met one contender who used to be a teacher
0:05:36 > 0:05:42'before bravely giving up her profession and a steady income to have a go at being an artist.
0:05:42 > 0:05:47'Mary Rouncefield has had some success but her motivation for applying today
0:05:47 > 0:05:50'was the chance to get seen at a big London gallery
0:05:50 > 0:05:54'and to silence sceptics who thought she couldn't make a go of it.'
0:05:54 > 0:05:58- Welcome.- Thank you. - How are you feeling? A little bit trembly there.- A little bit.
0:05:58 > 0:06:02- Have you always been a budding artist?- No.
0:06:02 > 0:06:06I was a maths teacher and I decided after a while
0:06:06 > 0:06:12that I really wanted to do art, so I went back to university
0:06:12 > 0:06:17and studied art and I graduated about 18 months ago,
0:06:17 > 0:06:22- so now I'm trying to make a go of it. - How's it going?- Er, quite well.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26I sometimes have done some supply teaching to earn some money,
0:06:26 > 0:06:30so that is helpful.
0:06:30 > 0:06:32- So your head is just about above water.- Just about.
0:06:32 > 0:06:38What did family and friends say when you said, "I'm going to give up maths teaching and be an artist"?
0:06:38 > 0:06:40Erm, I think they were a bit concerned.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43But they can see that I'm enjoying what I'm doing
0:06:43 > 0:06:48and I keep saying the old cliche, you only live once.
0:06:48 > 0:06:53- What would it mean if you could make it to this exhibition?- It would be very encouraging, it'd be fantastic
0:06:53 > 0:07:00because in a way, it would say, actually, you weren't mad to do this
0:07:00 > 0:07:04and you are going in the right direction.
0:07:04 > 0:07:09- What are you like with criticism? - Well, I think I'm just going to have to take it on the chin.
0:07:09 > 0:07:13- Good luck.- Thank you, Chris. - Through those doors.- Thank you.
0:07:19 > 0:07:24'So let's see if this aspiring artist can prove her doubters wrong.
0:07:24 > 0:07:28'Her hopes of getting to the exhibition and making some much-needed spare cash
0:07:28 > 0:07:34'are riding on this rather saucy screen print which, it turns out, has hidden messages.'
0:07:36 > 0:07:41- Welcome to the hanging committee. Would you like to tell us about your picture?- Yes.
0:07:41 > 0:07:46It's a screen print and it's based on the Rorschach inkblot test,
0:07:46 > 0:07:54which was given to psychiatric patients to try and work out what their problems were.
0:07:54 > 0:08:00So if a man interpreted a lot of these inkblots as being sexy women,
0:08:00 > 0:08:04he was seen as perhaps being
0:08:04 > 0:08:10a likely predator or harasser of women and possibly dangerous.
0:08:10 > 0:08:16So I decided to produce a sort of visual joke or a visual pun
0:08:16 > 0:08:21whereby my inkblot actually does consist of sexy women.
0:08:21 > 0:08:26Although, if you look at them, you can see their clothing
0:08:26 > 0:08:29and their hair, which looks rather artificial,
0:08:29 > 0:08:33but you can't actually see the woman. She is like the invisible woman.
0:08:33 > 0:08:38So I'm commenting on sexual stereotypes
0:08:38 > 0:08:41and the way women are seen in society, as well.
0:08:41 > 0:08:44How much would you value this work at?
0:08:44 > 0:08:49Probably around £200 or so.
0:08:49 > 0:08:52- Do you mind if we have a closer look at the picture?- Thank you, yes.
0:08:53 > 0:08:58'So, this former maths teacher is making a clever comment on stereotyping.
0:08:58 > 0:09:02'But as a new artist, Mary's not being greedy with her guide price.
0:09:02 > 0:09:08'Will the judges think it's worthy of a select spot at the exhibition where their peers will see it?
0:09:08 > 0:09:11'Their reputations ride on every piece they put through.
0:09:11 > 0:09:15'So does Mary's work and its message make the grade?'
0:09:18 > 0:09:21Mary, I think this is probably a very commercial image.
0:09:21 > 0:09:27In a way, it's a sort of classic bachelor pad decoration on the wall.
0:09:27 > 0:09:31But on a serious point, you mentioned the figures don't have faces
0:09:31 > 0:09:34and that's a bit of a comment on women and how they're seen.
0:09:34 > 0:09:38To my mind, that objectifies these women more.
0:09:38 > 0:09:44- Oh.- That they're purely bodies wearing boots which you'd find in only a few places.
0:09:44 > 0:09:47- SHE LAUGHS - And Avengers costumes.
0:09:47 > 0:09:53That's part of what I'm trying to say. That if you go to an extreme, this is what you get.
0:09:53 > 0:09:56The woman herself is not important any more.
0:09:56 > 0:10:00Mary says that she's commenting on sexual stereotypes
0:10:00 > 0:10:03whilst actually perpetuating them.
0:10:03 > 0:10:08'Has Mary's message backfired? And can she turn the judges around?'
0:10:08 > 0:10:13It's a bad James Bond or Avengers poster or album.
0:10:13 > 0:10:15- Mary, do comment. - I think that's outrageous!
0:10:15 > 0:10:18Yes. I've...
0:10:18 > 0:10:26Yes, I can perhaps see that you might say a Bond woman might dress like that but...
0:10:26 > 0:10:31- They did dress like that! - I've certainly not seen that image anywhere else.
0:10:31 > 0:10:36Well, we've had a very lively debate but Mary has stood up for herself.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40'Are her dreams of showing and selling at the exhibition slipping away?'
0:10:40 > 0:10:44It is a very slick image and I rather like the way you've drawn it.
0:10:44 > 0:10:49When you get close up, you see it's quite interesting as a drawing,
0:10:49 > 0:10:54- but I'm not getting the emotion you want to convey with it, I think. - It's too rooted in a different time.
0:10:54 > 0:10:58They probably had a T-shirt with this on in the 1960s.
0:10:58 > 0:11:00Emotion...
0:11:01 > 0:11:04- I'm 58, I'm not 12.- I think they're being slightly blinkered.
0:11:04 > 0:11:10It doesn't matter that the clothing references might be from the 60s, it's immaterial.
0:11:10 > 0:11:12It's a very cool, funky image.
0:11:12 > 0:11:18'Well, it seems one judge is a fan. But Mary needs two yes votes to warrant her career change.
0:11:18 > 0:11:22'Plus, the money from a possible sale may mean one less shift as a supply teacher.
0:11:22 > 0:11:24'Will she get through?'
0:11:24 > 0:11:26Mary, I'm sorry, it's a no.
0:11:29 > 0:11:32You won't be surprised to hear it's no from me, as well.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35I'm sorry about that, Mary. I think it would've been a yes from me.
0:11:35 > 0:11:41- But I'm sorry, it won't be going through to our exhibition at the Royal College of Art.- Thank you.
0:11:41 > 0:11:47'It's a blow for Mary. For now, her bid to exhibit at the Royal College of Art and silence the doubters
0:11:47 > 0:11:52'has been dashed, as she fails to turn her ladies into loot this time around.
0:11:52 > 0:11:57'But her belief in her art and the path she's chosen is still very much intact.'
0:11:57 > 0:12:00- What did you make of all that? - They had very strong opinions.
0:12:00 > 0:12:06This is your opportunity to bite back. David said it was a bad James Bond poster.
0:12:06 > 0:12:10- Yeah.- It was a bit too commercial, it wasn't real art.- Mm.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13- Do you want to respond right now? - Nothing is new.
0:12:13 > 0:12:19Just because here's an old fuddy-duddy that had his heyday in the 60s...
0:12:19 > 0:12:21I hope he's listening. You're an old fuddy-duddy.
0:12:21 > 0:12:28I think it's not right to say that you can't reference
0:12:28 > 0:12:30previous styles in art,
0:12:30 > 0:12:33because all artists do it.
0:12:33 > 0:12:38- All I can say is commiserations. - Thank you.- And I loved the way you fought your corner there.
0:12:38 > 0:12:42- I really did.- Thank you.- As we all say, you're only just starting.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46- Thank you very much. It was lovely to meet you.- Thank you.- Bye-bye.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51'Still to come on today's show,
0:12:51 > 0:12:54'a mountain scene splits the judges.'
0:12:54 > 0:12:59You don't get the blow off of the snow in the sky, you don't get that sense of the mountain...
0:12:59 > 0:13:01Oh, wow, yeah.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05David, you have absolutely no poetry in your body whatsoever.
0:13:05 > 0:13:10'And one artist sticks up for his dark art.'
0:13:10 > 0:13:14If it doesn't contain all the features or all the elements of a traditional portrait,
0:13:14 > 0:13:18- is it any less of a portrait? - No.- No, not at all.
0:13:18 > 0:13:22We'll be catching up with all those who made the grade and won a place here at the exhibition.
0:13:22 > 0:13:26They could meet a VIP and even make a sale.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29For all those artists here tonight, it's been a gruelling journey.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38'We asked all-comers to send us their works of art
0:13:38 > 0:13:42- 'and the very best entries were sent to the hanging committees.'- Hello.
0:13:42 > 0:13:47'The judges have had to assess art of all shapes and sizes,
0:13:47 > 0:13:52'including sculptures, pictures, paintings and photos.'
0:13:59 > 0:14:05'Next, we're off to Glasgow to an inspiring venue called A House For An Art Lover.
0:14:05 > 0:14:09'It was here that I met a mountaineer based in the remote Scottish highlands
0:14:09 > 0:14:13'who's desperate to break into the lucrative London art scene.
0:14:13 > 0:14:16'But will his nerves get the better of him?'
0:14:16 > 0:14:21Jamie, nice to meet you. Welcome to the hanging committee. You look nervous.
0:14:21 > 0:14:26- I am very nervous, yeah. - Why is that?- It's difficult speaking in front of people.
0:14:26 > 0:14:32- Do not worry about it. It's a lot of fun. Where do you come from? - All the way from near Fort William,
0:14:32 > 0:14:35- a village called Corpach. - Oh, beautiful part of the world.
0:14:35 > 0:14:38- It's magic. - You don't sound very Scottish.- No.
0:14:38 > 0:14:41- How long have you lived there? - About ten years.
0:14:41 > 0:14:45- Before that, I grew up in Lincolnshire. - Right.- So flat as a pancake.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48- Are you a trained artist? - I'm self-taught as a painter.
0:14:48 > 0:14:51What would be your ambitions in the art world?
0:14:51 > 0:14:55Er, I would like to make a good living from my art
0:14:55 > 0:15:00and have successful exhibitions of my paintings.
0:15:00 > 0:15:05- So if you could get through to the exhibition we're having in London, it'd make a big difference.- Yeah.
0:15:05 > 0:15:08Away you go, your destiny's through those doors.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16'Today's a one-off chance for Jamie to impress three art critics
0:15:16 > 0:15:19'you don't normally meet in a remote highland village.
0:15:19 > 0:15:24'This self-taught artist is hoping his hyper-real image of a mountain scene will make the grade.
0:15:24 > 0:15:27'But going in front of the panel is a daunting prospect
0:15:27 > 0:15:32'for someone who's outside the loop of the art world and who's never been to art school.'
0:15:34 > 0:15:38- Welcome to the hanging committee. - Thank you.- Would you like to tell us about your work?
0:15:38 > 0:15:45Yes, I will indeed. This is my painting of a mountain in Scotland called Stob Ban in Glen Nevis.
0:15:45 > 0:15:47Erm...
0:15:50 > 0:15:52- Sorry.- Don't worry.
0:15:54 > 0:15:59As with all my paintings, this is an amalgamation of many trips out
0:15:59 > 0:16:02to the same mountain over many years.
0:16:06 > 0:16:11Jamie's obviously really nervous and it's obvious why.
0:16:11 > 0:16:15So much is riding on the judges' decision today.
0:16:15 > 0:16:22That way, I can include all the magic and adventure that I've had
0:16:22 > 0:16:27over those years and to try and create the most striking painting.
0:16:27 > 0:16:30Would you like to tell us a value for this work?
0:16:30 > 0:16:32I valued it at £2,000.
0:16:32 > 0:16:37- OK. How did you get to that figure? Have you sold others? - I have sold others, yeah.
0:16:37 > 0:16:41- Do you mind if we have a closer look?- Absolutely, go ahead.
0:16:43 > 0:16:48It seems extraordinary for a man that's climbed so many mountains in Scotland, risked his life,
0:16:48 > 0:16:52he finds this a daunting task.
0:16:54 > 0:16:59'But the chance for a major breakthrough and a spot to sell for some big money
0:16:59 > 0:17:04'is possibly in reach, unless Jamie's nerves blow his chances.'
0:17:05 > 0:17:09Jamie, we're just going to ask some questions now
0:17:09 > 0:17:13about your incredible painting. Charlotte.
0:17:13 > 0:17:15Yeah, hi, Jamie.
0:17:15 > 0:17:20Well, it's quite hard from here to imagine it is a painting. It looks like a photograph.
0:17:20 > 0:17:24But getting close up, it's actually quite freely painted.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27I'm curious to know where you learnt to paint like this.
0:17:27 > 0:17:31I'm self-taught and it's just the style that has evolved naturally.
0:17:31 > 0:17:35Really? You didn't go to art school?
0:17:35 > 0:17:40No, I didn't. I studied vehicle design at university, which is a bit odd.
0:17:40 > 0:17:44But the mountains have played a big part in the style that I paint in.
0:17:44 > 0:17:49It's a very good example of how a painting close to can be freely painted
0:17:49 > 0:17:56- and when you step back from it, just coheres completely as almost a photographic image.- Thank you.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00'The judges are amazed that Jamie's a self-taught artist.
0:18:00 > 0:18:02'But what about the subject matter?'
0:18:02 > 0:18:06My only concern with an image like this
0:18:06 > 0:18:11is that it's a very touristic kind of image.
0:18:11 > 0:18:15For me, it's important to have the sublime, that sense of awe from nature.
0:18:15 > 0:18:19I could imagine cloud writing in that blue sky.
0:18:19 > 0:18:24"Scotland - where mountains look like photographs" or something like that.
0:18:24 > 0:18:28It looks as though there's some travel agent slogan missing from it.
0:18:28 > 0:18:35Are you not swept up in the whole romanticism of a very spectacular Scottish mountain?
0:18:35 > 0:18:40If there's any tiny criticism here, which I think is what David is saying, is that it's too perfect.
0:18:40 > 0:18:44- It's too...- If it were a Victorian cottage it would be chocolate-boxy.
0:18:44 > 0:18:48I think that's probably the only criticism I can find, but it's so small.
0:18:48 > 0:18:53'So is the painting a piece of fine art or just a picture postcard?
0:18:53 > 0:18:57'Could this mountaineer have misjudged what the panel's looking for?
0:18:57 > 0:19:02'The judges need to assess the work's artistic qualities on very strict criteria.'
0:19:02 > 0:19:05This style of painting isn't very fashionable at the moment
0:19:05 > 0:19:08in terms of it being so detailed and so crisp
0:19:08 > 0:19:13and seemingly so perfect. But I don't really care.
0:19:13 > 0:19:18I think the originality in this is that you are a climber and you climb and you climb
0:19:18 > 0:19:21and I get your love of climbing from this.
0:19:21 > 0:19:24Technically, obviously you're very gifted
0:19:24 > 0:19:29- and emotionally, I do get that sense of the sublime, the awe of nature. Well done.- Thank you.
0:19:29 > 0:19:35I don't know what response to have to this. Emotional involvement, absolutely none from me.
0:19:36 > 0:19:44I can see what you're trying to do, but it's an awe-inspiring picture of a mountain
0:19:44 > 0:19:47and I've seen lots of those before.
0:19:47 > 0:19:52Jamie, for me, as an image, it's not something I'm naturally drawn to.
0:19:52 > 0:19:57The skill in bucketloads and the fact that you're self-taught is incredible.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00Immaterial for our judging criteria, but incredible nonetheless.
0:20:00 > 0:20:06All that bring us to voting about whether we think this picture should come to the Royal College of Art.
0:20:06 > 0:20:09It's very difficult to guess which way the judges are going with this
0:20:09 > 0:20:13but there's one thing for sure - this is a really important decision
0:20:13 > 0:20:17for Jamie's confidence and his future in art.
0:20:18 > 0:20:21Jamie,
0:20:21 > 0:20:24- it's a sublime yes from me. - Thank you.
0:20:24 > 0:20:26David.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30Too much of a travel image for me. No.
0:20:31 > 0:20:35'The verdict could still go either way. It all now rests on Roy.
0:20:35 > 0:20:41'Will he save or quash Jamie's dreams of getting to an important London gallery
0:20:41 > 0:20:44'to sell for thousands of pounds?'
0:20:44 > 0:20:46Jamie, for me...
0:20:48 > 0:20:53..I think it ticks every box for our criteria, so it must go through.
0:20:53 > 0:20:58- You will be coming to the Royal College of Art with us. Congratulations.- Thank you.
0:20:58 > 0:21:04'He's done it! It's a fantastic finish after such a faltering start.
0:21:04 > 0:21:08'But that's just the first hurdle. Can Jamie now make a sale at the London exhibition
0:21:08 > 0:21:11'and will his nerves hold out?'
0:21:11 > 0:21:14You don't get the blow off of the snow in the sky?
0:21:14 > 0:21:18- You don't get that sense of the mountain being...- Oh, wow, yeah.
0:21:18 > 0:21:22David, you have absolutely no poetry in your body whatsoever.
0:21:26 > 0:21:32'To exhibit in the bright lights of London is an exciting chance for mountain-lover Jamie
0:21:32 > 0:21:35'to meet some serious movers and shakers in the art world.'
0:21:36 > 0:21:42Jamie, you've climbed this mountain. Do you feel you're climbing the London art market mountain now?
0:21:42 > 0:21:45Absolutely, yeah! What an event!
0:21:45 > 0:21:50- Yeah?- Great to be here. - Great feedback? - Yeah, actually, very positive.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54'Jamie's incredible style of painting is certainly making an impression.'
0:21:54 > 0:21:58You think it's a photograph from a distance
0:21:58 > 0:22:01until you get up close to it and then you see all the detail.
0:22:02 > 0:22:08'While the painting's generated a lot of interest, Jamie's not made a sale this time.
0:22:08 > 0:22:11'But this highland artist has made a splash at an event
0:22:11 > 0:22:14'where his name was on everyone's lips.'
0:22:14 > 0:22:17- Was it all worth it?- Excellent.
0:22:17 > 0:22:22- Wonderful night. Great to meet lots of people. Lots of positive comments, which was good.- What next?
0:22:22 > 0:22:26I've got lots of paintings on the go, got an exhibition in October. Lots to do.
0:22:26 > 0:22:31- Well, I wish you the very best of luck in the future.- Thanks, Chris. - Take care.- Cheers.
0:22:31 > 0:22:35'Jamie's debut at a prestigious London art event has been a huge success
0:22:35 > 0:22:39'and given his confidence a boost.'
0:22:40 > 0:22:44A place at this exhibition doesn't come easy.
0:22:44 > 0:22:47The hanging judges can't afford to let through any art
0:22:47 > 0:22:51that isn't worthy of consideration by some of these art A-listers.
0:22:51 > 0:22:56So let's remind ourselves exactly what it takes to get a yes.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00'First and foremost, it's got to be original.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04'The judges will spot a rip-off or a replica a mile off.
0:23:04 > 0:23:10'Secondly, technique is a must. The artists must be highly skilled in what they do.
0:23:10 > 0:23:13'And finally, does the piece give you goose bumps?
0:23:13 > 0:23:16'It's got to connect on an emotional level.
0:23:19 > 0:23:23'Next under the spotlight is a brave young hopeful,
0:23:23 > 0:23:26'first-year art student Sophie New.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31'Sophie's never exhibited before or sold to buyers she doesn't know
0:23:31 > 0:23:37'so today's bid of glory by this young artist is a real leap into the unknown.
0:23:39 > 0:23:46'She's also taking a gamble presenting an experimental painting she did when she was just 18.'
0:23:49 > 0:23:52- Hi, Sophie.- Hello. - Welcome to the hanging committee.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54Tell us about your work of art.
0:23:54 > 0:24:00I've always been interested in figure painting but with this, I wanted to push the boundaries
0:24:00 > 0:24:04and try something new, cos I was always painting people as they looked.
0:24:04 > 0:24:08So I painted the figures as I usually would
0:24:08 > 0:24:12but then I kept going, putting washes into it, trying new techniques,
0:24:12 > 0:24:16new colours, erasing bits, taking bits out, so it became something completely different.
0:24:16 > 0:24:19What do you think the value of your work would be?
0:24:19 > 0:24:23This is one thing I do not know cos I've never done anything like this before.
0:24:23 > 0:24:26I've never put my work out there to be valued. I don't know.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29- That's all very good. Do you mind if we take a closer look?- Sure.
0:24:31 > 0:24:34'Sophie hasn't put a value on her painting
0:24:34 > 0:24:39'but if she gets the price tag right, she might make some spare cash to help fund her studies.'
0:24:43 > 0:24:50The judges are having a really close look now. Poor Sophie can't even bear to watch them.
0:24:50 > 0:24:52'She's one of our youngest competitors
0:24:52 > 0:24:59'and as three heavyweights in the art world get ready to question her, it's clear she's terrified.'
0:24:59 > 0:25:03- You're a student, are you?- Yeah. - Fine art?- Yeah.
0:25:03 > 0:25:05First year. Just started.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08How often during the day do you spend drawing?
0:25:08 > 0:25:14Erm, probably on a normal day about four or five hours.
0:25:18 > 0:25:22Erm, I can sense the energy that you've put into it
0:25:22 > 0:25:27and you're trying to convey that sense of drunken abandon, you've got girls dancing in their pants
0:25:27 > 0:25:32having a wild time cos they've been having a few drinks.
0:25:32 > 0:25:36I can see that in the paint but I'm not somehow getting that connection.
0:25:36 > 0:25:43'Has Sophie's decision to bring her boldest, most experimental piece to date been a step too far?'
0:25:43 > 0:25:50The bikini bottoms on the figure on the left don't actually fit that figure.
0:25:50 > 0:25:56You know, I think if you're going to play fast and loose, you've got to have some basic there,
0:25:56 > 0:25:59some foundation of good drawing
0:25:59 > 0:26:02in order to build on it and then play with it.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06I think if you're just throwing paint about, I'm not sure that's good enough.
0:26:06 > 0:26:11'David's got misgivings. Is Sophie running before she can walk?
0:26:11 > 0:26:15'Could this explosion of colour still take Sophie through to the exhibition
0:26:15 > 0:26:18'and give her the chance to make a sale?'
0:26:18 > 0:26:21I think it's incredible you did this while doing A-levels.
0:26:21 > 0:26:26You have some way to go in developing your own style but you're having a go, being exuberant,
0:26:26 > 0:26:30you've still got a couple more years left at college to really work out what your style is.
0:26:30 > 0:26:33David, what are your thoughts?
0:26:35 > 0:26:38Originality? No.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41Looks like something from the 1960s to me.
0:26:41 > 0:26:47Technique - you need to sharpen that drawing significantly.
0:26:47 > 0:26:50Do I have an emotional response to it?
0:26:50 > 0:26:52Actually, I feel a bit sleazy looking at it.
0:26:54 > 0:26:58'David may feel uncomfortable, but what do the others think?'
0:26:58 > 0:27:01You seem to be a strong individual as an artist
0:27:01 > 0:27:04and I think it's very important that you stay that way.
0:27:04 > 0:27:07Talking about pricing, you said you weren't sure.
0:27:07 > 0:27:10I would go to local bars, restaurants, clubs,
0:27:10 > 0:27:16- put those tentacles out and just get things hanging.- I've sold things to friends.- That's perfect.
0:27:16 > 0:27:22So it comes to voting and whether we think this would work well in our exhibition in London.
0:27:22 > 0:27:27'Sophie's never sold commercially or exhibited in a major gallery.
0:27:27 > 0:27:31'She needs two yes votes to make this dream come true.'
0:27:31 > 0:27:34You never know the final vote. You just never know.
0:27:36 > 0:27:41I want everyone to remember that you're on your first year of university doing a fine art course.
0:27:41 > 0:27:44I think you're very brave. I am going to say no.
0:27:44 > 0:27:48- I just think you need to develop a little more.- Thank you.
0:27:48 > 0:27:50David.
0:27:52 > 0:27:55- You're not ready, Sophie.- OK. - No.- OK.
0:27:55 > 0:27:59That's it. That's two of three. But I do agree. I think you're not quite ready yet
0:27:59 > 0:28:05but I think your voice is individual and that's a very important thing, so keep at it.
0:28:05 > 0:28:07- All right, then. Thank you. - Thank you.
0:28:07 > 0:28:11'It's a disappointment for student Sophie as she misses out on her first real chance
0:28:11 > 0:28:17'to turn her art into cash. It's not her time yet, but she might have the makings of great things.'
0:28:17 > 0:28:19Sophie, Sophie. Come over here.
0:28:19 > 0:28:22- Are you all right? - Oh, I don't know.- Ohh!
0:28:22 > 0:28:27Yeah, I am, cos they said sort of positive things with negative things.
0:28:27 > 0:28:30She said keep going. It was a good experience. I'm glad I came.
0:28:30 > 0:28:34I'm definitely not going to give up because it's their opinion at the end of the day
0:28:34 > 0:28:38- and they're just three people. - Go out there, keep experimenting.
0:28:38 > 0:28:41- I'm really sorry but thanks for coming in.- It's all right.
0:28:41 > 0:28:43See you soon. Good luck with everything.
0:28:50 > 0:28:56'Back in Glasgow, I couldn't resist having a look around the so-called House For An Art Lover.
0:28:56 > 0:28:59'It was designed by Charles Rennie Mackintosh.'
0:28:59 > 0:29:02His work is so distinctive.
0:29:02 > 0:29:06You'll probably notice these flowers and pots designs, they're everywhere in this house.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08He also designed his own furniture.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11'Take a look at these stunning chairs.
0:29:11 > 0:29:14'They are iconic Mackintosh design.
0:29:14 > 0:29:18'But elegant seats didn't make the judging any more comfortable for our next contender.
0:29:18 > 0:29:22'Alan Reed is a long-established professional artist
0:29:22 > 0:29:25'who's been painting for over 25 years.
0:29:25 > 0:29:29'He's exhibited all over Britain and sold for thousands of pounds.
0:29:29 > 0:29:34'But one thing he's never managed to do is exhibit at the Royal College of Art.'
0:29:34 > 0:29:39- You've been a very successful artist for quite some time now. - Yeah, I haven't had a proper job.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41Nor have I, really, so don't worry.
0:29:41 > 0:29:45When did you know you might have something?
0:29:45 > 0:29:49I started doing some paintings when I was at college and the staff started buying them.
0:29:49 > 0:29:54- At that point, I thought, "I must have something decent to work with." - It's a good clue!
0:29:54 > 0:29:59Any professional artist is used to criticism
0:29:59 > 0:30:03- but not necessarily people telling them to their face. - I'm my worst critic.
0:30:03 > 0:30:08- If I didn't feel the painting looked very good, it would never go in a frame.- Very best of luck.
0:30:14 > 0:30:19'Alan's chosen to put forward a painting of his native Newcastle
0:30:19 > 0:30:23'as his dream ticket to the exhibition. Will the judges be able to tell Alan's no amateur
0:30:23 > 0:30:27'but already a popular selling artist?'
0:30:32 > 0:30:35- Welcome to the hanging committee. - Thank you.
0:30:35 > 0:30:37Would you kindly introduce your work for us?
0:30:37 > 0:30:43Right, this is an original watercolour painting of my hometown of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
0:30:43 > 0:30:50The painting started all as a watercolour demonstration in a bookshop in Newcastle one Saturday.
0:30:50 > 0:30:56So this was literally the view out of the window that I was doing for the people watching the demonstration.
0:30:56 > 0:31:00At least two thirds of the painting was painted on the spot, looking out the window.
0:31:00 > 0:31:07And the final third, which was some of the figures and the buildings on the left, was painted in the studio.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10- What price do you put on this? - That would be £2,500.
0:31:12 > 0:31:16- Do you mind if we have a closer look?- Absolutely.
0:31:19 > 0:31:24'Alan regularly commands four-figure sums for his landscapes.
0:31:24 > 0:31:29'But will the judges think he deserves the exhibition spot he so desperately wants?'
0:31:32 > 0:31:38- Hi, Alan.- Hiya.- I wanted to know how long it had taken you, all told, to finish this work.
0:31:38 > 0:31:44It started off at about nine, ten o'clock in the morning at this particular demonstration
0:31:44 > 0:31:48and I worked through till about four o'clock. And at that point,
0:31:48 > 0:31:52I'd done all the base washes, virtually all that building there
0:31:52 > 0:31:54and some of the base washes around here.
0:31:54 > 0:32:02So the last day or so was spent doing the detailed areas round here and the figures.
0:32:02 > 0:32:05- So that's two days' work. - About two days, yeah.
0:32:05 > 0:32:09- Roy?- Alan, to me,
0:32:09 > 0:32:15the figures seem slightly enlarged for the landscape.
0:32:15 > 0:32:19And they have the feel of a 1950s architectural drawing. They're very stylish
0:32:19 > 0:32:23but they're incidental, dropped in to make the thing look a bit more pleasant.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26- You said that you added them later. - Yes, I did.
0:32:26 > 0:32:31I did a sketch on location a few days beforehand where I painted figures as they were moving around
0:32:31 > 0:32:38so the figures should convey a certain degree of movement as they're moving through the scene.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41'Roy's comment on his figures is unexpected criticism for Alan,
0:32:41 > 0:32:47'who gives demonstrations on how to do watercolour. How will the other judges rate the piece?'
0:32:47 > 0:32:54I like your comment, Roy, about looking like an architectural drawing.
0:32:54 > 0:33:00- It does look very static.- This was my point about asking how long it took to do because the light...
0:33:00 > 0:33:05Watercolour, for me, is about capturing the transience of light, and this done over two days
0:33:05 > 0:33:08just feels like it's slightly laboured in that way.
0:33:08 > 0:33:11It has that static quality.
0:33:11 > 0:33:16For me, watercolour shouldn't be static. It's all about life. It's got to have some soul in it.
0:33:16 > 0:33:20'It's clear this professional artist is putting his neck on the line
0:33:20 > 0:33:24'in trying to achieve his goal to both show and sell at the Royal College.
0:33:24 > 0:33:31'The judges have reservations and they need to assess his work on all the criteria.'
0:33:31 > 0:33:35Alan, I think technically it's one of the best watercolours I've seen this year.
0:33:35 > 0:33:42I bet people in Newcastle love your work because this will evoke that street. But does it go beyond that?
0:33:42 > 0:33:46Originality and emotional impact leave me slightly below the mark.
0:33:46 > 0:33:50Alan, it's elegant, it's light, it's airy,
0:33:50 > 0:33:52it does a lot of things it should do.
0:33:52 > 0:33:56For me, the figures really let it down.
0:33:56 > 0:34:04They bring me into a 1950s mock-up of what an idealised location should look like. That's a personal point.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08For me, Alan, I can't see that this is any different, in a way,
0:34:08 > 0:34:15to the kind of competent watercolours one sees in framers' windows up and down the country.
0:34:15 > 0:34:20- Should we go to a final verdict? - 'There's not doubt that Alan's painting is technically excellent.
0:34:20 > 0:34:27'But to be good enough, the judges must find originality and emotional content in this work.'
0:34:28 > 0:34:31Alan, I'm afraid it's no from me.
0:34:32 > 0:34:35Alan, you're a highly-skilled draughtsman
0:34:35 > 0:34:38but due to our criteria, I must say no.
0:34:41 > 0:34:46And it's no from me, I'm afraid. Thank you very much for showing it to us and goodbye.
0:34:46 > 0:34:48- OK, thanks.- Thank you.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51'So Alan's dream of exhibiting at the Royal College
0:34:51 > 0:34:55'where he could've sold this piece for a four-figure sum is over.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58'But has he taken the judges' criticism on board?'
0:34:58 > 0:35:03I just have to go on from there and just continue working and painting and selling my paintings.
0:35:03 > 0:35:06What will you take away from today's experience?
0:35:06 > 0:35:11What they said was very true. People who like Newcastle will like that painting
0:35:11 > 0:35:15and that painting will sell for £2,500 at some point in the near future.
0:35:15 > 0:35:20- Commiserations. Not this time. Bad luck, sir.- All the best.- And you.
0:35:21 > 0:35:26So far, we've seen four brave souls go face-to-face with the hanging committee
0:35:26 > 0:35:30and we've got time for one more hopeful to chance their arm.
0:35:35 > 0:35:40'The last contender on today's show is computer animator Stuart Howitt.
0:35:40 > 0:35:42'He dreams of being a full-time artist
0:35:42 > 0:35:47'and is hoping entry to our exhibition will set him on the road to earning a decent living.'
0:35:47 > 0:35:51- How are you?- Very well, thank you. - Not too nervous?- No.
0:35:51 > 0:35:56I had to do a speech last year to 100 people I didn't know, so this is a walk in the park.
0:35:56 > 0:36:00A walk in... Did you hear that, judges? A walk in the park.
0:36:00 > 0:36:05That's very brave talking. Do you paint full-time or have you got a job?
0:36:05 > 0:36:09No, I've got a full-time job, well, a kind of part-time job and I do my painting, as well.
0:36:09 > 0:36:15How much do you think this today, if you get to our prestigious grand exhibition, could change your life?
0:36:15 > 0:36:21I think, in the sheer scope of getting your work seen and maybe your name out there,
0:36:21 > 0:36:24I think it's an absolutely huge thing.
0:36:24 > 0:36:27- Good luck and away you go. - Thank you very much.
0:36:33 > 0:36:35'Stuart is really keen to prove himself as an artist
0:36:35 > 0:36:38'and today could be his big break.
0:36:38 > 0:36:42'It's all riding on an oil painting called Head Study.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46'Will Stuart's bold style of portraiture turn the judges' heads
0:36:46 > 0:36:50'and stand a chance of earning him some confidence-boosting cash?'
0:36:52 > 0:36:56- Welcome to the hanging committee, Stuart.- Thank you. - Would you introduce your work?
0:36:56 > 0:37:01Yeah, this is a painting of my husband James.
0:37:01 > 0:37:06I wanted to kind of experiment with light a little bit
0:37:06 > 0:37:10and therefore leave a lot of his features in shadow.
0:37:10 > 0:37:15I think generally when we look at people, we tend to concentrate around the eyes and the mouth
0:37:15 > 0:37:21and, overall, I think that's quiet a small portion of the face and the head.
0:37:21 > 0:37:24Could you give us a value for this work?
0:37:24 > 0:37:27I valued it at around £1,000.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29Have you sold much work before?
0:37:29 > 0:37:32Yeah, I've sold a few pieces.
0:37:32 > 0:37:36- Do you think we could have a closer look at it?- Yeah, sure, please do.
0:37:39 > 0:37:44'The portrait of Stuart's husband is clearly an intensely personal study.
0:37:45 > 0:37:48'Will the judges think it's worthy of an exhibition spot
0:37:48 > 0:37:51'where it could be sold for a great deal of cash?'
0:37:55 > 0:38:01The one question I really have is, you've used a lot of light and dark.
0:38:01 > 0:38:06This is a portrait of your husband, so you see all the beauty and everything else in him.
0:38:06 > 0:38:09I'm lacking that because he's so dark.
0:38:09 > 0:38:11Did you find that a problem?
0:38:11 > 0:38:16- Did you... I assume it's not an oversight.- No, I really...
0:38:16 > 0:38:22I think with this portrait, I kind of wanted to omit all the detail
0:38:22 > 0:38:25so the viewer isn't seduced by the features
0:38:25 > 0:38:27and therefore it presents something else to the viewer.
0:38:27 > 0:38:31I was a bit troubled because once I noticed that
0:38:31 > 0:38:36he might be wearing sunglasses, I couldn't work out whether he was or not.
0:38:36 > 0:38:41- He isn't, is he?- No, he isn't, but he looks a little bit like the Terminator, doesn't he?
0:38:42 > 0:38:45- Erm...- No, that's just the shadow from his brow.
0:38:46 > 0:38:49You're playing with tones in light and dark.
0:38:49 > 0:38:52Dark shirt, dark background, it's a very contemporary setting
0:38:52 > 0:38:56and I do like that little patch of flesh on his chest.
0:38:56 > 0:38:59- It brings interest to it. - It needs that in order to work.
0:38:59 > 0:39:03But I think you may have lost it slightly in the shadows.
0:39:03 > 0:39:06I don't find the shadows quite clear enough.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09'Stuart's painting technique might prove a stumbling block.
0:39:09 > 0:39:12'Have his feelings for the subject got in the way.'
0:39:12 > 0:39:19I find these days that portraits are so lacking in ambition. All we've got there is a head.
0:39:19 > 0:39:24If you go in the National Gallery, they're figures standing in complicated backgrounds
0:39:24 > 0:39:29- and they're full-length. I find it slightly meagre. - I don't find it meagre at all.
0:39:29 > 0:39:31I don't think it lacks ambition.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35I think it's quite forceful and that's a difficult thing to capture.
0:39:35 > 0:39:40Also what I wanted to see was, if it doesn't contain all the features
0:39:40 > 0:39:44- or all the elements of a tradition portrait, is it any less of a portrait?- No.- Not at all.
0:39:44 > 0:39:48'Well done, Stuart. He's fighting back.
0:39:48 > 0:39:53'But it's now crunch time. Stuart's about to find out if his dream to get to his first major exhibition
0:39:53 > 0:39:58'and sell for a large sum of money will get the go-ahead.'
0:39:58 > 0:40:03I think the chink of flesh you see down here makes it original as a composition
0:40:03 > 0:40:08and I can see what you're trying to do. I do have an issue with the eyes.
0:40:08 > 0:40:13- On balance, I'm going to say yes. - Thank you.- Roy?
0:40:13 > 0:40:17Erm, Stuart, I think it's almost too ambitious
0:40:17 > 0:40:20with the incredible use of light and dark.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24- For me, it's just a no. - OK, thank you.
0:40:24 > 0:40:29'The decision and Stuart's chances of getting through now hang in the balance.
0:40:29 > 0:40:33'Could David, who's been critical, vote it through?'
0:40:33 > 0:40:37I find it subtly enough painted in the head.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42In originality? No, no portrait's original these days.
0:40:42 > 0:40:45In technique, it's so-so.
0:40:45 > 0:40:51In emotional involvement, erm, fairly superficial.
0:40:51 > 0:40:56- 'Is it all over for Stuart?' - It has failings.
0:40:58 > 0:41:02- But yes, I'll vote for that. - Thank you very much.
0:41:02 > 0:41:04Yes!
0:41:04 > 0:41:08- We'll see you there.- Thanks for all your comments. Very helpful.
0:41:08 > 0:41:10'What a turn up for the books! Stuart's through!
0:41:10 > 0:41:16'This computer animator's got the break he wanted to try and advance his art career.
0:41:18 > 0:41:23'This glitzy setting in the Royal College of Art is Stuart's chance to shine.'
0:41:24 > 0:41:26I think Stuart has really made a good effort.
0:41:26 > 0:41:31I love to see the way he's used highlights and left the eyes out.
0:41:31 > 0:41:33An artist who can just knock them right back
0:41:33 > 0:41:36to make you think about what that person's feeling
0:41:36 > 0:41:38really interests me.
0:41:38 > 0:41:44'It's also a golden opportunity to pitch to dealers, collectors and the general public,
0:41:44 > 0:41:48'who might snap up Stuart's portrait for a sizeable fee.
0:41:48 > 0:41:53'Stuart's gone for a guide price of £1,000 for his Head Study.'
0:41:54 > 0:41:58Have you got your fingers crossed for selling it or do you want to keep it?
0:41:58 > 0:42:03- Well, I'd like to sell it but my husband really love it. - He'll have to buy it.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07'The guests can make offers on any piece that takes their fancy.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11'But Stuart won't be negotiating directly with potential buyers.
0:42:11 > 0:42:16'Anyone who wants to place a bid can make a sealed offer to the independent agent
0:42:16 > 0:42:19'who'll take a commission of ten percent.'
0:42:20 > 0:42:24'For Stuart, the exhibition is a critical test.
0:42:24 > 0:42:28'If he's sold, it's a sign that he really has what it takes to be a professional.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31'Now it's the moment of truth.'
0:42:31 > 0:42:35£1,000 is what you were asking for.
0:42:35 > 0:42:38- Do you think you got it? - Hm, possibly not.
0:42:38 > 0:42:42- That's not a confident start! Possibly not.- Possibly not.
0:42:42 > 0:42:46- OK. Well, we did have an offer.- OK.
0:42:46 > 0:42:51The offer was for £1,100.
0:42:51 > 0:42:55- Fantastic!- Congratulations, sir. You have made a sale.
0:42:55 > 0:42:59- Excellent.- Well done. How does that make you feel?- Brilliant.
0:42:59 > 0:43:02It's the beginning of new things. It's going to start something big, I think.
0:43:02 > 0:43:05- Fantastic. - Brilliant. Thank you very much.
0:43:05 > 0:43:09'£1,100 is the most Stuart's ever sold for.
0:43:09 > 0:43:13'It's a clear sign that art is something he can now do full-time.'
0:43:15 > 0:43:18That's it from us today, but join us next time on Show Me The Monet
0:43:18 > 0:43:22when those judges will be meeting more budding artists. But for now, bye-bye.
0:43:24 > 0:43:28Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:43:28 > 0:43:32E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk
0:43:32 > 0:43:32.