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Still Life

Painting contest. Richard Bacon and Una Stubbs welcome the remaining eight amateur artists to Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire for three more challenges.

Presenters Richard Bacon and Una Stubbs welcome the remaining eight amateur artists to Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire, the birthplace of Sir Winston Churchill.

The artists start in the Orangery, arranging a collection of personal items from home in a still life - from an oversized yellow hat to a beetroot and a skull - which they must capture on canvas in four hours using just acrylics. Will we see the first ever great painting to feature toast?

The quick draw challenge plays around with perspective and scale, and light and shadow, as the artists move outside to the lawn to sketch in chalks a giant chess board. But whilst the grounds for the judging are picturesque, expert judges Lachlan Goudie and Daphne Todd's comments are anything but pretty.

And in an imposing final challenge, the artists have to paint the facade of Blenheim Palace, attempting to effectively capture the drama of its stunning architecture. Una meets Emma Soames, granddaughter of Sir Winston Churchill, to talk about his lifelong love of Blenheim Palace and how it inspired some of his own amateur paintings.

With the challenge proving to unnerve some artists more than others, there's a shock decision by the judges about who goes home.

57 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Presenter Una Stubbs
Presenter Richard Bacon
Judge Lachlan Goudie
Judge Daphne Todd
Executive Producer Claire Nosworthy
Executive Producer Colm Martin
Series Producer Rob Clifford

Broadcasts

The Big Painting Challenge 2017

The Big Painting Challenge 2017

Mariella Frostrup and Rev Richard Coles host a new competition for amateur artists.