Portrait Artist of the Year - Series 12

Now into its 12th series, Portrait Artist of the Year  has established itself as a firm favourite with audiences, artists and sitters alike. There seems to be no shortage of celebrities willing to sit for four hours whilst their portrait is painted by a procession of talented contestants who, in turn, must sweat through the evaluation process as their efforts are assessed by judges Tai-Shan Schierenberg, Kate Bryan and Kathleen Soriano. 

Viewers eagerly anticipate this feast for the senses, delighted by the jeopardy as well as the creativity on view, season after season. And bringing the show to life is a labour of love which takes a seasoned crew, both on location and back at Sky Post Production’s West London facility, working together like a well-oiled machine. But just as Portrait Artist of the Year benefits from fresh faces on-screen each week, behind the scenes we like to blend youth and enthusiasm with wisdom and experience to maintain the talent pipeline, and to ensure that Portrait Artist of the Year remains the much-loved and entertaining show that audiences have come to expect.

So, what’s it like to be the new face in the frame on such a perennial favourite, and how does it feel to step into some seriously big shoes? We spoke to some of the new people joining the show across the Post Production spectrum and asked them to share their experiences. We also asked our client, Storyvault Films, about how our newest members had performed, and they were more than happy to give us their thoughts.