Watercolour Challenge - Season 1

Today on Watercolour Challenge, Fern heads to the North Yorkshire coast to conjure up the magic of the traditional British seaside holiday. Scarborough was Britain's very first spa resort, with the upper classes going to ‘take the waters' as early as the 18th century. By the early 20th century, it was the go-to seaside escape for the hoi polloi. 

The four artists set up their easels on the promenade in South Bay and take in the sweep of the shoreline from the Victorian-built Grand Hotel to the 12th-century castle on the hill, all the way over to the historic harbour. It's a vista packed with pitfalls for any artist, let alone four amateur painters. 

Judging the final painting today is army veteran and professional painter Ady Wright. He is on hand to guide the artists through this complex scene as well as offering a top tip on dramatic sketching using raw watercolour pigment. 

As the artists tackle this complex view, Fern learns how Scarborough became known for its healing waters — both for quaffing and bathing. We also hear the story of another painter who once painted this exact view, perhaps the most influential watercolourist of all time — Joseph Mallord William Turner, whose paintings of Scarborough are just part of his incredibly legacy to the art world. He's a hard act to follow — will the painters crumble?

Today on Watercolour Challenge, Fern heads to ‘God's own country' — Yorkshire — to celebrate the golden age of steam railways. Four amateur artists set up their easels at a train station that's a movie star in its own right. Goathland station on the North York Moors is a heritage station on one of the oldest railway tracks in the world. But it's perhaps more famous as the Hogwarts Express station from the Harry Potter movies. 

Not only do the artists have to contend with painting the station, but there's a surprise guest in steam loco Peggy! Judging their paintings is internationally acclaimed army veteran-turned-painter Ady Wright. He gives some tips along the way, including a simple way of painting atmospheric steam using a palette knife and a cleansing wipe! 

As the artists get to grips with this historic and picturesque scene, Fern meets the stationmaster who began volunteering to keep the station alive in the 1960s. We also learn about the fashion of railway art through the work of one of the best there was — Yorkshireman Frank Mason, whose work inspired train journeys to Yorkshire's beauty spots. Will today's four painters be able to do the same?

This time on Watercolour Challenge, Fern invites four would-be painting champions to one of Yorkshire's grandest of all grand houses. Castle Howard, in the north of the county, is a 300-year-old architectural masterpiece designed by John Vanbrugh. It sits in nearly 9,000 acres of spectacular grounds, is still occupied by the Howard family who commissioned it centuries ago, but is perhaps most famous as being the location for Brideshead Revisited. 

The artists' view today is of the formal gardens sweeping towards the Atlas Fountain with the fantastic house behind. It's a challenging view, with potential composition and perspective pitfalls that could fox even the most professional eye! Judging the paintings today is internationally acclaimed army veteran-turned-painter Ady Wright. He gives some tips along the way, including a simple way of demonstrating depth using different tones of the same colour. 

As the painters take to their easels, Fern meets Nicholas Howard, the current family resident, to discover how his trail-blazing ostentatious ancestors employed the greatest architects of the day to embed a piece of Italy into the North Yorkshire landscape. Castle Howard also has a significant art collection, and we meet one of its curators to discuss perhaps the greatest piece in the house, a magnificent fresco painted by the fashionable Italian artist Antonio Pellegrini at the turn of the 18th century. In this awe-inspiring location, which of the four amateur artists can rise to the challenge?

Today on Watercolour Challenge, Fern steps into an oriental paradise in tucked away in a corner of North Yorkshire. Peasholm Park in Scarborough was designed over 100 years ago by civil engineer Harry Smith, turning an area of scrubland into a magical oriental landscape. The lake, with its waterfall, pagoda and dragon boats, have been admired ever since. It's a busy and eclectic scene full of movement and colour that poses a very particular challenge to the four amateur painters. 

Today's judge is internationally acclaimed local painter Ady Wright. Not only is Ady deciding today's winner, but he also offers some pearls of wisdom to help the artists bring the park to life. He gives us a top sketching tip using, of all things, a cleansing wipe! While the artists paint their hearts out, we hear tales of fashionable promenades in the park, and discover a unique naval warfare re-enactment that hasn't changed since the 1950s. 

We also learn of another of Yorkshire's brushes with the Orient in the form of Confucian scholar and artist Chiang Yee, whose 1940s book The Silent Traveller in the Yorkshire Dales — featuring countryside paintings with a Chinese twist — became a best seller. It's a unique setting: can the artists do it justice?

This time on Watercolour Challenge, Fern invites four daring amateur watercolourists to tackle a grand architectural pleasure pavilion set in the grounds of Castle Howard in Yorkshire. The Temple of the Four Winds, designed by English architectural giant John Vanbrugh, sits at the base of the Howardian Hills at the end of a tree-lined promenade and was used by the nobility as a place of relaxation, refreshment and contemplation. But will this Baroque masterpiece have the same effect on the four brave painters?

 With challenges including perspective and light, judging the finished paintings is North York Moors artist-in-residence and army veteran-turned-painter Ady Wright. He gives some top tips, including how to balance the warm and cool colours when painting in nature. While the painters work, we meet Castle Howard's head curator Dr Chris Ridgway, who has looked after the estate's listed buildings for over 30 years. 

We also hear how Britain's greatest living artist and Yorkshire native David Hockney was inspired by the Yorkshire countryside to create some of his greatest works in watercolour. He's quite an act to follow… will the artists stay the course?

Fern Britton is joined by professional artist Lisa Takahashi in south Devon where four amateur watercolourists try to capture the essence of the great British seaside holiday.

Fern Britton and professional artist Lisa Takahashi head to a magnificent medieval country estate in Devon where four brave amateurs are tasked with capturing the essence of this fascinating location in one single painting.

Fern Britton and professional artist Lisa head to the maritime city of Plymouth in Devon, where four amateur painters are tasked with capturing an historic and picturesque scene.

Fern Britton and professional artist and judge Lisa Takahashi are in Devon where four amateur artists capture a jewel of 20th-century British architecture, High Cross House on the Dartington estate. Cameras follow the four painters' progress as they try to master this striking scene.

Plymouth Sound is acclaimed as one of the greatest natural harbours in the world. Fern Britton and Lisa Takahashi oversee the progress of four amateur artists as they capture one of Devon's most iconic views.

This time on Watercolour Challenge, Fern challenges four artists to paint a medieval marvel in South Wales.

Fern heads to Wales's magnificent Brecon Beacons National Park to set up the easels on one of the country's largest private estates.

Today on Watercolour Challenge, Fern invites four amateur artists to the legendary Rhondda Valley in South Wales to capture a scene from Wales's mining past. 

This time on Watercolour Challenge, Fern challenges four amateur artists to tackle one of Wales's most famous waterways. 

In the last of our episodes in Wales, Fern and four plucky artists visit a wonder of the natural world, the Glamorgan Heritage Coast in South Wales.

Fern and professional artist Billy Burman head to Porthmeor Beach for the next challenge.

Fern challenges four painters to paint the art deco Jubilee Pool in Penzance.

Four artists must try to capture a scene from a Cornwall favorite destination: St Ives.

Today's artists are tasked with capturing some of Trebah Garden's botanical splendour.

Four artists are tasked with capturing the many details of Mount's Bay.