Can He Fake It?

Personally, I strongly dislike reality television. Most reality shows are petty and play off of the superficial obsessions of modern society. I mean, how many times must we watch Paris Hilton parade around and show America how rich and spoiled she is? However, every once in a while I’ll run across a reality show that really sparks my interest and not only has substance, but provides some degree of a life lesson as well. The BBC program “Faking it”, is one of these shows.

“Faking it” is quite enjoyable to watch because of how applicable it is to everyday life. At some point, just about everyone finds themselves in a situation where they must learn something new and be scrutinized for their performance. The first day of a new job is a perfect example of this. Paul, the main character from “Faking It”, essentially goes through this experience and of course, has difficulties with the transition. Paul must go from being a commercial painter to artist in one month and produce a final painting that is good enough to convince critics that he is in fact a real painter. Paul’s task is more of an undertaking than one might think. Painting a house is quite different from painting a masterpiece that is to be hung in a gallery and judged by art critics; a painting so much more than simple brush strokes. It must speak volumes about the artist’s thoughts, experiences, and emotions. I’ve really enjoyed watching the initial part of the show where Paul begins to learn the basics of art and art theory because it reminds me of my journey through UH 440 and how I have been learning much of the same stuff. Like Paul, I knew hardly anything about art. To me, if it looked pretty then it was good. However, I am finally starting to realize how there is so much more than just aesthetics to art. In my opinion, Paul will learn that too by the end of the show.

If I had to make a prediction as to whether or not Paul will be able to trick the critics into thinking he’s a real artist, I would have to say he will most definitely succeed. By merely attempting to create a painting, you could be considered an artist. Paul is going to have a great deal of training and experience by the time he is to be judged. I think that if I can become an art critic within a few months of UH 440, Paul can certainly become an artist. Already viewers can tell that he is really pouring his heart and soul into the paintings he’s created. Once he has gotten all the basics down, he should truly be able to create a wonderful work of art.