TONY HART TAKE HART 1976 clip from first series

WATCH WITHOUT FAST FORWARDING, SORRY FOR AUDIO MISMATCH IF YOU RUN FORWARD. CLIP FROM TAKE HART

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Hart
http://www.tonyhart.co.uk/tony_hart_t...

1980s TV ART with ROLF and TONY. If Des Lynam the long-standing Grandstand anchor gets a new year's honour for years of sports presenting then so should Tony Hart. Tony Hart is the talented TV presenter and teacher who spread his interest in art to children well into the 90s, set up the rudiments of arts and crafts for children's television, and whose formula and style of TV work were followed in Blue Peter, Corners, ArtAttack, Bitsa, and Smart.
This TV mainstay began with 'Vision On' (for deaf viewers) and went on to make art accessible to children of all talents and persuasions. As anchoring presenter and artist he had been inspiring school kids long before the 'Why Don't You' motto, to look outside to do sketches and paintings, study objects from life or using your imagination, or else stay inside to stick collages. Since Vision On he made art fun and accessible without throwing the baby out with the bathwater, not dumbing down to kids, and simplifying methodologies in arts and crafts. Like Aussie Rolf Harris, he's a very able fine artist.

I put this here as I enjoyed watching another youtube clip (NOT the cheap piss-takes) where he used a paint-roller to draw on a huge area of concrete outside a school (a trademark). When asked, he comments about marking out in advance what you'll draw. He says he NEVER does it, because you'll be looking at where the marks instead of expressing yourself.
People might agree it's a mistake, as it stilts a lot of the creativity so important to develop early on. Edgy, on-the-spot creativity mattered: the quick, the spontaneous, the lively. This was typical of his programmes, and like Harris (and other 'old-skoolers') he probably knows a vast amount about the classics hanging in major galleries. Millions relied on Tony Hart as the genuine voice of kids' art. This sort of cred counts for something, and is sorely lacking in kids art TV today.
With Hart, quick 'craftsy' methods like tracing, playing with glue and shiny shapes feature widely through TAKE HART and HARTBEAT which I watched. He designed the Blue Peter badge. So there was a place and time for every methodology. Despite sounding like boring backseat educationalists, I'd say there was both an 'exchange' and a 'clear margin' between the craftsy and the refined sides.

CARAVAGGIO, VELAZQUEZ, TITIAN. There's a reason they're great, they are 'natural' artists they study from live sittings, don't trace/ measure studies and sketches ..this has become a bugbear for fine-art purists, and I understand why. So-called 'methods' of teaching are changing for the worse in areas of art (observational drafting becoming ignored as it can't be mastered easily). But I can't see teachers in the 80s educating kids to throw out the well-studied manual skills trained by the great masters, from the get-go. Or to sub'ing it, for what are wholesale shortcuts and cheats basically (which some painters are totally dependent on to win their crust). Nowadays some people parade pre-measured, tool-assisted drawing (using rulers and photos) as a replacement for skilful, freehand live studies (as with true observational portraiture e.g. colour, tone, form.) For one thing consider this: lighting, angle, composition etc. for a photo is the actual photographer's skill, plus rapport, timing. Similarly near-total reliance on a light-box, and other reverse engineered skill-cutting DIY 'techniques' seem all designed to make you FEEL like an accomplished master, but as sophisticated as 'painting by numbers'. Actually watching these people working, people don't exclaim: 'GOD! Look at his tracing skill and hand-eye ..measuring-with-a-ruler'. That's not portraiture, it's CDT! It doesn't show the life-study skills of a portrait artist proper, there's a different place for photography and join-the-dots (..stencils, collages). I'm sounding grumpy, yet these are important points many 'classical' artists have thrown out from the process of being genuine. If you have to use a crutch, using a grid involves a level of freehand ability. It helps you to draw objects (from life) without relying on a photo and ruler.Watch Rolf Harris painting the Queen for observational painting, he does it on-the-spot, 'look no rulers'.
On a lighter note, Tony has said he'd beat Rolf in a fight because Rolf wouldn't stop his ...verbal flow (might take him seriously, as he was a Gurka officer). From the start, the multi-faceted Rolf catered a more zap-zang animation-based tastes. He delved into new cartooning methods, along with his wobble-board and zany presentation-style. He was really 'down with the kids'! Search 'Making of Real Ghostbusters'. I didn't know Rolf was professional-standard painter until 'Rolf on Art'. There are some good 'Cartoon Time' clips on youtube now, enjoy!

• Category

  Education

[TomthatiscalledTom]

As an 'arty' kid who liked this program, I did have one gripe, evident in this clip. Tony often relied on materials and equipment that wasn't exactly easy to come by if you were an under 12 in a suburban semi e.g. aerosol spray cans, oil based paints and giant sheets of paper. I did my best with crayons but my folks were never going to let me use anything else, fearing (with considerable justification) that they'd end up with living room walls that looked like an album cover by The Stone Roses.

[wayzotoichi]

I know, I think we all just drew stuff inspired by the crayons and charcoals bits didn't we.. by the way, they were good those album covers! The Stone Roses are back anyway, including John Squire the album cover artist.. for any nostalgiacs out there.

[Feisty1967]

I had no idea Tony Hart was gay! I suppose I should have guessed by the colour of his shirtness and the softness of his voice.

[wayzotoichi]

He was straight!

He was married (..with one daughter I think). And no-one came out with any sordid stories in the event he had a lover.. so there's little to indicate he was not heterosexual.

So, I still have no idea he was gay, it's just a rumour, or a slur because people are interpreting his personality as being too genteel or delicate.

[alaphize]

Fine. But being gay; whether he was or not, is hardly a 'slur' or 'sordid' is it? We all love our childhood memories of "Take Hart" and Tony's wonderful talent as artist & presenter. Funny how celebratory pages such as these become darkened by opinions about such personal aspects like sexuality etc. I know that's isn't what you meant. Hope sincerely we can all enjoy his work as it was intended; purely & peacefully with a little bit of nostalgia ;)

[wayzotoichi]

okay I see your point, but I find claims that someone is gay (without real conclusive evidence), tend to be directed as 'slurs'.. to imply the person hid their sexual preference in some sordid way. You're right, sexuality should not colour in any way how we think of a well-loved personality like Tony Hart. It's just I don't feel comfortable with personal claims about someone's sexuality when he can't answer back, and it's not kind to his memory. I don't think he would appreciate it.

[wayzotoichi]

re: 'effeminate closet poof english male' ..I understand what you are getting at, but to describe Tony Hart have you considered any of these words:

gentleman, graceful, stylish, polite, friendly, kind, helpful,

joie de vivre, affectionate, cheerful, charming, eloquent, sociable,

warm-hearted, a sartorial elegance, jovial disposition, conscientious..?

Words you could use to describe other likeable personalities. (opposite of 'Jonathan' and 'Ross')

[vermilion J]

I hope Tony Hart doesn't turn out to be a nonce like all the others.

[VHSsense]

Cavatina (aka Theme from The Deerhunter) played by John Williams

[givingitashot1]

Legend.

[itgetseasierlessitry]

Tonys genteel enthusiasm for his art was infectious. A sweet man, he never dumbed down his audience.

[antoniodcz]

what a nation of budding, imaginative artists we were, before our education system was made all about targets. Now our youth don't know anything about the simple "joy" of learning anything.

[natureshotschannel]

FREE PRO HD NATURE CLIP - watch?v=U3HJq4klhXQ

[Saman David]

I always loved this show when I was kid.... Does anyone know which song is this 5:03 please?

[juve6230]

did u get the name of melody i like it so much