Small portrait of a great life

ANDREW TAYLOR Natasha Bieniek's portrait of Wendy Whiteley may be one of the smallest entries in this year's Archibald Prize.

Adman John Singleton reveals gentle side

ANDREW TAYLOR Persistence paid off for young artist Irene Vides who convinced larrikin businessman John Singleton to sit for a portrait that she will enter in this year's Archibald Prize.

Dr Death's 'blind date' with artist Mirra Whale

ANDREW TAYLOR Mirra Whale is painting a portrait of controversial euthanasia advocate Philip Nitschke for this year's Archibald Prize.

The Archibald Prize for dummies

ANDREW TAYLOR The Archibald Prize for portraiture is the most popular, storied, and mocked art award in the country.

Nigel Milsom's portrait wins $100,000

ANDREW TAYLOR Nigel Milsom has won this year's Archibald Prize with his portrait of his barrister, Charles Waterstreet.

I won life's lotto with Nigel Milsom

CHARLES WATERSTREET Through depression, substance abuse and a jail sentence, artist Nigel Milsom has survived and thrived to win the Archibald portrait prize.

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First-time finalists bring new life to contest

John McDonald A lively blend of large and small paintings and a high percentage of first-timers, included at the expense of established Archibald veterans, make this year's Archibald Prize sing.

Melbourne artist Natasha Bieniek wins Wynne Prize with miniature landscape

Nicholas Adams-Dzierzba Measuring just 9cmx9cm the dimensions of the winning miniature landscape Biophilia by Natasha Bieniek are the smallest of any artwork in the Archibald, Wynne and Sulman exhibitions.

Sulman Prize win takes Jason Phu out of the kitchen and into the studio

Antigone Anagnostellis Jason Phu is one step closer to achieving his ambition to move to China after winning the Sulman Prize at the Art Gallery of NSW on Friday.

The anatomy of the Wynne Prize

Nicholas Adams-Dzierzba What do a doctor, a butchered sheep carcass and an art award have in common? A lot it turns out.

It takes balls to be a winner

NICK GALVIN It takes balls to be an Archibald Prize winner. Or to put it a little less crudely, if you want to win Australia's premier portraiture prize it helps if you're a bloke. A lot.

Nigel Milsom's portrait favoured to win

ANDREW TAYLOR Nigel Milsom's arresting portrait of barrister Charles Waterstreet may be the favourite to win the Archibald Prize, but the artist is grateful to be a finalist.

Archibald judges reject portrait of Rosie Batty

ANDREW TAYLOR A portrait of Rosie Batty by Melbourne artist Christopher Pyett will hang in the Salon des Refuses after it was rejected by the judges of the Archibald Prize.

Bruno Grasswill wins Packing Room Prize

ANDREW TAYLOR The curse of the packers has struck again, with Bruno Jean Grasswill's portrait of actor Michael Caton almost certain not to win this year's Archibald Prize.

What happens to unwanted portraits?

ANDREW TAYLOR Guy Maestri entered the Archibald Prize "probably eight or nine times" before he won in 2009 with his portrait of singer Geoffrey Gurrumul Yunupingu.

Del Kathryn Barton downs paintbrushes

ANDREW TAYLOR Marc Etherington admits he was "super scared" when he asked two-time Archibald Prize winner Del Kathryn Barton if he could paint her portrait.

Eagles' Nic Naitanui leaps off canvas

BRENDAN FOSTER Artist Jerome Davenport says Eagles ruckman Nic Naitanui's face tells a story.

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Hard to keep eyes on the Prize

Andrew Taylor THE judges of the Archibald Prize will spend less than 20 seconds on average examining each of the 798 paintings entered in the portrait prize.

Prize goes to Fiona Lowry's portrait of Penelope Seidler

ANDREW TAYLOR Sydney artist Fiona Lowry has won the 2014 Archibald Prize for Penelope Seidler, a portrait of the famed Killara architect, it was announced at the Art Gallery of NSW on Friday.

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Intense Seidler portrait favoured to win Archibald Prize

ANDREW TAYLOR She was the runner-up in the 2013 Archibald Prize, but Fiona Lowry is shaping up as a firm favourite to win the $75,000 prize cheque this year with her portrait of Penelope Seidler.

Why comedian Anh Do turned his hand to painting for the Archibald Prize

ANDREW TAYLOR He found fame as a TV star, author and a stand-up comic, but the writer of The Happiest Refugee has finally found his true calling. By Andrew Taylor.

Reflections from an Archibald Prize portrait sitter

Anson Cameron When artist Eliza Cameron asked her uncle Anson to pose for an Archibald entry, he had his doubts.

Archibald Prize elevates itself with cast of scene stealers and little gems

John McDonald This year’s Archibald is a big improvement on recent outings.

Archibald Prize winner is 50 shades of tasteful grey

John McDonald Even without any sex and violence, Fiona Lowry's portrait was the obvious Archibald winner this year.

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Archibald rejects find new home

ANDREW TAYLOR Archibald Prize entries come in all shapes and sizes, but few artists would be brave enough to enter what appears to be a hastily drawn head on a scrap of paper.