Sir Alex Ferguson charity digital-oil portrait painted by Christopher Dent aka Laptop Davinci

Added: (Sun May 06 2007)

Pressbox (Press Release) - Digital da Vinci is virtually spot on with the reds boss

EUROPE�S FIRST DIGITAL PORTRAIT ARTIST has put top football manager Sir Alex Ferguson in the frame.

United fan, Christopher Dent, known as the Laptop da Vinci, is the first in Europe to use a virtual paintbrush to create a digital portrait in oils.

He said: "He is the greatest football manager ever and despite his busy schedule he agreed to help out."

Other images he has created in digital oils include his favourite soap stars, football and rugby players and the Lord Mayor of Bradford, from his hometown.

With a flair for art since childhood, when he painted alongside his parents, he became a commercial artist after working as an English lecturer for Bradford University. He also worked as a teacher of English as a foreign language and was an adult IT tutor for Learn Direct.

But he got hooked on digital art after being introduced to painting on a virtual canvas by a friend.

Christopher, 39, said: "I quickly made a connection with the new tools, and really feel this is a new renaissance for art."

Soon nicknamed the Laptop da Vinci, he eventually took it as a business name.

He said: "I'm involved with Born in Bradford Appeal and Leukaemia Research and try to contact high profile people, whose signed portraits will raise optimum funds and awareness.

"A good friend and colleague of mine Malcolm Cook, the creator of Freeflow Coaching (www.freefow.com) a retired pro-footballer and professional coach, grew up with Sir Alex and his brother Martin Ferguson in Govan, Scotland. Malcolm kindly helped put my idea in front of Sir Alex.

"Despite his busy schedule he very kindly agreed to help out with my charity portrait auction.

"This is the first of it's kind in the UK, created entirely with digital oils. As far as I know I am the only commercial artist in Europe creating portraits using digital-oil paints."

The finished portrait , an impressive 31 inches by 49, is presented on traditional canvas and is easily mistaken for a traditionally painted oil portrait.

He did the work from photographs which were e-mailed to him by Sir Alex.

A silent auction will be held on line via portrait2auction@laptopdavinci.com with the starting bid at �1500.

You can view the portrait and other work by Christopher Dent at: www.laptopdavinci.com
To speak with Christopher call: 07877093746