A Bradford artist is using modern technology in a bid to revive the lost art of portrait painting.

Christopher Dent has set up Lasting Impressions Art to help bring back the old tradition.

But rather than using old-fashioned brushes and easel, Mr Dent uses a laptop computer and digital sensor board to paint his portraits.

The technology allows him to comply with the busier schedules the modern world brings as he can now complete paintings much quicker than artists of yesteryear.

Using software he has specially adapted, Mr Dent mixes his colours digitally on screen and uses an electronic canvas to create his paintings. Crucially, he bases his work on digital photographs he takes, rather than asking his subjects to sit for hours as he paints. He then prints his finished works on to canvas, with results that make them indistinguishable from those created with regular paint.

Already he is finding success and the Lord Mayor of Bradford is among the first to commission him - creating the first digitally produced portrait of a Lord Mayor. Councillor Choud-hary Rangzeb and his wife Zahida posed for their portrait this week.

Mr Dent hopes more prominent local people will come forward to ask for their portraits painting.

He said: "With actual paint, the artist has to be constantly with his canvas. But this way I can go to answer the phone or leave it for days and pick up right where I left off.

"Another advantage is that people can have as many copies as they want, rather than just getting the one.

"I mix up the paints on screen just as a normal artist would on an easel and then I just paint away based on photographs I take.

"It also gives the subject the chance to comment on the painting while I am doing it, so they get what they want."

Coun Rangzeb said he was very happy to be the first Lord Mayor to be the subject of the new painting style, even jokingly asking Mr Dent if he could erase some of his grey hairs.

Mr Dent hopes to take the techniques into schools to give youngsters the chance to try digital painting.

e-mail: mark.casci@bradford.newsquest.co.uk