AN ARTIST from Bridport has described the ‘terrifying privilege’ of painting The Queen for his first ever commissioned portrait.

Alastair Barford, 28, was commissioned to do the portrait by the Illustrated London News (ILN) mark the occasion of Queen Elizabeth II becoming Britain’s longest reigning monarch.

Alastair had just ten minutes to observe her majesty for the piece of work which shows her attending the Order of the Garter ceremony at Windsor Castle in June 2015.

Astonishingly, at one stage, Alastair was working part-time as a cleaner to fund his work as an artist.

After studying a degree in fine art at Falmouth he was granted a Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust to study in Florence before the Leverhulme Foundation Study Abroad Studentship also supported him allowing him to study for another two years in Italy.

Speaking of the privilege of painting The Queen, Alistair said: “For any portrait artist perhaps the greatest honour is to be asked to paint the Queen. I feel immensely privileged to have been given this opportunity, especially at such an early stage in my career.

“I’ve been studying portraiture in Florence, but I’ve been working from life so I’ve never done anything like this before. The challenge was the capturing expression on her face as she walked past.

“It was a terrifying privilege to be asked to paint this remarkable woman, who has given her life to the service of our country. In my painting The Queen looks off into the distance, perhaps surveying her record reign, or looking forward to the glorious years ahead of her.”

The portrait will be published in a commemorative book and magazine.

For every copy of the book and magazine sold the ILN will make a donation to the Queen Elizabeth Scholarship Trust.

Chief executive of ILN, Lisa Barnard, paid tribute to Alastair’s work.

She said: “The Order of the Garter is the highest order of chivalry, so this was a fitting occasion to depict Her Majesty in a dynamic new painting. It echoes Pietro Annigoni’s famous 1953 portrait of Queen Elizabeth II in Order Of the Garter robes.

“We are especially pleased to showcase a rising young artist, Alastair Barford, who is supremely talented, and to support British craftsmanship in doing so.”

The book and magazine are available at www.recordreign.com and limited edition prints of the portrait, signed by the artist are available at the same address.