ACTOR Patrick Stewart is the subject of a portrait created by a Huddersfield illustrator.

And the Mirfield-born star, who is Chancellor of Huddersfield University, is to be given the portrait as a gift – while a bigger copy will be hung at the university’s Queensgate campus.

The portrait was done by Duncan Osborne, of Holmfirth, in a pointillist style where the image is made up of thousands of small dots.

Mr Osborne has worked in design and illustration, printing and journalism – including 17 years teaching at Leeds University.

He has also worked as a medical and technical illustrator, using pointillism to create the images.

It can take up to 300 hours of painstaking work to create a picture – putting one dot next to the other to create different colour and tone.

Commenting on the Patrick Stewart picture, Duncan said: “I decided to draw people I admire, public figures and family members, and Patrick Stewart is one of my favourite actors.”

Andrew Dunne, creative director of Time Circa Galleries and Independent Coffee House in Huddersfield, has helped promote Duncan’s work and suggested he offer the portrait to the university.

Duncan is also planning a sale of some of his work on Saturday, December 1, at the Packhorse Centre in Huddersfield to raise funds for mental health charities.

Huddersfield University spokesman John Ramsdin said: “Pointillism is an amazingly specialist art form and Mr Osborne has obviously spent a great deal of time, effort and skill in producing the portrait of Sir Patrick.

“I’m sure that the chancellor will be delighted with the portrait that Mr Osborne has so kindly gifted him. The university is making arrangements to have this delivered to Sir Patrick’s home.

“It was also very thoughtful of Mr Osborne to produce a larger version for the university and, on behalf of the university, I would like to thank him for this”.

Rastrick mother and baby son rescued from flat fire: Click here to read.