A new painting of Robert Burns by renowned Scottish artist Peter Howson is the focal point of a web-based fundraising initiative.
The portrait has been uploaded online but is masked behind a wall of pixels – and will only be revealed as people buy a pixel.
Each 25-pixel block costs £10.00 and the money raised will go to fund the £21million Robert Burns Birthplace Museum, run by the National Trust for Scotland, which is due to open in 2010 in Alloway, Ayrshire.
As each of the 12,288 pixel blocks is purchased, another small segment of the artwork will be unveiled. Everyone who bought a pixel will then be entered into a prize draw to win the £50,000 painting.
Mr Howson, 51, who is originally from Ayrshire, said: ““I have been a fan of Burns all of my life and grew up in Ayrshire, therefore the new museum and everything it stands for is very close to my heart.
“When I was asked to get involved in this project it provided me with the perfect opportunity to help raise money for the creation of the new museum and raise awareness of the campaign.
“Due to the nature and secrecy of the painting I can only say that the painting is in-keeping with the style of my work and portrays Burns in a light that he has never been seen in before.
“The ‘raffle’ concept for the fundraiser will enable someone, at any location across the world, to win a piece of my work – and own a painting of the great man himself.”
