ARTISTS Andy Warhol and Julian Opie have provided the inspiration behind an innovative art-based enterprise at a St Albans secondary school.

Sixth form students at Beaumont School, Oakwood Drive, have created a company, Ares, which is selling unique pop-art portraits of local residents.

Karen Hannay, business and economics teacher, said that local artist Roger Harlow has trained the Ares team to translate a digital photograph into an “I-portrait” using Andy Warhol and Julian Opie texture and colouring techniques.

Mrs Hannay said the pupils were being supported by Young Enterprise, a national charity that links schools with business, and was encouraging them to bring a produce or service of their choice to market and sell to the public.

Beaumont pupils hope their art will help Ares gain success in future rounds of the Young Enterprise competition, as 24 local South Herts companies will compete this month to go through to the county round of the of the 2011 Young Enterprise National competition.

From there two teams will be chosen for the East of England semi-final. The I-portraits will be sold for �10 and be unique to the person commissioning it.