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An art teacher who won the £25,000 BP Portrait Award after 13 years of trying is to put the prize into a savings account for his children who model for him.
Peter Monkman, 45, finally picked up Britain's most prestigious portrait prize last night with a painting of his 12-year-old daughter Anna.
Mr Monkman, of Godalming, Surrey, said: "It's been something I've wanted to do since 1996 and I've tried every year hoping for something to happen. I shall probably put the money into a savings account for my kids."
He was first chosen for inclusion in the annual exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery a decade ago with a portrait of his son, Joe, now 10. His youngest child, Ned, six, now also wants to be painted.
Mr Monkman, who attended the prize ceremony with his wife, Charlotte, said his victory was a good lesson in perseverance for his students at Charterhouse school.
He also gets a £4,000 commission from the gallery.
The BP Portrait Award 2009 exhibition of more than 50 works opens to the public tomorrow and runs until 14 September.
