A ROGERSTONE artist has put the finishing touches to a painting to celebrate Wales in action at the Millennium Stadium ahead of the Rugby World Cup 2015.

Inspired by the Welsh Rugby Union mascot Scorch, who appears on the big screen on matchdays showing rugby fans the scores and match highlights, the completed painting shows a Dragon presiding over a Wales home match in front of capacity crowd.

'Portrait of a Dragon’, created by Rogerstone artist Aidan Chiselle, was painted live from the heart of the action when Wales faced Australia in the Dove Men Tests in November last year.

The finished artwork is not match specific. Mr Chiselle has added a quirky score board which can be modified to show the final score at any Welsh rugby international.

With 83 days to go until RWC 2015, the painting has been revealed at the Millennium Stadium which will host eight matches, including two of Wales’ pool games, Uruguay and Fiji.

The 5ft by 6ft oil on canvass, gifted to the WRU, will hang in the Media Centre at the multi-event venue in time for Wales’ Dove Men Tests against Ireland and Italy in the build up to Wales’ World Cup campaign.

Mr Chiselle, who lives in Rogerstone and has exhibited in both Cardiff and London, is known for his fine detail and realism.

“The WRU’s digital mascot Scorch is so prominent at Welsh rugby internationals and proved a big inspiration from the outset," he said.

"It also provided a fresh challenge for me; as while my true passion for drawing started out with wildlife sketching, I’d never worked on a dragon before!"

He added: “With ‘Portrait of a Dragon’ I wanted to represent the atmospheric ‘roar’ of Welsh rugby internationals inside a Millennium Stadium full of rugby supporters. As a Welsh rugby fan, it is one of the most exciting projects I’ve ever worked on and I am grateful to the WRU for welcoming me into the inner sanctum at the home of Welsh rugby.

“Having researched, planned and created the painting here at the Millennium Stadium, it is with great pleasure that I have gifted the piece to the WRU to display alongside other great imagery of rugby culture in the media centre ahead of such a significant rugby occasion, that is the World Cup.”