Stoner says he'll spend the prize living "more like his paintings"

Stoner's ability to create a "seemingly worryless world of leisure and entertainment" was praised by the chair of the judges, curator Martijn van Nieuwenhuyzen.

The artist said he would spend his prize money attempting to live "more like his paintings".

He was handed his award by Danish model Helena Christensen.

The total prize fund was �64,000 and all ten finalists received �4,000 each.

Mr van Nieuwenhuyzen said: "His smooth surfaced, sophisticated pictures, painstakingly constructed layer over layer, present us with a vision of consumerist paradise.

He went on to praise Stoner's ability to evoke happiness in the viewer while also expressing dark undertones.

After completing an MA in Fine Art at the Royal College of Art in 1994, Stoner, 30, went on to study at the Rijksakademie Van Beeldende Kunsten in Amsterdam and is currently studying at the British School in Rome.

Also announced tonight was the winner of the Beck's Futures Student Film and Video Award, worth �2,000, which went to Japanese student Meiro Koziumi.

The judging panel included novelist Zadie Smith and artist Gary Hume.

Beck's Futures set out last year to be a rival for the Turner prize.

The idea was that it would sample emerging art and provide encouragement to the up-and-coming artists of the future.

Last year's winner was Glasgow artist Roddy Buchanan.

Beck's Futures 2 is at the ICA, London until 20 May. The show will then travel to Edinburgh, Liverpool, New York and Newcastle.