Home Depot for Art Supplies - Construction 2








This little abstract features Tyvek, a paper-like product made by Dupont. In the building industry, it is used to wrap foundations for a vapor barrier. It has many other uses because of it's strength and light weight. FedEx uses large envelopes made of Tyvek for shipping.

The cool thing about using Tyvek for artistic purposes is the unusual transformation that takes place when you apply heat from an iron to the paper/fabric. It shrinks and bubbles and melts, leaving you with a very unusual surface. I usually paint the paper before I shrink it. That adds to an element of unpredictablility that I love.

I also used copper tacks and copper wire on this one. SOLD

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Wonderful! Did you use a fedx envelope or the tyvek from the roll?

Sherrie J.

Sharon Lynn Williams Fine Art said...

Way cool! I have painted on it with watercolours as it really makes an unusual surface, but I never heard of heating it before. I will definitely have to try it. You used acrylics first and then high heat from the heat gun?
Sharon

Carol Nelson said...

The piece of Tyvek in this example was from a FedEx envelope. I painted it with acrylic paints, then used a hot iron.

Anonymous said...

had to stop... this is one cool painting...

NORA KASTEN said...

Carol, what size are these ptgs? I really like your mixed media paintings and I'm hoping to do some myself soon.. . .putting on canvas what I'm learning from you. My first mistake was that I went to Michael's yesterday and I should have gone to Home Depot. Want you to know that I look forward to your blog everyday.
Nora