Decay Art Project: Update

I started this project at the end of 2016. At the time, I wrote a blog post about my experimentation and a final piece I had created. I also mentioned another piece that I had started working on, but wasn’t able to finish. Then, earlier this year, I wrote a post about my works in progress which included the same piece, that I had not been able to make any progress on (in over a year!) However, after attending the Lynda Monk workshop, I was inspired to revisit this project and see if I was able to finish anything off.

I started by doing more experiments in my sketchbook, trying to see whether Tyvek fabric or Tyvek paper would work better, or if they worked well together. I also wanted to see what other effects I could create by layering it with painted fabric.

 

I tried out a number of techniques, but ultimately decided I wouldn’t know what worked until I tried it on the piece itself. I painted a piece of Tyvek paper in pink/purple tones and covered the whole of the piece with it. I was careful when heating it not to go too far, but just enough for the paper to start breaking down and the layers underneath to be revealed.

In terms of what I was trying to create with this project, I am happy with the result. So much of my source material looked at the peeling back of layers, revealing the surface underneath, which is what really kickstarted this project in the direction I started and I feel like this piece reflects what I was envisioning. I’m surprised how quickly it came together in the end, with just needing that final layer over the top to complete it, but I had done a lot of work in the initial stages and it was just missing that last little bit to bring it all together.

I still have a few other pieces I started from this project which I’d like to do more with, especially because I still feel I have so much left to explore in this subject area and with these materials. I expect this will be a long, ongoing project that I will slowly add to over the years. I’ll keep you updated with any progress in the future.