How to Make Vintage and Collectible Wall Art from a Vinyl Record Album

By: Jen Temcio

A New Idea for a Popular DIY Project

There are many tutorials on how to make a bowl out of a vinyl record. These DIY bowls are easy and fun to make. They are a cool, functional, and represent one of the owner’s favorite music groups. My teen has one for her car keys, loose change and what not. I have a bowl made from a Richard Simmons aerobic dance LP that I use to serve candy and other treats to play on the humor in the hypocrisy. But as I was searching through albums at a second hand store I found something that made me change gears and see that vinyl records can be used to create a unique piece of art!

The Inspiration and Inception

I came across a truly vintage children’s album From Walt Disney. It had a great looking graphic on the center and the kid’s songs ranged from timeless favorites like Zip A Dee Doo Dah, to truly old-time songs like Davey Crockett and Wyatt Earp. I instantly changed my perception of the concept of making a bowl, and thought instead that this would be a very avant-gard addition to decorating. This particular album would be so cool for a child’s room.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/46834232@N02/4298625644/

Vintage items have made a big comeback into interior decorating. This coupled with the current trend of combining furniture and pieces from different eras, this vinyl art can be easily added to a room with decorating success. A record album intentionally molded into an artistic work of art and hung on a wall can be a representation of yourself, your creativity and your unique sense of style.

Making the Wall Art in 6 Simple Steps

Step 1
Choose your record to fit your decorating scheme like I did with the Disney album for the child’s room. You can choose one based on your personality, like a favorite band or a funny, kitschy performer. Better yet, you could pick a record that is a collector’s item that when re-purposed into a one-of-a-kind work of art that holds even more value to you as the owner.

Step 2
Arrange oven racks so that you have one in the middle and none higher than that.
Preheat your oven to 150 degrees.

Step 3
Gather a cookie sheet, oven mitts, and a glass, oven safe bowl or baking dish (such as Pyrex) for molding your vinyl record.

Step 4
When the oven is at 150 degrees, put your glass baking dish upside down on the cookie sheet. Then place your record over the dish. Place this in the oven in the middle rack.

Now you are going to stay near the oven and watch the record as it begins to soften in the heat. When it begins to sag over the bowl, use your oven mitts to remove the cookie sheet. Take every precaution to avoid burns when working with the oven and the hot vinyl.

Step 5
At this point you are going to want to work quickly as the vinyl begins to cool and harden. You have options at this stage in creating your own unique shape. You can use a large mixing bowl and set the record inside to keep it a round shape, or use a square or rectangle one and push the record into the corners. You can manipulate the vinyl with your hands or tools to create a unique designs and shapes. Let cool. (This happens quickly)

Step 6
Finally you insert a very small nail into the wall and use the center hole to hang your piece of art. If you paint the nail the same color as the wall it will make it difficult to see. Or you can affix an adhesive hanger to the back to keep the nail out of sight completely.

Then stand back, admire your creativity, and invite people over to see your wall art that you made from a vinyl record!

Additional Ideas

If you are using your vinyl art as a collectors piece you may like my idea of framing the album cover in a matted wall hanging. These two items can be displayed together and would look very high-end and professional.

Many albums come with cool inserts such as a book of music and lyrics for the songs. These could be framed as well.

Here is an example of one that I did!

I loved the Carpenter’s growing up in the 70’s so I chose them. On the same wall and space that I hung the re-purposed vinyl record, I grouped the album cover and the book insert open to the lyrics of one of my favorite songs. Both of these were professionally framed and matted. The music for the song that was framed was also on the displayed side of the record.

You could also frame and group pictures of the band, magazine covers they were featured on, sheet music to your favorite song, autographs, and any other memorabilia that you want to collect.

These collections are original, sentimental and look amazing in the space they occupy.

Article Source: http://www.collectibles-articles.com

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