GreenFire

Thanks everybody, I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge: Snert: it's just for aesthetic reasons - paraffin pieces normally fire upwards, thought it would make a nice a change to fire one downwards. SussexPyroBoy: I'll try some of the Wassag, looks like a workable solution. Wrapping PIC and Visco together has worked, but that's twice the cost of a single fuse! Dr Thrust: Hmmm ... a lot of preparation time needed, but worth a go ...

Thanks Creepin_Pyro - the link is fun, never come across the guy before, there's some interesting viewing to follow up here.

Isn't "highly nitrated cellulose" the same thing as "gun cotton"? I did consider soaking the canvas in the appropriate substances so the painting would end up simply being supported by gun cotton, but from what I remember of the stuff the disintegration would be almost instant ... also, a single spark from a bonfire would probably set it off at the wrong moment!! I didn't realise you could buy stuff like this, surely not over the counter? It might be fun pasting the odd sheet onto the canvas and then painting over it! I can envisage some lovely effects like exploding snake's heads.

It's a project I'm aiming to spend most of my spare time on over the next 10 months, though with 2 kids and a business that doesn't add up to many hours! Metal powders, I definitely want to explore, but for the time being I've got a bundle of star-burst rockets left over from Nov 5th which I'm pulling apart, so I can use the little start-burst balls for some added decoration. I know it's a bit of cop-out using someone else's fireworks, but time is precious ... !

Thanks for the ideas and inspiration!

Thanks Brightstar - that's a neat idea, I had no idea this stuff existed! There are many possibilities for using this kind of thing, including painting on the back of the canvas, or painting it in shapes on the front so that a "hidden picture" emerges when lit ... I'll get experimenting right away and let you know the results.

Thanks for the warning about the chromate but don't panic: I kitted myself out with latex gloves, breathing mask and safety goggles ... Will be handing it on to a natural-dye enthusiast ...

Anyone else with a good idea ... most welcome

Best wishes, Jon