INNOVATIVE South Wales artist Nathan Wyburn has unveiled a new work of art - depicting actor and newly-adopted Welsh legend Ryan Reynolds in the medium of toast and Marmite.

Mr Wyburn, who has previously made pictures in Marmite on toast of love-hate figures Simon Cowell and Boris Johnson, decided to create the picture of the less-divisive Deadpool star as a tribute for what he has done for Wales since taking over Wrexham AFC.

“This is a toast to Ryan Reynolds for all her has done for our little old Wales,” said the artist, originally from Ebbw Vale.

Mr Wyburn, who trained as an artist, and has a studio in a church in Cardiff, is famous for his portraits of the rich and famous in unlikely mediums, from Britney Spears captured in old ballet shoes, to Noel Fielding painted in tinned spaghetti.

Often he has then delivered these portraits to the subjects including Idris Elba, Tom Holland and Joanna Lumley. “I have thankfully always had a positive response,” he says.

South Wales Argus: Nathan Wyburn's portrait of Ryan Reynolds made from toast and Marmite.Nathan Wyburn's portrait of Ryan Reynolds made from toast and Marmite. (Image: Supplied)

“I was asked to paint Mariah Carey for her birthday out of glitter,” Mr Wyburn added. “I went to meet her in her dressing room at the Royal Albert Hall and she was listening to her own greatest hits!

"But if I was Mariah Carey I would be doing the same.”

But the requests for his work haven’t been all sparkles and superstars - Mr Wyburn says one person asked him to create a picture using their dad's ashes - and another asked if he could make a portrait of controversial commentator Kate Hopkins made out of horse dung.

He is quick to add that he didn’t accept the commission.

Mr Wyburn creates the picture first with a stencil and then adds detail using a normal table knife to spread the Marmite.

South Wales Argus: Nathan Wyburn with his portrait of Ryan Reynolds.Nathan Wyburn with his portrait of Ryan Reynolds. (Image: Supplied)

“I want it to feel as authentic as possible, as if you are making your toast in the morning," he said. "To me it seems as natural a paintbrush.”

Mr Wyburn hopes that Mr Reynolds will get to see a picture of the portrait, although he won’t be able to see the actual toast - to make sure nothing goes to waste, the day after creating his artworks he presents them to an appropriately unusual set of art critics - by feeding them to pigs at the local farm.

He adds that the toast he uses is often out of date or in damaged packaging, so it has been recalled.

The picture is a loving tribute from one Welsh icon to another - from Hovis to Hollywood.