In 1990-1991, The Art Guys painted everyday objects in their studio with 1,000 coats of paint. The objects were mounted on glass, and a master chart of each coat color was maintained. As each coat of paint was added, the object became more and more amorphous until it was an indistinguishable blob. The original object was visible underneath through the glass, and as they often did, The Art Guys mounted engraved plaques on each piece to identify it.
In 1998, Absolut Vodka approached The Art Guys to create a billboard advertisement. The Art Guys proposed a 1,000 Coat of Paint billboard, with a giant foam Absolut bottle and the words "Absolut Art Guys" painted over a 10-month period by That's Painting Productions, a Houston-based painting company. The billboard, located in Houston on the 610 West Loop at the corner of Post Oak Boulevard, was so successful that it was replicated in Miami and Los Angeles.