experiments with shrink plastic.

As an artist, I can safely say I love every medium. Now, I’m not saying i have every craft supply completely figured out or the end result will be a masterpiece, but a love just the same. In this past year I have experimented with embroidery, rediscovered my excitement for printmaking, and even tried to sew a summer dress for my daughter. Not everything has worked out as planned, and I am well aware that I have no business touching any 3-dimensional material such as clay, ever again.

Today I found a new craft material which I foresee a lifelong love affair with. Shrink plastic. You might remember shrink plastic marketed as Shrinky Dinks from when you were a child. A thin sheet of plastic which can be drawn or painted on, cured in your oven, and resulting in a shrunken, thicker, and more vibrant version of your work of art. Shrink plastic has since grown up and many adults see it as a medium for scrapbooking, decorations and jewelry.

On almost every website that offered a shrink plastic tutorial, testing a square before your actual design was highly recommended. But guess what? That’s not exactly how I roll. I lieu of my sister’s upcoming birthday, I decided to make her a necklace featuring her beloved Great Danes, Abby and Emma.
As it turns out, I was completely thrilled with my first attempt using shrink plastic. I chose to use only standard black Sharpie markers, instead of getting all crazy with color for fear of making a muddled mess. Some of my sister’s Facebook photos of “her girls” were used as reference. I ignored the enclosed instructions of an oven temperature of 325 degrees Fahrenheit and decided to play it safe at 275. I did however, seal both sides with clear glossy varnish as suggested by many. Overall, I see a lot of shrink plastic in my future.