Shrink plastic is a very versatile material. As the name suggests, shrink plastic is a form of plastic that shrinks to a fraction of its original size when it is heated.

Using Shrink Plastic:

Shrink plastic is easy to use. It can be cut and shaped with normal crafting scissors and hole punches. Before shrinking, the surface of the shrink plastic can be decorated with rubber stamps and colored with a wide variety of coloring media.

After the shrink plastic has been heated and shrunk additional embellishments can be added. When hot, the shrink plastic is malleable and it can be shaped further. Most brands of shrink plastic differ slightly in performance. Therefore, the precise shrinkage will vary from brand to brand. It is best to work a test piece if a precise size is required.

Rough or Sanded Surface:

For best results, the surface of the shrink plastic should be slightly roughened or sanded. Some shrink plastic brands are sold with one side ready roughened. The rough surface allows inks to grab the surface of the shrink plastic. It is difficult to get inks to set on the shiny side. Shrink plastic that hasn't be roughened can be lightly sanded with sandpaper.

Rubber Stamping on Shrink Plastic:

Rubber stamps are ideal for using on shrink plastic. The plastic shrinks to a fraction of its original size; this needs to be factored in when deciding what stamps to use. The best type of inks to use are pigment inks and permanent inks such as Stazon, however, it is important to note that not all inks perform the same on all brands of shrink plastic. Therefore it is best to make a test piece before embarking on a big project. One of the problems that occur is the ink not setting, even after shrinking. A coat of varnish will help to address this, but the item is vulnerable to smudging until it has been sealed.

Coloring Shrink Plastic:

Marker pens, inks, pencils, and acrylic paint are ideal to use for coloring images on shrink plastic before shrinking. Colors become deeper and more saturated when the shrink plastic has been shrunk. It is often a good idea to use a shade or two lighter than the required shade to address this.

Shrinking Shrink Plastic:

Shrink plastic can be shrunk using a heat tool or by placing it in the oven. When the plastic shrinks, it curls and bends. When the shrinking process has completely finished, the piece of plastic should return to a flat shape. Occasionally the plastic may stick to itself during the shrinking process. If this happens it can be carefully pulled apart while it is still hot. Shrink plastic is very light, therefore when heating the plastic with a heat tool it is important not to let the air from the heat tool blow the pieces away.