What Is Shrink Paper?
For years, craft enthusiasts have used shrink paper to make attractive, inexpensive custom jewelry. With the versatility of modern shrink paper, you may choose to design your crafts by hand or print them using a computer. The simple process may be mastered by anyone from novice crafters to experts. Watching your creations shrink is a fun and satisfying ending to the creative process.
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Shrink Paper
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Despite its name, shrink paper is really a thin plastic film. When baked in an oven, the sheet of plastic contracts to a fraction of its former size and grows hard, while staying flat. Any designs that are printed or drawn on the paper before it is baked will shrink as well, creating miniature charms for jewelry or other crafts.
Printing and Coloring
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Generally, you may color shrink film using markers or rubber stamps and ink. Many types of shrink paper are meant to be used in an inkjet printer, so that you may easily print out digital designs for shrinking. Before using other coloring utensils, such as pencils or crayons, check the instructions on your brand of shrink paper. Lightly sanding the front of the paper before coloring may help the surface hold color better, although this is rarely necessary.
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Cutting and Baking
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After coloring, you cut the designs out, rounding the edges to avoid sharp points. Adding a hole punch at this stage produces a small hole later for use in jewelry. Once the paper is cut out, the crafter bakes it in the oven according to instructions. During the baking process, the film may curl up, but it should flatten out when it is finished.
Why Does Shrink Paper Work?
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Shrink paper is a plastic sheet composed of long molecules called polymers. These molecules are chains with many repeating elements, which are stretched through heating and set into their lengthened form. When reheated, the polymers shrink back to a shorter, more tangled state, bringing the pattern with them.
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References
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