How To Make - Shrink Art by PixelBrat

Turn your printed images into adorable keepsakes, keychains, or charms with inkjet shrink plastic. This tutorial walks through the entire process from digital file to finished, painted piece.

✨ PixelBrat Inkjet Shrink Art – A Step-by-Step Tutorial

If you were a child of the 70s, you may remember the magic of shrink plastic—thin, flexible sheets that curled and shrunk into firm, colorful charms when baked. Today, you can still find shrink film, but with the launch of Shrink Art, it’s now inkjet printer compatible! That means you can print photos, cartoons, logos, and more from your computer—ready to bake and transform. Want to see how it's done? Let’s go!

🖼️ Step 1: Choose and Prepare Your Image

I started with my logo from PixelBrat.com. Open your chosen image in your favorite graphics editor and lighten it—shrinking darkens colors. Always mirror your image (especially if it contains text), so it prints in reverse.

Shrink Art Article by Pixelbrat

🖨️ Step 2: Size and Print

Make your image fairly large—shrink plastic reduces the size by roughly 50% in each direction. Try fitting multiple images per sheet to save materials.

Remove all paper from your printer and feed shrink sheets one at a time. Set your printer to “Glossy” or “Transparency” mode. Let prints dry for 30 minutes—dark colors may take longer. Don’t touch the surface until fully dry.

✂️ Step 3: Cut and Punch

Use small, sharp scissors to cut out your designs. Round off sharp edges—they’ll become very rigid. Now’s the time to punch holes if you’re making charms or pulls.

Pixelbrat Inkjet Shrink Art Shrink Art Sheets

🔥 Step 4: Bake Your Shrink Art

Place the printed side face down on lightly talcum-dusted cardboard or a nonstick tray. Preheat a toaster or conventional oven to 275–300°F (no microwaves!).

Bake for 3–5 minutes. The plastic will curl (normal!) then flatten as it shrinks. Once flat, remove it. Press with a book or Altoids tin while warm to keep it flat.

Shrink Plastic Sheets for Inkjet

🎨 Step 5: Paint and Finish

After cooling, the plastic may look semi-transparent. I like to paint the back (the printed side) with white Krylon spray paint. It dries faster and holds better than enamel.

Tape off the front (non-printed side) to avoid overspray. Apply multiple light coats and let dry overnight.

Pixelbrat Shrink Art Inkjet

🔗 Step 6: Assemble & Enjoy

Once dry, add your accessories—key rings, magnets, jewelry backs, or ribbon. Each piece is a one-of-a-kind creation made entirely from home!