Shrink Plastic Art: Understanding Silhouette's Shrinkage Ratio

Silhouette shrink plastic is a fun and creative way to make your own unique designs. You can decorate the shrink plastic with colouring pencils, stamps, or permanent markers, and then cut it out using a Silhouette machine. The Silhouette Studio software recommends using the Acetate Sheets cut setting. Once you've cut your design, you'll need to preheat your oven to 290-325° F (140-160° C) and then bake the shrink plastic. The shrinkage is around a third smaller by width and height, so you'll need to scale your shape to 264.5% before cutting.

Silhouette shrink plastic sheets are 4-6mm thick

The shrinkage is around a third smaller by width and height, or seven times smaller by area. This means that if you want to make a shape that is 10cm by 10cm, you will need to cut out a shape that is 26.45cm by 26.45cm. It is important to make your design larger to compensate for the shrinkage. You also won't be able to make holes once the plastic has shrunk, so make sure to add scaled-up holes to your design before baking.

The clear shrink plastic requires the removal of the Silhouette-branded liner, and the shapes should be placed printed side up onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. The white shrink plastic is placed printed side up directly onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

It is recommended that you test your oven first by using a test piece to find the right temperature to bake the shrink plastic. Some ovens may require a higher temperature than others to achieve the perfect shrink.

Preheat the oven to 290-325° F (140-160° C)

Silhouette shrink plastic should be baked at a temperature of 290-325° F (140-160° C). This is a relatively low temperature, so it's important to preheat the oven to ensure it reaches the correct temperature before you begin baking.

To find the right temperature for your oven, it's a good idea to test it first using a test piece of shrink plastic. This will help you determine the perfect temperature for your oven, as some ovens may require a higher temperature than others.

Once you've preheated your oven, the next step is to prepare the shrink plastic for baking. If you're using clear shrink plastic, remove the Silhouette-branded liner and place the shapes printed side up onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. For white shrink plastic, simply place the printed shapes printed side up onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

During the baking process, you'll see the plastic curl and move before laying flat again. This is normal, and it's all part of the shrinking process. The final product will be much smaller and thicker than the original shape, with a shrinkage of about a third by width and height.

The shrinkage is 7 times the original area

Silhouette shrink plastic shrinks to seven times the original area. This means that the width and height of the plastic will be roughly a third smaller. To compensate for this, you need to make your design larger. The easiest way to scale your shape is to make it the size you want after it's shrunk and then scale it up by 264.5%.

To shrink the plastic, preheat the oven to 290–325° F (140–160° C). Test your oven first by using a test piece to find the right temperature. If you're using clear shrink plastic, remove the Silhouette-branded liner and place the shapes printed side up onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. If you're using white shrink plastic, place the printed shapes printed side up onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. The baking process takes approximately two minutes. Watch as the piece shrinks (it will curl and move and then lay flat again). The shapes will be much smaller and thicker than the shapes you started with.

You can decorate the shrink plastic with colouring pencils, stamps or permanent markers

Silhouette shrink plastic shrinks to a third of its original size. This means that the area is seven times smaller. To scale your shape, make it the size you want after it's shrunk and then scale it up by 264.5%.

To use the Silhouette machine, choose Shrink Plastic as your material type. Make sure the machine will cut out the outline and the inside circle of your shapes. Adjust your blade if necessary. After cutting the designs, remove them from the cutting mat.

Preheat the oven to 290–325° F (140–160° C). Test your oven first by using a test piece to find the right temperature to bake the shrink plastic. If you use the clear shrink plastic, remove the Silhouette-branded liner and place the shapes printed side up onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Silhouette Studio software does not recommend cutting shrink plastic with the kraft blade

Shrink plastic is only about as thick as a heavy-duty cardstock. You cut it out, then bake it to shrink it, then it gets thicker. The shrinkage by 7 times refers to the area, so this equates roughly to a third smaller by width and height. The default cut settings for shrink plastic in the Silhouette Studio software are Blade 6, Force 33, Speed 1, and Passes 2. However, some people have not had great success with these default cut settings. Instead, they have had good results with the process outlined on the Silhouette UK blog, which suggests doing a series of cuts, increasing the blade depth with each pass. For the first cut, start with a lower blade depth (a blade depth of 3 is recommended) and increase the speed up to 7 to save time without any problems.

If you are using the Silhouette brand shrink plastic, preheat the oven to 290–325° F (140–160° C). It is suggested to test your oven first by using a test piece to find the right temperature to bake the shrink plastic. If you use the clear shrink plastic, remove the Silhouette-branded liner and place the shapes printed side up onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. If you use white shrink plastic, place the printed shapes printed side up onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet. The baking process takes approximately two minutes. Watch as the piece shrinks (it will curl and move and then lay flat again). The shapes will be much smaller and thicker than the shapes you started with.

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