Experiments in Bubble-wrap

[kerravonsen]

Finally, I have managed to scan in the bubble-wrap pendants I made earlier this week (last week? I forget). Bubble-wrap pendants, you ask? Instructions are here: Bubble Wrap Necklace. Basically you fold the bubble-wrap and iron it and it fuses together. Then you fold and iron it again etc. Then you can cut it out into shapes. Hence, pendants.


This is the only one left from my first attempt. Rather than just plain bubble-wrap, I sprinkled eyeshadow and mica in between two of the layers. The problem was (a) I hadn't double-checked the instructions, and didn't fold it enough so the result was too flimsy, and (b) the mica and eyeshadow didn't really bond with the plastic, which meant that whenever I cut out a pendant, my fingers got covered with the mica and glitter; in other words, it didn't stick. I rescued this one by fusing it with another disk I made later. (The only one that survived the fusing process; the others had to be thrown away)


Bubble-wrap pendant; layered seagreen eyeshadow and iridescent violet mica

I would like to try this again, this time using sticky embossing powder in the mix, so that it will all stick.

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Second attempt: just plain bubble-wrap. I wanted to see what undecorated bubble-wrap would look like. Not like shell, it seems; more like frosted dirty glass. Hmmmm. It may depend on the particular type/brand of bubble-wrap, what the under-colour is.


Bubble-wrap pendants; just bubble-wrap.

The larger pendants were punched out with a circle punch (5cm in diameter), the smaller ones were hand-cut with scissors after tracing around a circle disk, so they aren't as even. Then I punched holes in them to have something to hang the pendant from, or just decoration. Note that some of the holes I punched in these are triangles and stars. I did that today, with two of my new recently-purchased hole-punches.

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Third experiment - the most successful of all. This time I put white embossing powder on the surface after the second fold, and blue and black embossing powder after the third fold. Though there was so much white embossing powder in the previous layer that one didn't see much of the other colours.


Bubble-wrap pendants; layered embossing powder; mainly white, plus blue and black

But still very pretty. Definitely trying this again. Have to remember to think in reverse: the first colour put down is going to be on the outside.

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Fourth experiment: archival ink patted on the bubbles before the first fold. I don't really like this one; not sure if it's the colour combination or the lots-of-circles reminding me that this is bubble-wrap.


Bubble-wrap pendants; archival ink on the first layer; various colours

Only small circles for these ones; when I tried using the large circle punch it just ended up mangled, probably because this version was more flimsy, not stiff enough.

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Things I would like to try with future bubble-wrap experiments:
* more embossing powder, done more sparingly in more layers
* mica + sticky embossing powder
* crayon shavings
* embossing powder + ink
* stamping with archival ink and/or drawing patterns with Sharpies, then doing colours in the next layer with embossing powder

Comments

[kalypso]

Interesting (and I like the star and triangle punches!) How heavy are the pendants?

[kerravonsen]

Very light, and pretty flimsy.

[vilakins]

What an inventive idea! I especially like the punched ones and the blue and white ones.

[kerravonsen]

8-)

[shimere277.livejournal.com]

I agree that the blue and white are prettiest, but I do like the one on the bottom left of set four. The circular impressions of the bubbles remind me of roses.

[kerravonsen]

I think it's easier to see prettiness when one can detatch oneself from its origins...

[vjezkova.livejournal.com]

They are beautiful - frankly, it is hard to say which ones are better than the others. Your art is always great!

[kerravonsen]

8-) Thank you.

[sallymn.livejournal.com]

I think I like the last set best, there's a feeling of age and history in the colouring... like ancient coins.

[kerravonsen]

Maybe it's the darker colours...

[saki101.livejournal.com]

It is very interesting being able to follow your process with you.

I like the blue and white ones. They remind me of the photos of earth from space.

I noticed those triangular and star-shaped holes immediately! They are both lovely. I also like the mica effect.

[kerravonsen]

8-)

I like the blue and white ones. They remind me of the photos of earth from space.
So I've done two moons, and now the Earth! 8-)

I noticed those triangular and star-shaped holes immediately! They are both lovely.

Yeah, I didn't realize one could get plier-style hole punches which had different shaped holes than just circles until I saw them in the craft shop.

I also like the mica effect.

Definitely going to try that again.

[jaxomsride.livejournal.com]

The blue and white ones are the prettiest for me. Would it alter it if certain bubbles are pre-popped before fusion/ How much would it change the pattern?

[kerravonsen]

I don't think it would, since the bubbles pop in the first fusion anyway.