Artistic uses for shrinkable plastic film, particularly shrink sleeve label film

Abstract

The present invention concerns a new use for shrinkable plastic film, particularly shrink sleeve label film, which can be directly anchored to a frame (which may or may not already have a canvas) to form a novel shrink film canvas. The inner and/or outer surface of said film can be printed and/or painted on, preferably heat shrunk to conform to the edges of said frame, and can be further treated by methods and means known to the art, to serve as a painting on a shrink film canvas. If only the inner part of the canvas is printed or painted on, the outer surface of the shrink film can serve as a protective layer, while also providing a glossy sheen normally achieved through the application of a varnish medium. The painted or unpainted plastic film, can further be treated as necessary to further alter and/or enhance the appearance of the image it carries, and need not be limited to canvas art work, and instead be used as a singular product, such as, for example, gift wrapping material, or in combination with other products, such as in a kit.

Claims

1. A new use for shrinkable plastic film, particularly shrink sleeve label film, comprising, in combination, said shrink film anchored to a frame (which may or may not already have a canvas), printed or painted on one or both sides, which may be shrunk by heat to fit the dimensions of said frame, and which may be further treated by methods and means known to the art, in order to produce a new and novel artistic canvas medium; essentially, a new kind of painting.

2. A new use for shrinkable plastic film, particularly shrink sleeve label film, comprising said shrink film as a single product to be marketed individually for the new use described in claim 1.

3. A new use for shrinkable plastic film, particularly shrink sleeve label film, comprising said shrink film, which may or may not be printed or painted on, for use as gift wrapping paper.

4. A new use for shrinkable plastic film, particularly shrink sleeve label film, comprising one or more of the items described in claim 1, in combination as a kit.

Description

[0007] The drawings illustrate the construction and use of the invention.

[0008] FIG. 1a illustrates that shrink film, preferably shrink sleeve label film, would be used as the support medium for paint (1).

[0009] FIG 1b illustrates a side perspective of FIG 1a. Paint, which can be one or a variety of colors, would be applied to the “inner” side layer of the film (2) Instead of paint, an image can be printed or transferred to the “inner” side layer of the film. Once dried, the painted film would anchor to the frame (3a) by essentially wrapping around the sides of the frame and to the back (like the cotton or linen material of a traditional canvas does), with the painted side directly facing said frame (3b).

[0010] FIG. 2 illustrates the anchoring on the back of the frame could be accomplished by one or a variety of methods, such as, and not limited to, the stiffness of the shrunken film itself, glue, adhesives, tape, staples, solvent welding, etc., etc. (4).

[0011] FIG. 3 illustrates that once all paint and solvent are dried, a heat gun would be applied in order to cause the painted film to aesthetically shrink to a minimal size, which is generally the size of the frame, so that it may grasp said frame snugly and tightly to form the final painted film canvas (5). In this way, although the inner side of the film may have a rough texture due to the applied paint being uneven, the outer side or sides of the film will appear and feel flat, with the overall image and the final painted film canvas having a uniform look, similar in scope to that of a commercial shrink sleeve label (6a). If, instead, it is the outer side of the film that will receive paint, it may have a rough texture due to the applied paint being uneven, and so this variant of the invention will appear as a standard painting, but will use plastic film, instead of cotton or linen, as the canvas support medium to create the final painted film canvas (6b).

[0012] FIG. 4 illustrates a variation (7) whereby Step 1 will have the inner painted shrink film anchored to the frame from the top down. Step 2 will have the ends of the inner painted film seamed shut at the bottom of the frame, and Step 3 will have the whole of the painted shrink film/frame exposed to heat (preferably from a heat gun) so that the inner painted shrink film will shrink down to minimal size to snugly and tightly fit the surface of the frame. In this way, the final painted film canvas will have an image on both the front and back side of it consistent with the description and qualities of the final products described in this provisional patent application (8).

[0013] FIG. 5 is a color photograph of the front side of a final painted film canvas created from a mini-canvas and an Arizona tea shrink sleeve label with a Statue of Liberty facial image. The mini-canvas cotton or linen cover was kept and the shrink sleeve label was used as the painted shrink film medium. The shrink sleeve label was anchored properly to the back of the mini-canvas with staples, and once the image was centered correctly, heat from a heat gun was applied and the shrink sleeve label shrunk down to the minimal size of the mini-canvas surface. The staples and excess shrink sleeve label plastic from the back of the canvas were removed. The final product was the desired and expected painted film canvas.

[0014] FIG. 6 is a color photograph of the back side of the aforementioned final painted film canvas created from a mini-canvas and an Arizona tea shrink sleeve label with a Statue of Liberty facial image.

[0015] FIG. 7 is a color photograph of lower-angle side view of the aforementioned final painted film canvas created from a mini-canvas and an Arizona tea shrink sleeve label with a Statue of Liberty facial image. In this photo, two of the sides of the final painted film canvas, are visible.

[0016] The more detailed steps of this invention are not required to occur linearly, and can be arranged as desired, and the materials and methods used can be varied but still remain within the spirit and scope of the invention. For example, the shrink film could be heat treated and shrunk before being painted or printed on.

[0017] As an example of an all-inclusive kit, the frame (with or without a cotton or linen cover), PETG film, and, if necessary, NMP solvent, could be sold for creating paintings on shrinkable plastic film. Or, the PETG film and NMP solvent, could be sold as a kit for creating gift wrapping paper.

[0018] Further treatment of the painted or printed product can occur by methods and means known to the art. For example, by the application of varnish or matte medium.

[0019] As regards the wish of the present inventor to cover every aspect of said and present invention as thoroughly as possible, the following excerpt, proficiently describing said present inventor's wish, is included with this patent application.

[0020] Taken from U.S. Pat. No. 4,739,116:

[0021] “Although this invention has been described with respect to specific embodiments, the details thereof are not to be construed as limitations, for it will be apparent that various equivalents, changes and modifications may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and it is understood that such equivalent embodiments are intended to be included herein.”