How To Make Vet Wrap Art

Since the beginning of time, people have looked for ways to express themselves through art. Whether through stone carvings or paint, macramé or paper-mâché art plays an important part in our lives. As time moves forward, the types of art mediums have changed and crafters will always be looking for something new or different. This looking for the unique is what leads us to create vet wrap art.

The Bandage Artists  group on Instagram creates amazing designs using vet wrap. The artists are led by Jack Dewees. Most work in the medical field and hail from around the globe. They use vet wrap to decorate bandages used on both people and pets. The wet wrap art pieces they design to enhance bandages are amazing, and the work of true artisans!

Designing Vet Wrap Art

But, you don’t have to be in the medical field to create vet wrap art. It is a great medium for design. But like any art, there are specific tools that work best for creating vet wrap art. They are:

Vet Wrap

Vet wrap comes in a variety of colors and various widths. Jack says that he prefers the 4-inch roll for his designs. We like to create with the 4-inch as well but many of our designs are made with 3-inch rolls. We make our designs with WildCow.

Good scissors

A sharp pair of scissors is a must for creating vet wrap art. In the Vet Wrap workshop, you will find several pairs of scissors that vary in size. For just general cutting, we use a pair of fabric scissors, for simple shapes – circles, squares, etc.- we use a medium pair of scissors, and for detail work, we use small fine tip scissors. Having different size pairs makes it possible to create vet wrap art that is detailed.

Templates

Oftentimes it is helpful to have an exact cut, especially if straight line and mirror images are not your strong suit! This is where using templates comes in handy. Whether you opt for template sheets, cookie cutters, or something you print from the web, a template is especially helpful.

Work area

While any space can be used for crafting, but we have found that having a table where you can spread out your supplies is helpful. In addition, you will want good lighting, and a place to store your vet wrap art tools and templates.

Patience

There are many items you can design with vet wrap. Just keep in mind that creating vet wrap art will take a bit of patience. This is because the element that makes vet wrap so perfect for bandaging--that it sticks to itself--can also make it difficult to design with.

Turning Items into Vet Wrap Art

Markers or Paint

Sometimes, you need a way to add a little extra detail. This is when using a touch of paint or a marker is ideal. While it is the goal of the Vet Wrap art team to do as much of the vet wrap art pieces as possible with just the bandage wrap, occasionally it is helpful to use paint or markers to do details such as facial features with a non-vet wrap product.

Natural items

From raffia to branches, there are numerous items in nature that can be incorporated in vet wrap art. Just look around you for inspiration.

Craft Aisle items

When it comes to finding ideas for your vet wrap art projects, take a stroll through your local craft store. We have used elements such as pom-poms, Styrofoam blocks, beads, cardboard tags, and googly eyes just to name a few. But there is no limit to how you can combine vet wrap art and those craft store finds.

Finding Your Vet Wrap Art Inspiration

We find inspiration in a variety of places. Sometimes it's inspired by the news, or the time of year, but more often, it is based on the container we are designing. Perhaps our favorite container(s) to use are wine bottles as they are such fun to decorate. We have used bottles as in the above to create items such as holiday decorations, room décor, and much more.

The great thing about designing vet wrap art is that the pieces can be whimsical, inspired by a classic look, be based on a cartoon character or any other idea you like. It just takes a bit of time and some patience to design. Of course, it also provides a great deal of pleasure and satisfaction.

So, grab your vet wrap, your craft tools, and discover your inner artist! And when you do, be sure to send us pics of your vet wrap art pieces. We would love to see and showcase them on our social media.

Thanks to Jan Slagell for developing this post and the awesome vet wrap art designs!