Once upon a time, there was a magical polymer that could change into anything its owner wanted. One day, a young artist discovered this polymer and decided to use it for her art. She loved Art Nouveau and Pictorial Realism, but she couldn't decide which style to use. So, she combined the two!

She used the polymer to create a beautiful painting with the flowing lines of Art Nouveau and the lifelike details of Pictorial Realism. But as she was putting the finishing touches on her masterpiece, she realized that the polymer was starting to shrink!

She quickly went to see the wizard who had given her the polymer, but he was out of town. So, she went to the local hardware store and asked the salesperson how she could cure the shrinking polymer. The salesperson suggested using a trowel to spread a special cure over the painting, like frosting on a cake.

With a trowel in hand, the young artist spread the cure over her painting and watched as the shrinking stopped and the colors became even more vibrant. She was so happy with the results that she decided to add some extra details with a palette knife.

And that's how the young artist became the most famous in all the land for her unique and creative art, made from a magical polymer, and saved by a trowel and a palette knife!

Reflections

1. Why did the young artist use a trowel to cure her painting?
2. What was special about the young artist's art?
3. How did the young artist feel when she saw the results of using the cure on her painting?
4. What would you have done if you were the young artist and your painting started to shrink?
5. Can you think of another way the young artist could have saved her shrinking painting?