Resin art looks gorgeous but it can be quite hard to get it right. I tried resin art for the first time and came out with some really nice pieces but also some really ugly pieces. I made quite a few mistakes that I think can be easily avoided. I thought it would be great to share some resin art tips.
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Things You Need:
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Silicone Molds – Jewellery Box Molds | Zodiac Pendants | Alphabet Pendants | Coasters | Soap Bathroom Dispensers
Acrylic Paint Set or Liquid Epoxy Resin Pigment
1 Prep is important. Have an idea of how you want your resin art to be and have all your materials ready before starting.
You only have a small window with using the resin before it starts to set. This is usually around 30 minutes. Have everything that you need in front of you before starting. I also have saved a few resin art pins on Pinterest for inspiration that I can look at before and during resin art. I found that most of my pieces that went ‘wrong’ are the ones I was more spontaneous with.
I also like having all my spare silicone moulds ready just in case i have residue resin left and so none of it goes to waste.
2 Wear protective clothing and protect your workstation
Resin is very sticky so wearing gloves is a must. I like sticking a sheet of plastic on top of the table to ensure my table stays intact. Wear a mask as well. Epoxy resin can cause allergies and respiratory issues. Wear eye protection. Lastly, wear clothing that you are ok with ruining. Resin can get onto your clothes and it won’t come off.
3 Make sure your table is level
If your resin is not level, your resin art will cure unevenly and can even spill over the edges of the mold. This happened to me so it was really important I had a sheet of plastic on my table or there would be resin everywhere.
4 Work in ideal temperatures
Resin will work best between 70-75 F or 21-24 C. Working when it is too cold may mean it may take longer for the resin to set or worse not harden properly.
I worked on a night that may have been a bit too cold and one of my resin art came across a bit unfinished. One of the edges of my hexagon was still really soft even after more than 24 hours.
This was my least favourite piece I made. You can tell the edges on the top right look a bit uneven. What was even worse was I absolutely hate how the colours came out so I painted over it.
5 Don’t stir your resin too quickly but stir it well and have a blow torch
Stirring your resin too quickly can make it prone to getting more bubbles. However, do stir thoroughly to ensure the two different resins mix well. This is to ensure that the resin reacts properly. Not having the right ratio or not stirring enough could lead to complications to the resin hardening properly.
Bubbles can also form when resin is poured and is something everyone wants to avoid.
As you can see, I find bubbles are more obvious on clear pieces.
You can see how bad the bubbles are in this piece as you can see all along the edge. It wasn’t something I noticed as I was working on it so it was mildly infuriating.
In hindsight, I was a little lazy and didn’t bother with a blow torch despite watching everyone’s Youtube tutorial telling you to have a blow torch to get rid of bubbles.
So yes – that blow torch and heat gun is really essential!
6 Start off small and simple
I definitely liked my coloured pieces a lot less than my clear pieces. Start off with smaller moulds and work your way up to bigger ones. You won’t be amazing and that’s ok because you’ll learn a lot on the way.
Because I didn’t check if my table was level, the paint mixing may not turn out exactly how you wanted and it’s hard to predict how the final product will look.
I find that simple looks the nicest. You’re less likely to make mistakes. I really liked the pieces on the right whilst the pieces on the left I was a bit more spontaneous and hated how they turned out so I repainted them.
Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Choose a project that matches your skillset.
So I’ve learnt I can paint on resin once it hardens and had nice results with it.
Without a doubt, these were my two favourite pieces. They came out just as how I envisioned it. They cured great and the projects were simple. It was just pouring clear resin with gold foil and dried leaves.
Sometimes less is more.
7 Have fun with it!
If you have that mentality, that it may not come out perfectly, you’ll be less disappointed with the end result. I had so much fun with the creating process and it was cool and exciting to see how it turned out even if they didn’t turn it as nice as I hoped.
If you’ve been interested in trying resin crafts, go for it! Trust the process!
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