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Cover your resin masterpiece with an overturned cup or similar and place it under your lamp. The warmth from the light will help the resin cure.
Ideally, resin dries to a glossy, perfect glass-like finish. This is not necessary if you are using a mold or if the bezel is already closed on one side. Brush the object s that will be embedded with resin hold object with tweezers and apply resin with a foam brush or stir stick. The bottom of your mold or bezel will end up being the front of your piece, so place the transparency in upside-down. Mix the epoxy to suitable ratio.
Resist touching or moving it until morning! Ideally, gravity will work the bubbles to the top and out of your resin. If it needs some help, you have a few options. For deep bubbles in wet resin , pop with a pin or fine toothpick.
Do this before the resin starts to set or you'll ruin it. For bubbles closer to the surface, a little hot breath can sometimes give them the last bit of encouragement they need to rise. You can also apply heat with a torch, passing it VERY briefly over the surface. Don't linger or you'll burn it!
Heat guns and hair dryers aren't recommended as they can blow dust and who-knows-what into your work. If your resin doesn't set up in the bezel, even after giving it a couple of days to be sure, you can use Attack! Anything you put in the resin is most likely gone, however, so consider this a last resort. If your resin doesn't set up in a mold, just clean it out as best you can and then use rubbing alcohol to clean the mold before trying again.
If your resin looks foamy after setting, unfortunately there's nothing that you can do. This foaminess is caused when moisture gets trapped in the resin, usually from plants that aren't completely dry or sealed. Make sure organic matter is dry and that porous materials are well sealed with gel medium before encasing them in resin.
If your papers and artwork look blurry after the resin has cured, it's heartbreaking. Avoid blurred inks by sealing papers well with gel medium. Ideally, resin dries to a glossy, perfect glass-like finish. To create a satin or matte finish—or to hide imperfections—buff the surface with fine- and gradually finer-grit sandpapers.
So now, whenever I sit down to work with resin, I have a new strategy. I make something using slightly less precious materials first and get out my jitters—then let my second piece be the more precious piece.
Want more information and inspiration for working with resin and other creative mixed-media jewelry techniques? Get Cynthia Thornton's charming book Enchanted Adornments: One of my favorite jewelry-making books, it's a stunning collection of beautiful drawings and fantastical fairy-tale — like journal entries that introduce the projects. It's a storybook, gallery, technique guide, and project collection all in one.
You must be logged in to post a comment. You just need a few simple tools, all available on our favorite online craft store, Amazon ;. This helps the resin mix nicely, and helps avoid air bubbles.
If you've always wondered if you could make resin jewelry in the comfort of your home, E quick hold adhesive (if making rings or pins). Making Resin Jewelry. Not only is resin jewelry fun to make, it can be an inexpensive way to be creative! You can add colors and found objects.
Be sure to cover your workspace with wax paper — resin does not wash off! Next, get your fillers ready.
We came up with all sorts of good stuff to repurpose, source, print out, and sprinkle for our resin molds. Use your resin mold to organize your fillers. Cut down what you need to so that you can quickly put everything together once you pour the resin. Mix for two minutes straight and be sure to scrap the sides of your cup often.
Or sacrifice a cheap plastic measuring cup, and pour the resin mix into a condiment bottle for easy pouring. You can still use these things for resin after, just nowhere near your medicine cabinet or kitchen. For the measuring cup.