* fun with resin
Posted on December 26th, 2007 by maitreya. Filed under Experiments, Jewelry, Resin.
My sister got me casting resin for Christmas, and boy did we have a fun time with it. Look at all this stuff we made. I’ve been wanting to try resin for a while (ye olde craftlog archives say since 2004!), and it is as fun and cool as I’d hoped. Comment with any favorite/inspirational resin links because I’m definitely hooked.
We tried all sorts of stuff for molds, and shockingly everything worked except for a tiny petri dish (I have a feeling a larger petri dish might still work because it’s more flexible), a very rigid contact lens case, and a thin plastic candy mold (which sort of worked except that I had to destroy the mold to get the thing out, see below). No mold release for anything, though 15 minutes in the freezer helped considerably for some of them.
My favorite one, a piece of Japanese fabric in a ~1.5×2 inch mold. Kind of Amy Ruppel-ish, no?
My favorite one that Ariel made, a zombie in a ~.5x.75 inch dollar store pill box mold with fabric background and a vintage model railroad figurine.
The pill boxes were really good molds. This one has a piece of washi paper embedded.
And these ones are buttons. Ariel is going to make a bracelet from them.
Another good mold idea I got from Crafters Coast to Coast is a plastic paint palette. The embeds are a carefully cut out fabric flower and a 1 inch punch from my 2007 Snow and Graham calendar. I am in love with the fabric flower.
plastic flowers
A candy mold with a plastic flower embed. The resin kind of melted or reacted or who knows what with the mold and I had to cut it off. Because of this, the surface is not as smooth as the others, but I think it’ll look great after some sanding.
My mom also got me a box of chalk pastels to use for coloring. They seemed to work, though I have to pay better attention to adding only really fine dust. There are a few clumps or bigger pieces in them. The cubes have one layer clear, one layer colored, but it’s hard to see. I think if I pour them deeper next time they’ll look super cool, kind of like plastic versions of P1 Unless Otherwise Noted’s awesome glass jewelry. The upper left one was molded in a contact lens case and you can see the starburst pattern in it. It looks like a piece of candy.
Now to drill holes in them all. :)
42 Responses to “fun with resin”
books I’m in
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5-Ingredient Easy White Chicken Chili | gimmesomeoven.com #soup
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Autumn is in the air! What better time than to create pumpkin art. Includes Two pumpkins: 2 stems 2 pumpkin bodies Measurements: Larger pumpkin: 3.75 tall Smaller pumpkin: 2 tall Hand carved for thick durable rubber. Perfect for many paper and fabric projects. This stamp #fabricstamping - dlmn
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December 26th, 2007 at 8:48 am
Wow, it looks like you gals had a lot of fun. I have yet to dabble in resin but surely hope to soon.
December 26th, 2007 at 12:40 pm
Would you be willing to run through the basics for those of us who are familiar with (and love) the results of resin, but don’t know much about the process? Like where to get the materials, and just briefly how it works? Your stuff is gorgeous!!!
December 26th, 2007 at 7:43 pm
hey! thanks so much for the shoutout! your resin looks awesome – I’ve been wanting to experiment w/ resin as well. mebbe you have inspired me for 2008! happy new year!
December 26th, 2007 at 9:43 pm
wow, this is fantastic! i am very impressed! looks like so much fun! -kb
December 27th, 2007 at 11:49 am
They look very cool. I want to try this very bad but I have no idea where to get supplies here in Sweden. Do you know if one can buy resin online? Great work, I hope you do more!
December 27th, 2007 at 1:09 pm
Hi,
I have a suggestion for the holes. When you pour your resin in, put a piece of wire through the spot that you want your hole. I hold it up with tape across the mold in a criss cross fashion.Polk the wire through the center of the tape,to keep it upright. Then when it dries, you have a hole already. I learned this through trial and error. :)
Shelley
December 27th, 2007 at 1:53 pm
Those look awesome! How long did it take you to do all of those? Where did you get your supplies?
December 27th, 2007 at 3:09 pm
I just bought resin! I’m in Canada and i got it at an art supply store (Wallacks), although the craft store (Michaels) had it too….I’m super inspired and ready to get cracking! If you’re casting fabric it’s a good idea to seal it first with and acrylic medium…like Podge.
December 27th, 2007 at 8:32 pm
Oh boy, like I need yet another craft to get addicted to! How did you decide which resin to use, with or without the catalyst? And did you do them in layers, drying between layers? I need to find a tutorial somewhere, I did a quick Google search but need to dig a bit deeper. Or you could do a step-by-step tute! Hint hint! :)
December 28th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
Awesome. It all looks so pro!
December 28th, 2007 at 7:22 pm
That is so awesome! I wish I could have been there for the marathon resin session…Ah, how I miss Craft Night!!
December 28th, 2007 at 10:17 pm
Those are great! How did you get your pieces to be so clear? Mine always seem to have so many bubbles…
December 28th, 2007 at 10:22 pm
How sweet of your sis! I’ve been wanting to get one to make shoes for my Blythe dolls. Happy holidays!
December 29th, 2007 at 11:09 am
ooh! I hope you post the ones you’ve drilled holes in! These came out great! I did a test run myself and I got a ton of air bubbles. But I kept them to practice drilling holes in them with my dremel. It didn’t turn out so well (but I didn’t really try that hard as it got kinda messy and then I stopped) so I’m curious to see how yours do!
December 29th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
for those of you looking for instructions this might be helpful…
http://www.eti-usa.com/consum/easycast/easycast.html
December 30th, 2007 at 3:28 pm
Ooh — they turned out so nicely. I think the jaunty angle of the zombie lady makes her look more zombie-ish.
December 30th, 2007 at 4:35 pm
These turned out really awesome! My sis got me a resin kit too, but I’ve been a little nervous to try it… check out http://www.art-e-zine.co.uk/resin.html for some really great resin info.
January 2nd, 2008 at 1:30 pm
I just started playing with resin also, but it was impossible to find at the local Michaels or AC Moore. Auto parts stores and Home Depot have tinted casting resin (look in the fiberglass repair section) which is fine if you are going to paint your casted object, but otherwise unacceptable. I finally purchased on the internet.
Using a small plastic film cannister I cast my son’s wedding cake for posterity. First, put down a shallow layer in the cannister. Soak a cube of the cake in a bit of resin while waiting. After about 20 minutes, place the cake in the tube and then pour the next layer. By presoaking the cake in resin, it will be less likely to float in this layer. Finally, print a small disk with the couple’s names and the date of the wedding. Pre-soak this in resin, and after the previous layer has set for 20 mintes, float this disk (word side up) on the resin and pour a bit more. After the whole thing sets it should come out of the cannister nicely.
January 4th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
OMG this reminds me so much of a resin jewellery kit I got one summer as a kid. It had shaped moulds for earrings, brooches etc. My brother and I made the most fantastic bee earrings and ant brooches…. oh to be young again! But it does remind me that you could just hot glue gun some clasps or pins or even magnets on the back rather than making holes perhaps?
February 7th, 2008 at 9:24 am
What wonderful ideas you have! I love your work!
What exactly the resine’s name and brand?
Can I buy it in Home Center or Ace or only in craft store?
Is it like cold enamel in 2 bottles?
Can I use every sort of mold I want?
Thanks –
Bye –
Yona –
P.S.: There is a lot of interesting stuff to learn in my french blog with a lot of videos, most of videos are in english, my blog is also translated in english here:
http://translate.google.com/translate?u=http%3A%2F%2Fyonab.canalblog.com%2F&langpair=fr%7Cen&hl=en&ie=UTF-8
February 8th, 2008 at 7:15 am
Your pieces look great! I just started experimenting with doing resin inside bottlecaps to make them into pushpins.
Did you coat the papers with anything before covering with resin? My papers got that wet look from the resin, so I think I’ll try Mod Podging them before the resin next time. So the pill boxes and lens case resins just popped out after going in the freezer? Also, what tools did you use to measure and pour? Sorry for so many questions, I’m just excited to try new stuff. Thanks for sharing!!! :)
February 9th, 2008 at 6:03 pm
Elena, there is a great product to protect printed paper: a spray of “Fixative Concentrated” for pastel, charcoal, pencil… (from Talens). Try it. I know it is good before varnish.
February 10th, 2008 at 9:06 pm
Thanks, Yona! I’ll have to swing by Michael’s tomorrow. I made a huge batch of the bottlecaps tonight and with the Mod Podge they were protected well, but hopefully the spray will be easier to use.
February 11th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Elena, you can also use 2 others spray, there are varnish and it will protect your paper and your resine creations: “acrylic sealer/finisher gloss” of Decoart or “Triple thick, Brillant gloss glaze” of Decoart, I think it’s good for what you want to do. But if this a printed paper with your printer, put one of them after the spray of “Fixative Concentrated” I talked about before.
Do you have a blog?
February 11th, 2008 at 6:09 pm
Elena, you can also use 2 others sprays, there are varnish and it will protect your paper and your resine creations: “acrylic sealer/finisher gloss” of Decoart or “Triple thick, Brillant gloss glaze” of Decoart, I think it’s good for what you want to do. But if this a printed paper with your printer, put one of them after the spray of “Fixative Concentrated” I talked about before.
Do you have a blog?
February 13th, 2008 at 4:20 pm
Yona: Yes, I do have a blog, but it’s more for personal posting so family/friends can keep up with me. I look at blogs like this one and am so impressed I know I could never come close to making one similar. Maybe I’ll start adding more crafty postings to my blog, though. Anyway, it’s ShopaholicElena.blogspot.com….you’re welcome to take a peek! :) thanks again for your help!
March 10th, 2008 at 7:47 am
I love these. I never would have thought of using a paint palette though! Thanks
March 22nd, 2008 at 2:21 am
I did resin casting as a kid, had a blast (make sure you’re in a well-ventilated area, though–headache!) I have been interested for some time, in trying my hand at this again. How fun to find your blog entries here!
April 10th, 2008 at 7:06 pm
Hi. Interesting objects you made.
I’m familiar with jewelry being made out of polymer clay (such as Sculpey), but I have no clue what is meant here by “resin.” You mention melting it, but is this craft product called by any other name?
Photos of the materials you actually used would be a help to some of us more visually oriented people.
Thanks,
Kat ^.^
April 12th, 2008 at 12:12 am
These looks like they all came out pretty darned good! I love what you came up with here. :)
May 12th, 2008 at 5:46 pm
What kind of drill would you need to drill the holes in the resin after?
August 10th, 2008 at 1:11 am
To drill resin, you can try a woodburning tool.
Bye
Yona
August 19th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
It was easier to remove your resin casts if you left them in the freezer? I’m trying to find out some info on my own on what type of molds I can use, but it seems you can use almost anything :D
August 25th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Wow! im glad to find all these great ideas! im actually looking to resin fabric over a small table, kind of like the tables at the restaurant rain Forest cafe (if anyone is familiar with them).. is there a way to paint resin over such a large surface or does it have to be molded/casted? this is my first stop after googling.. so im still looking for info.. maybe you guys can help? can i buy resin at home depot? or only craft stores? im thinking i might need a large amount for a table.
thanks in advance for any guidance!
August 25th, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Wow! im glad to find all these great ideas! im actually looking to resin fabric over a small table, kind of like the tables at the restaurant rain Forest cafe (if anyone is familiar with them).. is there a way to paint resin over such a large surface or does it have to be molded/casted? this is my first stop after googling.. so im still looking for info.. maybe you guys can help? can i buy resin at home depot? or only craft stores? im thinking i might need a large amount for a table.
thanks in advance for any guidance!
September 7th, 2008 at 12:34 pm
Your resin pieces look great! I have been making resin pieces with my photographs ever since I saw that episode of Crafters Coast to Coast.
The problem I ran into today while trying to drill through a piece so I could thread it onto some elastic cord was that in the middle of drilling the resin melted around the bit and it is now stuck in the piece of resin. I have it soaking in some acetone now, hoping it will release the bit. But I still can’t figure out how to get holes into my resin pieces without making my drill bits part of the piece.
October 25th, 2008 at 8:55 pm
Hi,
I just bought all the stuff for this- I’m excited to make some neat jewelry! :]
I was wondering if you could explain any tips and tricks to doing this? I couldn’t find the castin’ craft idea book anywhere (not paying $5 shipping to get a $3 book online either). Im better with having someone whos already done it explain it to me. heh.
mrfn8r@gmail.com
…when doing multiple layers, is it easy to mess up? I’m hoping to embed a 3D-looking thing with song lyrics lines printed out from the computer…
and what did you mix it in? It says an UNwaxed cup, so are plain old plastic cups okay? and do you have to use a different cup for each layer?
sorry for all the questions, I’m just very nervous! :]
thank you so much!
July 6th, 2009 at 4:17 pm
Anyone have any luck getting cured resin out of a mold? I used mold release but the resin won’t budge.
April 28th, 2010 at 2:02 am
i had the ame problem.i found that if you warm the mold with a blow dryer, and keep moving it around the mold especially under it for a few seconds at a time then begin prying it out youll notice that air pockets start to form inside the mold.workyour fingers in those areas pushing the air pockets so they begin to let loose.after you get it out do not man-handle the pieces to much as it is on the softer side.let them reset to a hardened stage.
so you dont go thru this again always use some kind of release agent. me personally I use a light oil on a bit of paper towelto wipe inside my molds and then I lightly dabaway the excessso it is just barely there. works for me!
March 19th, 2011 at 2:46 pm
I make fabric sculptures (all types of fabrics in
one sculpture) – Have used plexiglass boxes to
protect fabric – but need advice on best resin coating to paint on curved fabric sculpture that will not crack. Can you recommend one?
Thanks
March 31st, 2011 at 11:37 am
Has anyone ever tried using moon sand as a mold? Itis that kid’s toy sand thet you can mold into shapes, then re-use. I have heard of people using playdough as their mold for the resin, but it ruining the dough. I tohught the mmon sand would be easy to get off the resin once it had hardened but was unsure if the reaction would ruin the moon sand. Anybody got any feedback?
April 9th, 2012 at 10:58 pm
hi. I am from iran. Do you have pill box mold? Where are you from? Thanks