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Resin is a really interesting medium to work with. It can be just as fun as it is frustrating to work with. There's a learning curve to making your own resin creations, and I'm here to help!
So what is resin anyway?
Resin is a naturally occurring, plant based substance. The resin used in art is usually a synthetic version. When mixed with a hardener, a chemical reaction occurs, causing the resin to harden (also known as curing) and form what is effectively a plastic. Resin made products, however, are generally considered better for the environment because they breakdown faster than most plastics.
Fun fact! Resin is used for 'liquid glass' electscreen protection and in gel nail polish.
When working with resin you need to be mindful that you are working with materials that are causing chemical reactions. Some people will experience allergic reactions, so it's best to proceed with caution when getting started. You should also do additional research on your own on VOCs (volatile organic compounds) and perhaps even speak with you doctor.
That being said, the first thing you need to consider is where are you going to do your resin work. You need a well ventilated area that is separate from your living area. You don't want children or pets accidently getting into your uncured resin. That would be bad both for them and your resin project.
Working with resin also requires a level surface. You will see others describe resin as 'self leveling'. That just means it's essentially a thick liquid when mixed up and gravity will make it level out like it does to water and brownie batter. If your work surface isn't level, you may see some of your finished pieces coming out of molds uneven. If you've watched my Facebook Lives then chances are you've seen me use toothpicks, popsicle sticks, and a leveler to make sure my canvases are level before I pour.
Temperature of your workspace is another consideration. The resin you purchase will have recommendations on temperature. Your biggest concern may be fluctuating temperature. If your workspace is your garage then there may be times where you cannot pour because it's either too hot or too cold. Or if you're using a room with a lot of natural sunlight then you may see significant temperature changes throughout the day. Moderate and consistent temperatures is the key here. Failing to do so can cause your resin project to cure with blemishes or clouding.
Next let us look at PPE. This is a hot button issue in resin art. Full resin PPE requires the full body suite, full face respirator, nitrile gloves, washing your clothes and showering after pouring, and then leaving your project to off-gas for thirty days. But you rarely see these precautions being taken when watching resin art videos on TikTok.
I'm not a doctor and I'm not an expert. But there are thousands of people who use resin daily without the full PPE who never experience negative health effects.
My biggest PPE concerns are getting resin in my eyes and inhaling fumes from a flash cure (more on that later). I wear these safety glasses when pouring resin. And on the rare occasion of a flash cure I carefully take the flash curing piece outside and set it on my cement patio.
You will also want gloves to keep the resin off your hands. I use these gloves all the time. (Pro tip: if you do get resin on your hands or skin use an exfoliating body or face wash to get rid of it)
Resin can also easily get on your clothing. Especially when starting out use clothing that you don't mind throwing out afterwards. Washing will not get the resin out. Use an apron if you can (but don't use that same apron in the kitchen afterwards!). If you determine that you're going to be doing a lot of resin work (yay!) then I highly recommend purchasing an apron. Your apron does not need to be anything special except to cover the clothes that you want covered. But if you've seen my beautiful apron on Facebook Live then here's the link to that.
Because it's totally unknown if you will have any adverse reactions to resin I do recommend using more PPE. You can get a full respirator mask like this one. Or you can do a half face respirator mask like this one that I use. The difference here is the half face comes with separate eye goggles. Personally I use the eye goggles and this respirator for power sanding resin pieces, and the respirator and the safety glasses when pouring resin.
As a side note, I also use different shoes for working in my studio. Resin spills on the floor and I'd rather not track it around my house.
Do your own research to determine what you believe is best for you in regards to PPE.
So now you've determined where to do your resin and you have the gear you need to pour resin safely. What's next for the beginner resin artist?
You'll want to protect your workspace surface. You can purchase silicone mats that are easy cleaning like these. Or you could just use plastic wrap. I would recommend starting out with plastic wrap, then getting the silicone mats if you decide you're going to do a lot more resin.
Now you're REALLY ready to get started!
It's time to decide what you want to make (if you haven't already!).
I suggest selecting a starter kit. Amazon is a great place to find kits. Most national craft stores also have resin supplies, but I am yet to find a complete kit in stores.
There are lots of kits to chose from. Here's what you want to look for.
1) PPE - unless you've already purchased gloves, often times you can find gloves with a starter kit.
2) Cups, pipettes, and stirring sticks - Many kits come with these, but some don't. Cups can be either disposable or silicone. The silicone cups are meant to be cleaned out after use and then used again for the next pour. Pipettes are great for extra control on where and how much resin you put in a mold. Some people prefer the syringes, but it's up to you. And stirring sticks can be plastic, silicone, or popsicle sticks.
3) Inclusions - items that you put in resin are called inclusions. They can be pigments, glitters, rocks, beads, feathers, dried flowers, foils, or anything else you can think of! Most kits comes with sample sized glitters. Some do come with samples of mica powders. Look for sample sized inclusions that you think you want to have in your resin.
4) Silicone molds - these are what you pour your resin into to make your very own creation! There are tons of possibilities out there when purchasing separate, but the molds you will find in starter kits are great for a feel for the medium.
Here are some starter kits that I recommend from Amazon
LET'S RESIN JEWELRY MAKING KIT
This would be my first choice for a beginner. It has a little bit of everyone you could want to get started. It comes with resin, several small jewelry molds, foil, resin pigment, mica powder, dried flowers, glitter, keychain rings, earring hooks, necklace cords, spoons and sticks for stirring, plastic measuring cups, pipettes, and gloves. If this $30 kit was the only thing you purchased you would be all set to get started!
If you're not interested in making jewelry then the coaster mold kit is a great route to go. This kit comes with resin, four different coaster molds, foil, mica powder, measuring ups, stirring sticks, pipettes, and gloves. Like jewelry, coasters make great beginner projects because they are simple, don't require large quantities of resin, and can be done in one pour and are ready to demold the next day. Coasters in particular are great for trying out new techniques. This starter kit is also very economical at only $32.
SUMERBOX RESIN MICA KIT and SUMERBOX PIGMENT KIT
Do you already have a particular project or silicon mold in mind to get started? They either of these two kits are great for getting started. The $35 Mica kit comes with resin, foil, glitter, mica powder, stirring sticks, pipettes, cups, and gloves. The $22 Pigment kit comes with resin, pigment, cups, pipettes, and gloves. The only thing you'll need then is to purchase your silicone molds separately to get started.
At this point, follow the directions in your kit and have fun!
So what can you expect as a beginner? You'll have fails and you'll have successes both as a beginner and as a seasoned artist. If you stopped to check out the picture at the beginning of the blog post, you'll see the results of my very first pour. Some of those pieces I have gone on to sell, but many of those have ended up in in my fail bucket or my could-be-useful-later bucket. The important thing was a learned a lot with that first pour, and every pour since then!
Once you get started I invite you to come back and share the results of your first pour in the comments!
P.S. Some of you have seen my pictures of my desk with my awesome name plate. Enjoy!
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