Resin for Beginners: How to Get Started
Are you obsessed with resin crafts like I am? Wondering how to get started?
It can definitely feel like a huge jump and commitment to get started, but it can be so fulfilling and amazing to create art from scratch. I dry flowers with silica gel and preserve them in resin so that is what I will be focusing on, but you can use many different things in resin to create stunning pieces. I am here to help you figure it out with this guide on resin for beginners.
Must Haves to Start Resin
Here are the basic must-haves. I know it can be overwhelming with all the options, and it’s hard to know where to start. I’ve tried a number of different products and with my experience these products are a good place to start experimenting with resin.
Silica Gel- If you are working with flowers, they have to be completely dry before being put in resin.
Container for Silica Gel and flowers– I buy mine at Dollarama.
Resin– I use Chill Epoxy’s Chill Clear
Stir stick- These work great, they are silicone so they are easy to wipe down and clean.
Mixing cups- These paint mixing cups are perfect with the measurements already on them. Depending on the project and how much resin you need to mix at once, you could use 32 oz, or 16 oz. If you are using a vacuum chamber make sure to leave a lot of extra room at the top of your mixing cup for when the bubbles raise so it doesn’t overflow into the chamber.
Molds- Here is a cheaper and lesser quality mold, good for just starting out. If you are looking for higher quality molds check out Modern Mold Shop and Aaj Molds.
Personal Protective Equipment(PPE) for Resin and Silica gel
Even though many resins will say no VOCs or that a respirator is not necessary, let’s err on the side of caution and use a respirator. I use this respirator from 3M, along with these filters that come separate. I use this mask and filter when I am mixing and pouring resin, if I am in the room where I have poured resin in the last few days, while sanding resin and when I am using silica gel. Gloves are a must while working with resin- these are my favorite. I also wear gloves while working with silica gel, some people don’t, but I find it irritates my skin.
Drying Flowers with Silica Gel
In regards to silica gel for drying flowers I have tried a few different types and brands and my favorite is this silica gel by Activa. Check out this post where I go into detail about drying flowers in silica gel if you would like to learn more about the technique I use to dry the flowers so they come out looking perfectly fresh.
Choosing a Resin
There are different types of resin that are formulated to be used for different projects. What I am most familiar and what you want for preserving flowers is a casting resin. Casting resin is best for pouring 1/2” thick layers, may other resins will cure correctly if poured that deep. You may want a different type of resin for a topcoat based on personal preference, however, I use the same resin for casting and for topcoats. It is important to have a low viscosity resin to allow air bubbles to escape. Even with a low viscosity resin I find it absolutely necessary to use a vacuum chamber to eliminate bubbles prior to pouring resin into the mold. I currently use Chill Epoxy’s Chill Clear. It will take a considerable amount of experimenting with whatever resin you choose before you are completely comfortable, give it some time and know you will have to make adjustments when you first start using a new resin.
Mixing Resin
Measuring resin can be done by volume or weight- read the instructions on your resin to see if one is favorable to another for that particular type of resin. I have always measured by volume. Double check the mix ratio of your resin, I have used 1:1 and 2:1. These mixing cups are perfect with the measurements already on them. A silicone stir stick works great because it makes for an easy clean up. When mixing resin, ensure you scrape the sides and bottom of the mixing cup regularly. It is best to stir in an irregular pattern (ie. alternate between figure 8, side to side, up and down) to ensure thorough combination of Part A and Part B. Stirring in a circle the whole time may not mix resin thoroughly enough, potentially leading to wavy resin, incomplete curing, or other issues.
Bezels and Molds
When I began working with resin I started making jewelry with flowers and resin. I always used open back bezels for jewelry I’ve made.
When starting out you may want to purchase some lower cost molds until you have the hang of working with resin so as not to damage the molds and also until you are confident you want to continue working with resin and the investment in the the molds is worth it. This square silicone mold is the one I used when I first started. I found it good, it is not a sturdy or high quality as the molds I use now, but it is definitely a more affordable option for experimenting at first.
Likewise, when I began working I used this silicone mold for making my 4” round pieces.
Once you are more comfortable with resin and are interested in investing in higher quality molds I would 100% recommend Modern Mold, Aaj Molds, and Geomolds.
Please experiment with flowers you wouldn’t mind ruining before going ahead and preserving special flowers. This art is no joke.
Hopefully this resin for beginners guide was helpful in giving you a starting point for resin crafting. Be sure to check out my Instagram @wildpetalsboutique for more tips and tricks and process videos.
If you have flowers you would like preserved but are not interested in doing it yourself I would love to create a stunning piece with your flowers. Book here for an upcoming wedding. If you have flowers that are already dried or another specific request send me an email.
