A filler is anything that a craftsman adds to epoxy resin jewelry to create unique designs. Since resin is completely transparent, it requires fillers unless you specifically want to create a purely transparent piece.
A wide variety of materials can be used as fillers.
The first stage of creating jewelry - the idea
Before starting to create jewelry and adding fillers to it, it is necessary to come up with an idea of how the jewelry will look. Ideas can be drawn from the main trends and latest collections of leading jewelry brands or even from everyday things.
At the initial stage, it is important to consider:
- Composition - the harmonious arrangement of elements in the jewelry.
- Proportions - the ratio of the quantity and sizes of the fillers.
- Perspective - creating a three-dimensional effect by varying the size and shape of the fillers in the piece.
- Color scheme - the combination of colors.
Once a rough idea of the future jewelry is formed, you can proceed to its creation.
Preserving the Beauty of Dried Flowers with Epoxy Resin
Dried flowers have long been cherished for their delicate beauty and sentimental value. They capture a moment in time, preserving the essence of nature's fleeting creations. One creative way to honor these botanical treasures is by encasing them in epoxy resin. This technique allows you to showcase and protect dried flowers, transforming them into stunning, long-lasting pieces of art. In this article, we will explore the fascinating world of dried flowers and provide guidance on how to incorporate them into epoxy resin creations.
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Choosing the Right Dried Flowers: When selecting dried flowers for resin projects, it's crucial to choose blooms that have been properly dried and preserved. Flowers with sturdy petals, such as roses, daisies, and lavender, tend to work well. Delicate flowers like baby's breath and forget-me-nots may require additional care during the resin pouring process to maintain their intricate details.
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Preparing the Dried Flowers: Before encasing dried flowers in epoxy resin, it's essential to prepare them appropriately. Trim any excess stems and remove loose petals or leaves. You may also consider applying a protective sealant to enhance the durability and vibrancy of the flowers. This step will help ensure that the dried flowers maintain their beauty within the resin.
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Pouring the Epoxy Resin: Once your dried flowers are prepared, it's time to pour the epoxy resin. Follow the manufacturer's instructions for mixing the resin and hardener, ensuring an accurate ratio. Place the dried flowers gently into the resin, arranging them in a way that complements the desired design. Take care not to overcrowd the resin, allowing each flower to shine individually.
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Eliminating Air Bubbles: To achieve a flawless resin piece, it's crucial to eliminate any air bubbles that may form during the pouring process. This can be done using techniques such as gentle heat application with a heat gun or carefully using a toothpick to pop the bubbles. Take your time and work meticulously to create a clear and bubble-free result.
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Curing and Finishing: After pouring the resin and addressing any air bubbles, allow the piece to cure according to the manufacturer's instructions. Once fully cured, the epoxy resin will harden, providing a crystal-clear and glossy finish. At this point, you can trim any excess resin, sand the edges for a smooth finish, and add finishing touches such as adding a jump ring for jewelry pieces or mounting the resin artwork.
Incorporating dried flowers into epoxy resin creations offers a wonderful opportunity to preserve their beauty and create unique, personalized pieces of art. Whether you choose to make jewelry, coasters, or decorative items, the combination of dried flowers and epoxy resin provides a captivating and durable result. Embrace your creativity, experiment with different flower varieties, and enjoy the process of transforming nature's delicate blooms into exquisite resin masterpieces.
Captivating Insects: Encasing Nature's Wonders in Epoxy Resin
Insects, with their intricate details and delicate forms, have captivated humans for centuries. Their ethereal beauty and intricate structures make them a fascinating element to incorporate into epoxy resin creations. From insects themselves to the delicate wings of butterflies, these specimens can be preserved in resin to create stunning and elegant pieces of art. In this article, we will explore the art of encasing insects in epoxy resin and offer insights into the challenges and techniques involved in achieving remarkable results.
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Choosing the Right Insects: When selecting insects for resin projects, it's important to consider their size, fragility, and aesthetic appeal. Some commonly used insects include beetles, bees, dragonflies, and butterflies. It's essential to work with ethically sourced specimens to ensure the preservation of nature and adhere to legal regulations regarding the collection and use of insects.
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Preparing the Insects: Preparing insects for resin encasement requires delicate handling to maintain their intricate features. Carefully clean the insect to remove any dirt or debris, taking caution not to damage delicate appendages such as antennae or legs. Ensuring the insect is completely dry is crucial to minimize the formation of bubbles during the resin pouring process.
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Addressing Bubble Formation: One of the challenges when working with insects in resin is the tendency for bubbles to form around the specimens. To minimize bubble formation, it is recommended to place the insects in a vacuum chamber or use a pressure pot during the resin curing process. These techniques help remove air trapped within the insect's body and reduce the appearance of unwanted bubbles.
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Preserving Butterfly Wings: Butterfly wings are particularly captivating and add an elegant touch to resin creations. When working with butterfly wings, it's crucial to handle them with extreme care due to their fragile nature. To preserve the transparency and delicacy of the wings, some artists choose to coat them with a protective sealant or apply a layer of resin on both sides before incorporating them into the final resin piece.
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Design and Composition: The placement and arrangement of insects within the resin piece contribute to the overall aesthetic impact. Consider the desired composition, symmetry, and balance when incorporating insects into your resin creations. Experiment with different positions and angles to create visually striking designs that showcase the natural beauty of the insects.
Incorporating insects, including their delicate wings, into epoxy resin creations offers a unique opportunity to showcase nature's wonders in an art form. While working with insects in resin presents challenges such as bubble formation, with careful preparation, handling, and appropriate techniques, it is possible to create breathtaking pieces that capture the intricate beauty of these fascinating creatures. Let your creativity soar as you embark on the journey of preserving and showcasing the delicate allure of insects through epoxy resin art.
Dyes
There are several types of dyes available for coloring epoxy resin. Some dyes provide complete opacity, fully coloring the resin, while others offer a translucent effect, allowing some level of transparency in the final product.
On the top, you can see that the decoration is colored with a dense hue, while on the bottom, the piece has retained its transparency, allowing us to see the internal fillings.
To control the transparency of the resin and the intensity of the color, it is necessary to adjust the amount of pigment used.
For example, if the concentration of dye is 0.5% of the resin volume (equivalent to a small drop of paste on the tip of a toothpick for a single cup), it will create a transparent effect with a subtle tint.
Typically, the average concentration of paste is around 5-6% of the resin volume. It is not recommended to add more than 5-10% of dye.
It can be challenging to calculate the exact amount of dye needed to achieve the desired effect, so it is always recommended to make a test mixture to assess its transparency and color. Keep in mind that perception can vary based on the thickness of the poured layer.
Metallic Leaf
Metallic leaf refers to thin sheets or flakes made primarily from aluminum and nickel. Metallic leaf is commonly available in three main colors:
- Gold
- Silver
- Copper (sometimes a small amount of copper is added to achieve this color in the alloy)
It is often mistaken for precious metals because it can be challenging to distinguish gold metallic leaf from real gold with the naked eye. However, metallic leaf is significantly cheaper than gold, making it a favored material among jewelry makers. Nevertheless, it is a somewhat temperamental material, and beginners may find it slightly more challenging to work with.
Here is an example of jewelry with the addition of gold metallic leaf.
Glitter
Glitter is finely chopped polyester film available in various colors. Glitter comes in different forms, sizes, and shades: solid colors, holographic, iridescent with a shimmer that transitions between colors, and even neon varieties that glow in the dark.
With glitter, it's easy to create beautiful jewelry, and working with it doesn't require any special skills, making it a suitable choice for beginners to incorporate into their projects.
Mica for Nail Art
It is a collection of small plates resembling foil pieces with a holographic effect, known for their relatively dense and solid structure.
Jewelry with mica creates an exquisite look, as you can appreciate for yourself:
Beads
Beads are also added as fillers in epoxy resin jewelry.
Metal
Epoxy resin can be filled with any metal, such as coins, gears, figurines, various parts and toys. Nowadays, the use of metal elements in jewelry design is especially popular in the steampunk genre.
Wood
Branches, shavings, and wood can be added to jewelry.
Wood is one of the most popular materials used in jewelry making. With the help of wood, artisans create not only jewelry but also keychains, tables, lamps, trays, boxes, shelves, and much more.
Paper
Even paper can be encapsulated with epoxy resin, as long as it is dense enough to prevent any oily spots. Additionally, the paper can be protected by coating it with liquid PVA or acrylic varnish beforehand.
Some artisans pour resin over photographs, while others use maps, children's drawings, handwritten love letters, and more.
The possibilities are limitless, as you can print any image and encapsulate it with resin, creating unique and personalized jewelry.
Here are pendants featuring precious heart-shaped designs.
Sand
Sand is commonly used in jewelry with a marine theme, where it can be used to create coastal landscapes, and the sea can be colored using dyes.
Beachdashery came up with an interesting idea—they sell pendants filled with sand from specific beaches in the USA.
Fabric
Jewelry with the addition of dark lace in epoxy resin looks beautiful. After being embedded in resin, the fabric takes on a slightly darker shade.
These were the most popular fillers for epoxy resin, and now we will move on to unusual creative ideas that may inspire you to create something unconventional and interesting.
Unusual Fillers
These fillers are relatively rare in the works of artists as they are a matter of personal preference and can elicit mixed reactions from others. Some people really like them, while others consider them eccentric and far from classic.
Fruits
Just like dried flowers, fruits can be embedded in epoxy resin, but they need to be fully dried to prevent rotting and clouding of the resin.
Fruits can be dried either by air drying or using an oven. Air drying takes longer compared to the oven method.
Large fruits are more suitable for pendants and brooches, while smaller ones can be used for earrings. Additionally, you can cut a large fruit in half if it's big enough and create two pendants or earrings from it.
Coffee Beans
Coffee beans do not require any additional processing and can be directly embedded in resin.
Pencils and Pencil Shavings
Jewelry with such fillings is perfect for the pop art style. If you enjoy vibrant and colorful hues and want to stand out from the crowd, then they are made for you.
Computer Circuit Boards
If you thought that various circuit boards, electronics, and physics were only for tech enthusiasts, think again. Even if you have no technical knowledge, you can use circuit boards in a completely different way - as unique jewelry pieces :)
Hair and Fur
Artists have started using epoxy resin to preserve the first strands of newborns' hair, and now they are not only preserving hair but also the fur of beloved pets. Surprisingly, these jewelry pieces look incredibly beautiful despite the uniqueness of this idea.
Stones
Stones are also relatively rare in the works of artists, although they are not such an unusual filler. This may be because adding a stone significantly increases the weight of the piece.
Buttons, Sewing Accessories
The variety of fillers for epoxy resin is so vast that every artist can find something interesting and unique for themselves. Now you won't have to wonder how to decorate your piece anymore, as the options are endless. You can explore the world of buttons and sewing accessories to add a creative touch to your creations.
We wish you creative success and inspiration to pursue unconventional ideas. May your creativity bring you joy and satisfaction, and may your jewelry become unique works of art. Don't be afraid to experiment, explore new materials, and bring your boldest ideas to life. Good luck on your creative journey!