Epoxy Art: Painting With Resin!

Painting with resin isn't a new technique but it was a first for me. It is a very relaxing and enjoyable process. I love the way the colors flow into each other.

I tried tipping and the propane torch but I found for me the heat gun was the easiest method that yielded the best results. I know this will not be my last piece of resin wall art and I would encourage anyone wanting to make art to try this method.

Step 1: Prepping the Resin

Step one is warming up the resin. I give it a nice relaxing soak in warm water for several minutes. This process is critical. The resin needs to be warmer to work easily and it helps to eliminate the micro bubbles.

I'll be pouring with 4 colors. So I mix up the resin in separate cups. 6oz of each. (3oz of resin and 3oz hardener) I like using the Art Resin brand here because it had a long open time. About 45 minutes before it starts to cure. And it has almost no odor. It almost has a sweet smell to it...

I've got a pretty deep store of pigments and dyes but I'm not an artist, so I'm going with a very simple color palette for my first attempt.

A metallic black, contrasted by a bright white.

A deep forest green will be the main focus with a copper for highlights. Add your pigments to each cup and STIR WELL. 3 minutes per color scraping the sides and the bottom.

Step 2: Your Canvas

The "canvas" for this piece is just a piece of 3/4 pine plywood 15" squared. I give it 3 coats of a white primer as a base coat. I prepped that while waiting for the resin to heat up in the bath. This basin is just a large plywood trough to catch all the drips and allow the resin to flow off the sides without making a crazy mess. The plywood is suspended off the bottom by three large cuts.

Now... We just go with the flow. I add the black and tip the board to let it run over the corner. You can use a spreader or tip the board to help it along.

I tried tipping the board and also using the propane torch but I found for me the heat gun was the easiest method that yielded the best results. (more on that later) I then add the while on the opposite side. It will all start flowing into the empty portions of the canvas.

Step 3: Painting With a Heat Gun.

After a fair amount of overthinking it, I just pour on some green right through the center.

The interplay between the colors is where the magic happens. I'm using a heat gun here for two reasons. One it's acting as a mixing stick and flowing the two colors into each other. Creating waves and eddies and a very interesting look

Secondly, it is actually heating up the resin with allows it to flow better. More heat = more fluidity. (I was expecting a red squiggle there. I guess fluidity is a word...)

The process is very fluid and you are in control. I would say, just as general advice, mix less so as not to muddy up the piece too much. It's very hard to say "this is done," and it can be easily over blended.

Step 4: Copper and Regret

Then I added a slug of copper. I'm going, to be honest. I regretted that move almost instantly.

But I put my trusty heat gun to work and did my best to blend all the colors into each other!

I will mention that I find it mesmerizing to watch, so even during the panic, I was pretty calm.

I ended up getting a beach/river feel so I worked the white a bit more to achieve a cresting wave. It's not hard at all. The resin does all the work....

Step 5: Completed

Getting a good shot of it was probably the most difficult part, just because of how glossy it is, and how much it reflects everything around it.

Close up on the beach. Thanks for looking. Check out the video for more of the process.