Resin Jewelry Making: What Beginners MUST Know

making resin jewelryYou’ve gone down the rabbit hole of resin jewelry making, and you ended up here.  (Sounds like you’ve got good karma.) You’re ready to give this a try, but it looks hard. And now you’re not sure you want to give this a try.

Let me go ahead and confirm your suspicions.

Resin is hard — but only if you go into this unprepared.

Years Of Experience

Hi, I’m Katherine. Consider me your Janet of the ‘The Resin Good Place’ as you start your time making resin jewelry.

What kind of questions does Resin Good Place Janet get asked?

Here’s one…

I’ve got this idea for a resin ring I was hoping you could help me with. I want to do it in many colors. I’m not sure exactly what the ring will look like, but how do I make a mold for it? And what kind of resin should I use for the ring? Oh, and by the way, I have never made anything with resin before. Do you have any tips you can share? Thanks in advance for your help.

My Janet brain is on overload now and asking for a reboot.

I love the ambition and big-picture ideas here. But this is a train wreck ready to plow into your creative time. Resin can be such a fussy beast for even the most experienced jewelry-making artist. This project would take several days to develop and several more days to finish. (And that’s assuming everything goes perfectly)

Put another way…

Imagine your cousin has announced she’s cooking Thanksgiving dinner. And she has never so much as boiled water for an egg.

I think you get my concern here.

But here’s how I really know that starting your resin jewelry making time like this is a problem…

Because I did the SAME THING when I learned lost wax casting. On the first day of class, I showed a picture to the teacher of what I wanted to make. She smiled and remarked on my ambition. I wish she had smacked me in the head and demanded I make a simple project first. (I don’t condone violence, but I can be like a dog with a rawhide when I’ve got an idea.)

How did that first project turn out?

I struggled and failed. If I hadn’t seen what you could do with lost wax casting, I would have convinced myself it was stupid and didn’t work.

Which is what I hear from those who’ve tried resin, and it ‘didn’t work.’

Yeah, those free YouTube videos aren’t as good at teaching you as you might think.

Then what’s the key to getting good at making resin jewelry?

Start with simple projects to gain skills before trying something Instagram makes look easy. Becoming a gifted resin jewelry maker is possible, but it’s not going to happen in a hot minute.

If you’re a novice or have tried it only to think, ‘This was a waste of a good afternoon,’ let’s try again. The difference this time is that I’m your resin jewelry making guide. And I’ve got a roadmap just for you.

I’ve got FOUR goals and FOUR projects to get you to resin jewelry making wizard.

Goal #1. Get good with resin first

You must be able to mix resin and know it will cure hard, clear and unsticky — every time. For this step, we’re simply going to focus on the resin.

Like this post? You may be interested in  Resin Didn't Cure? 12 Reasons Why Epoxy Didn't Harden

✅ Start with an epoxy resin.

pouring resin into a cube mold
Why? Epoxies are the easiest to work with. I’ve tried them all with my seventeen years as a resin artist. You can trust me on this. They are the most forgiving of mistakes, and the pot time is long enough to use it before it starts to gel.

Extra credit for a test that won’t be given: Learn the resin vocabulary terms and what they mean.

✅ Get the right resin tools and supplies.

measuring resin in a cup
I can’t stress how important it is to ACCURATELY measure your resin kit liquids. It’s why I use resin mixing cups EVERY TIME I use resin.


✅ Understand the epoxy resin you’re using.

pour resin into mold
Resins don’t all behave the same way.

If you’re still thinking, ‘resin doesn’t work’, I’m betting you aren’t one who likes reading directions. Which, in all honesty, describes me too sometimes. But let’s just say that in all my years of helping artists worldwide with making resin jewelry, when things go sideways, it’s operator error 95% of the time.

Project #1:  Mix resin

Make something where the resin is the only variable for your first project.

Why? If something goes wrong, there’s only one place to look for the reason.

To do this, make something that you pour the resin into that doesn’t need demolding. Jewelry bezels are perfect for this. Mix your resin and pour it into the reservoir. You don’t have to worry about demolding, and you’ll know how you did the next day.

bead ring

And the perfect project to try this with is using resin as a glue to make a ring.

Goal #2:  Understand what happens when you add things to your resin

Resin is begging you to add things like resin pigment, papers, glitters, and more. But, you must seal anything porous first before adding it to the resin.  Otherwise, you’ll end up with something that looks like the paper at the bottom of a buffalo wings basket.

How do you know if it’s porous? Ask yourself whether getting the item wet will stain it. If the answer is yes, then you will need to seal it.

And because there are a few different ways you can do that, I’ve written an article devoted to how to seal paper for resin.

Project #2:  Make a pendant

 

greeting card designs

Once you’re good at project #1, tempt your resin with a chance to go wrong. Yep. If you don’t push yourself to fail, you’ll never get good at making resin jewelry.

Resin hates moisture, so learn what it’s like to add moisture, like colors or items that need sealing. It’s another variable that can cause problems, but something else to push yourself through. Try this project: Recycle greeting cards into resin pendants

Goal #3:  Let’s get a little moldy

When I was jewelry making beginner, I remember the first time I poured resin into a mold. Whoa. Now it can stay a permanent shape? Pouring it into an epoxy mold is the way to make this happen, but it also adds an extra level of skill. You need to be sure you’re using a resin mold release and resin for molds.

Project #3

 

Let’s give silicone molds a try.   Here’s a project to try:  How to make colorful resin pendants.

how to make rainbow resin necklaces

Goal #4:  Go for the dome

Certain resins have the property of being thick enough to dome onto a surface. This means you don’t need sides to keep the resin in a raised finish.  I’ve saved this goal for last because it’s important that you have a feel for how much resin you can pour into a space. It can be a bit of a Jenga game to do this step. You drip on enough resin to create the dome, but not so much that it runs over the side of the bezel. It takes practice and patience to get good at this.

Project #4:  Paper earrings

 

finished paper and resin earrings

Choose your favorite scrapbook paper, and add it to a wood jewelry base. Seal the paper and finish with a dome of epoxy resin.

We’ve got a great tutorial on making resin earrings that shows you exactly how.

Oh goodness, Katherine. Now what? Are these the answers to everything in the jewelry making resin cosmos?

No dear padawan. (Whoops. Blip from another universe.)

No dear resin jewelry making novice soon to be amazing resin artist. No.

In fact, there’s ONE BIG THING that I didn’t cover.

Your success also depends on using the best epoxy resin for what you want to make.

That last part is pretty important. Because there is no one resin that will beautifully make everything YOU want to make.

Then how are you supposed to know what’s the best epoxy for what you want to make?

✅ You can get a free copy of my resin buying guide.  It details all the resins we sell and what you should use them for.  Yes, we sell the BEST resin supplies in addition to sharing tons of practical advice. (And don’t worry, if it’s something I won’t use, we don’t sell it.)

✅ I’ve got another article that details the best jewelry epoxy so you can dial it in even further to make some amazing resin bling.

✅ But, if you’re like me and want something to print out (yes, I’m old school that way), then you’ll want my PDF ebook, Resin Fundamentals.  I share all the essentials beginners need to know about making resin jewelry in a book you can read in a couple of hours.  It’s the book I WISH I had when I started making resin jewelry 17 years ago.  Buy now and get an email download link in minutes.

Unpublished Blog Posts of Resin Obsession, LLC © 2023 Resin Obsession, LLC

134 thoughts on “Resin Jewelry Making: What Beginners MUST Know

  1. @Nakia,

    Is the template you used to make the mold from shiny? If not, your castings from that mold aren’t going to be shiny either.

    1. why wont my resin cur. It just refuses to cure. I’m 13 and i just started this because on youtube they make it look so easy and beautiful but my projects never work. And I really want it to so I can sell these and make money since i cant work until im 14. Plz help me

          1. Hi Gail, no you do not need to water to resin. In fact, you should never add water to resin, otherwise, it may not cure.

  2. I made my own molds using a 2 part putty and the resin side that touches the putty comes out dull and rough, not shinny and smooth. Why is that happening and how can I prevent it? Ty!

  3. This project is probably a bit lofty for my resin experiance, but it has inspired me to dable in resin jewelry making in the first place. I found a Monarch butterfly wing and wanted to preserve it in resin to make a pendant. I have gathered that I will probably have to seal it before casting it in resin. Do you have any suggestions about what the best materials would be to use in this project?

  4. Hello Katherine. I am usually someone who starts with something complicated but I can see the wisdom of what you are saying here. I am going to make my own moulds and am very excited about that. What I would like to do, as it takes some time, is to dry some very delicate flower heads – there are so many primroses and violets in my garden at the minute. I tried drying them in rice and they shrivelled after just one day. Is silicon really much better or should I try the microwave option. I have your book on Kindle and it will be open at all times!! Hope you find time to reply. thanks very much

  5. @Janet, all things considered, if I needed dried flowers, I would use the microwave technique — unless I wanted the flowers to stay dimensional. Then I would use the silica gel beads. Glad to hear you find my book helpful!

  6. I’m having the same issue as Nikia) had in the first comment. Along with bubbles and the mold not releasing. I’ve never had the resin not cure. But I use silicone molds and smooth shinny objects as a model but my casting always come out dull and rough. If I scratch at it it seems to come off like a dried residue. Am I using to much mold release? Not enough? Am I waiting to long or not long enough to remove from the mold. Do I need to try another mold casting agent. The bubble issue I think I have resolved by trail and error.
    Please if you have any ideas as to what I’m doing wrong I would appreciate any suggestions.

    1. I am so glad I came across this page as newbie to resin crafts.
      So far I’m on the right track with putting my resources together. Now I need to calm my nerves and get started. Thank you

  7. @Michelle, you can try baking your mold putty mold in the oven. Sometimes they can trap bubbles in the putty that will release when heated(follow manufacturer instructions to do this).

  8. I want to make a necklace using a cockatiel egg (empty and whole) as the main object. Can I use a spray resin to make something this delicate hard enough to work with, or should I try to paint it with epoxy resin first?

        1. I don’t think I can dip it in epoxy resin as it may crack but do you think painting resin on it would make it harder than the spray? What about wrapping 20 gauge wire around it after costing it?

          1. Yes, I would expect a layer of resin would make it harder. The resin will drip off the bottom, so make sure to set your egg on something like wax paper (resin won’t stick to wax paper).

  9. Hi Judy, two suggestions for the paper: first, you may need to pick up the papers and intentionally put glue on the edges. If you are printing your own papers, you may want to consider the ‘waterproof’ paper. As for a respirator mask, I don’t have a specific brand recommendation, but you want to find one that is NIOSH approved for fumes.

    1. I use the waterproof paper with my laserjet printer without any color problems. I have a local printer that will print on waterproof paper for me as well. Maybe there is one in your area that can do that for you?

  10. I wish to create my inserts. Do you have a recommendation for an air drying clay that will stand up to being molded?

  11. Which resin should I use for fresh flowers. I want them to keep their colour so not sure what to seal them with either

  12. If you would like a neat project get overhead projector paper that is compatable.for your type of printer. Print photos, seal with something like modge podge and you can have neat transparent pendants. When using them in plastic molds i pour my resin in layers allowing one to mostly set then adding the image and a final layer.

    1. Wipe them clean of resin as much as you can after use. Next, clean with a solvent like acetone or denatured alcohol. Then wash well with a water and good detergent like Dawn dish soap.

  13. Hello!
    I am making letters out of resin and they have color glass chips inside. They seem to come out of the silicone mold well and they look nice but their not rock hard. They sound like their hard but if I was to try and bend it they will bend a little. Is that supposed to happen or are they supposed to be hard? What could I be doing wrong?

    Mackenzie

        1. Even when fully cured, Easy Cast resin can be rubbery. If you want to make castings that thin, try a different resin.

  14. I received an orgonite necklace that I ordered but it is still a little sticky what can I use in it to make it the way it’s supposed to be

    1. I would suggest contacting the person who you purchased it from for help. I’m concerned it didn’t fully cure.

  15. If you are wanting to start out using colorant for your first project there are some steps you MUST go through first.
    1. Follow through with all the beginner resin steps as outlined above from Katherine Swift, owner of Resin Obsession.
    2. Once you have completed those steps then you need to, basically go through beginner steps for using colorant.
    3. My words, We (I) all like to start with something big for our first projects. If you take the time to go through the steps for beginners, you will find that you can save a lot on frustration, money, and less garbrish in your brain.

  16. How to polish resin jewelry?

    I tried car polish, sanding, steel polish, blow torch (after it has cured, extra layer of Resin (this usually just has to be sanded again) and i have even tried varnish – but I just cant seem to get that clear shiny look.

    please advise??

  17. I am trying to figure out which resin to use to coat jewelry and crowns to make them waterproof and how I go about doing so. Can I paint the resin on crowns or does it need to be dipped? Thank you so very much for your time!

  18. I was wondering if I should use the novus clean and shine then the novus scratch remover before the resin clear gloss finish sealer.

    1. I don’t think that’s necessary. If your blemishes are minor, the spray should do fine on it own. If you have noticeable scratches, you will need to sand and repair first. The spray doesn’t ‘fill in’ and the Novus won’t buff them out as well as sandpaper.

  19. Hi
    I wanna know is there any difference between clear resin and crystal resin.
    If I make a jewellery which one should I use.
    Because when I use clear resin and hardner mix for my craft it’s change the colour in mix.
    I used natural flowers.
    Please could you recommend a brand name for resin.

    1. Hi Nancy, Novus recommends a gentle washing by hand and not placing in the washing machine. Allow to completely dry before using, otherwise, it may tear.

  20. Thanks. I have a shiny, clear, plastic candy mold that I would like to use for resin. Should I spray it with resin mold release?

  21. When I want to insert an item in the resin mold, should I pour until it’s full and add the item, or should I just put a thin layer in the mold? Do I push the object completely down in the mold or jyst lay it on the mold?

    1. Hi Marie, if you are using UV resin, then you need to use a UV lamp. Otherwise, you don’t need a lamp to make it cure.

  22. Hi Katherine. When casting Sterling Silver and natural Ironstone it sometimes develops a greenish tarnish or as if air has become trapped around the metal. I’ve tried cleaning the silver with dish detergent prior to casting and will try acetone next. Has you or anyone on the forum come across this?

    1. Hi Toby, I’m not sure I understand your question. What are you trying to do? I’m not familiar with ironstone.

  23. Absolutely great tutorial. Felt like I was taking a much needed Resin 101 class. Thanks for this! I have a question about bubbles and heat guns i was hoping you’d be able to answer. I haven’t had much luck finding one on google. I’ve just purchased a heat gun to use to burst my bubbles, but it just causes more bubbles and often causes it to start boiling. What is the technique to use when using a heat gun on resin jewelry? I tried to use it at a bit of a distance from the project, but no bubble pops. I’ve tried to have it closer and more start to form. I’m using the Wagner Furno 300 heat gun from home depot. I’ve tried it on the lowest setting, as well as the the highest, also heat the item for a second, move it away, heat it again and move away. Nothing has worked. I’m totally stuck and don’t know what’s wrong. I was hoping an expert like yourself could tell me. Also, ia there a tutorial about heat guns and resin bubbles?

  24. Katherine,
    I bought toobies. They will wirk for the resin ornaments I make. I was wondering if you have any with a larger inside diameter for other things.

      1. I am iterated in learning more. I’ve read several articles ahs done allot of research. Umm wondering if you know of a good steer kit with all items needed to make jewelry ahs most iterated in making my coffee table into a resin water scene? Eventually. Right now just a basic kit with the epoxy resin and molds and color options both types powders and liquid color. Please advise. So far closest I’ve found is a 17 oz kit w/ molds. Then add separate color options. I prefer a fully loaded kit to start.

  25. Katherine,
    I’m having trouble when inserting items into resin cabachons. We can’t get the items to stop floating or rising up.
    Any suggestions?

  26. Thanks. We’ve tried waiting for a thin layer to start setting about 3 hours after we pour it. We’ll keep experimenting until we get it right.

  27. Hello, I am new here and new to resin. I imagine that once I start working with it I will find new ways in which to use it. However my initial idea was to use the resin as something I would dip my fiber or fabric covered jewelry in. To make it sound very simple I have fabric wrapped around dowel rods. I want the fabric and the dowel rods be shiny and waterproof. I figured that resin would be a great way to do this and to preserve the pieces. Do I need to paint or spray something on to the fabric first? And is there a specific kind of resin that you think would be best for this?

  28. Hi Katherine
    First of all – I love your website!!
    Secondly I have a question about what resin to use. I’m new to casting as well and I want to make knitting needles and crochet hooks. These of course need to be pretty hard but not too fragile. What resin would you recommend? I’m afraid that polyester resin will be too hard while epoxy resin will be too soft (when cured ofc).

  29. I am very new to resin, I am wonder can I put the eye screws in resin before it dries so I don’t have to drill a hole.

  30. I just got an old HR lost wax centrifuge. In the deal I found some Ferris mold frames, a Vigor AC mold holder CA-1750, a few wax ring molds and various ring blocks. Also a wax injection pump
    Now, I understand the premise of list wax, but I am completely baffled on what Resin misinformation could do short of making some nice cabochons for mounting

    Now THIS is an extreme undertaking

  31. I,m using a resin to make coasters, it comes out of the moulds beautifully but is still slightly tacky several days later,, any idea why, this is is the same even if I increase the catalyst.

    1. Hi Blake, I’m sorry to read you are having a hard time getting the supplies you need. Can you tell me more? I’d love to help you with that.

  32. Umm this is the first time am gonna be making a comment on anything but I just suddenly took an interest to reisn making jewelry and I have no idea where to even get anything so please if anyone can tell me where to get them that would be very appreciated

  33. Thank you for having such straightforward advice and clear instructions. I am just starting out and am very aware that whenever I start a new craft the first few things I make are always horrible 😂 and that research is best beforehand.

  34. Hello, I need some advice. I am making dice in some custom silicone molds I made. I am mixing the resin 1:1 and stirring sufficiently (I assume) and letting my resin cure for at least 24-30 hrs bf I touch them. They remain a little sticky. But the residual resin i had left over I poured into some open faced molds. That resin cured solid but my dice molds are tacky. Any ideas?

  35. I am very new to using resin. I am interested in using resin molds for jewelry making. i would also like to do some resin art on things like trays, vaulted wooden panels. What is the best resin to use.

  36. Hello…I just started working with resin and I keep getting small bubbles in it. I tried using a torch but it doesn’t get rid of them? Do you have any tips? Thank you 🙂

  37. I’m doing research for a craft project, and I was wondering if you might point me in the right direction..
    Among my many other passions is 3D modeling and printing and I need a colored filler for cavities in the design. The project is not too complex. I just want the design to contrast with the finished piece. I can email a screenshot showing what I want to do, if it would help.

  38. Hi, I’m hoping you can help me. I’ve tried pouring once, now, into silicon molds for a bracelet, simple pendants, and some beads. The pendants came out well, and the others look good, but in the bracelet and the beads there are ridges that are pretty sharp, so I don’t really want to wear them. I think the ridges are along where the top of the mold is- they are ridges on either side and a divet in the middle. Did I just underfill them? It seemed odd that instead of a flat edge, just perhaps lower than it should have been, which is what I would have expected if I under-filled, there’s a divet with sharp edges.

  39. Hi I am just getting ready to start my resin craft. Do I need to be using a resin release in my silicone moulds?

  40. I unfortunately touched a few of my com-Keyes resin pieces with gloves that had some resin residue. Is there a good way to clean those pieces so they are no longer sticky. I tried hand sanitizer.

  41. Hi there! I have been looking to see if anyone in the comments has already asked this question but I didn’t see it so I thought I’d ask. I have been making bracelets for wristlet key holders and I am loving it. Although, I accidentally dropped my daughters bracelet sitting at my dining room table onto the hardwood floor. It cracked and I was so upset bc I honestly didn’t think it would take that little effort to break it like that. The size of her bracelet was 72mm/2.83in. I am using the Famowood Glaze Coat High Gloss Craft Resin. I was wondering if this is something normal that can happen with these projects or is it the type I used that makes it more weak?
    Thank you!

  42. I have some snakeskin that I would like to put into bezels and cover with resin. Is snakeskin a porous material that I would have to treat first? Also, it is dyed and I wonder if the dye is stable in resin. Do you have any experience with this? I would appreciate any advice.

  43. I’m just starting out and have keychain molds, rings and bracelets. I thought that would be an easy starting point. The problem I am having is one side is shiny and beautiful but the other side is dull and not pretty at all. Any advice to help would be great. Thank you

  44. Hi, forgive me if this is a duplicate question and I didn’t see the thread for it. I am in a humid coastal climate and want to work with resin, mainlymaking jewelry. I need to be able to open the window for ventilation, so I am concerned about humidity. Do you think I should stick to UV resin, or will the other types of resins, like casting and doming that you mix be okay. It is humid most of the year here, so just wanted to know how you cope with it in Florida. Thank you!

    1. Hi Brandy, humidity doesn’t affect two-part epoxy resins, so you should be fine there. I don’t have enough experience with UV resin to know if humidity makes a difference with it.

  45. Hi there

    I have a rose that I have dried in silica gel and want to suspend it in a resin cube. I’ve done a base layer in the cube mould but am scared to add the rose for fear of it disintegrating under the weight of the resin. Any tips for how best to add the rose to the resin (it is a slow cure resin) and, should I seal the rose first?

    Thanks in advance for your advice – the rose is from my brother’s funeral so don’t want to ruin it.

  46. Hey there. I was wondering if you could tell me what type of resin is used to make those cameo type pieces of jewelry. They’re so highly detailed and are usually white/cream on black/navy blue. I have been looking for information on how these pieces of jewelry are made and am coming up blank.

  47. Hello
    Ive got resin with hardener stuck to balcony floor. Ive used nail polish remover but it hasn’t helped.

    Help.
    Thx

  48. Hello Katherine
    i am fro India.I need your help.Please guide me.

    I want to start buisness of epoxy resin based jewelery and furniture products.But i dont want to become manufacturer at this stage,instead i want to import and sell in mylocal areas.

    Please guide me with few suppliers for the same and how to go about it.

    Awaiting for your early reply.

    Regards
    Tejas Modi

  49. I’m 10 and it works great UV resin is so easy, but what dye should I put in it? Also which is the most cheap? Also sorry Janet that I used your website to send this.

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