[Karen]

Hi Resiners,

Marbling is one of my favorite looks but I cant quite seem to get it the way I want it.  Can anyone help me?

Here is what I do:
1.  Layer the bottom of a bezel with a solid color (black, brown, etc).  This isnt necessary but I like the look.
2.  Let it cure completely.
3.  Add some clear resin to each piece and make sure the whole bezel is coated.
4.  Mix PearlEx powders with clear resin on a sheet of wax paper.
5.  Use a toothpick to drop a dollop of whatever colors I want to use into the bezel.
6.  Use a different toothpick to swirl colors around, wiping it off with a paper towel after each swirl and before going in to swirl again.

Here is where it gets tricky.  When I swirl the colors with a sharp-ended toothpick, the definition is remarkable!  This is the look I want.  However, within a small period of time, the definition seems to fade and the colors blend (but not necessarily mix).  It just sort of spreads out.  I lose the lines that looked so amazing.  🙁

Tonight I tried something different.  I let the clear resin set a little bit in the bezels before dropping in the dollops of colors, hoping that the thicker setting of the resin would stop the definition from fading but it didnt work.  I didnt wait a long time as I know pot time is short, but it was just enough time to mix my colors.

Would it be possible to achieve the look Im after by NOT putting in the clear resin?  Just putting the dollop of color on, and swirling it?  Could the clear resin base be the culprit in losing the definition?  Or do I need the clear resin to assist in making the swirl?

Any help would be greatly appreciated!  Thanks!

[Katherine Swift]

Karen,

What an interesting experiment!  What your describing with the colors blending is what I have found as well.

What if…..

You did everything the same way (clear, pearl ex, etc.) except you let the resin cure to thick.  Take something like a drinking straw and cut a piece and put it in the resin (so the open end is visible). Drop in a another dot of resin.  Let it cure a bit more….little thicker.  Wait a period of time (minutes?? not really sure how long here), pull up the straw, then try your toothpick.

I dont know that the straw is that essential, but may be a way to contain the resin??

[Karen]

Hmmm, thats a really interesting idea.  It took me a minute to figure out what you meant!  Next time I will try this and see what happens.  Ill post here the results.

[Katherine Swift]

Here’s a tutorial where I show how to marble resin:

https://youtu.be/InsHyvO0lNE

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