A Beginners Guide to Making Epoxy Resin Art (Updated 2024)

Hey there creative companions! Have you spent any time recently scrolling through social media (What, me? No, never!) Yes, you! You see those stunning epoxy resin art paintings?

Not the ones made with oil paints and acrylic painting, but ones made from all epoxy resin!

You think to yourself, hey I can make that! And now you feel the urge to make them, but starting epoxy resin art can be confusing.

And how can I paint with resin without wasting my _______?

Insert any of these…

Time.
Energy.
Money.
Sanity.

Tell that voice in your head to pipe down.

Here’s what you need to know to make beautiful epoxy art.

Why make epoxy art?

That question should be, why not make epoxy art? Every painting you make is a chance to be creative with resin. Plus, no two paintings are ever the same. You will never run out of things to try or techniques to learn.

The skills you learn in making resin art will help you make other resin crafts!

What kind of resin should you use?

For painting a surface with resin, the best epoxy for resin art would be a two-part high quality epoxy resin. This resin coats surfaces to give a smooth, shiny finish. I would avoid, deep pours or uv resin for this project.

Resin Epoxy Art Supplies

• Epoxy Resin
• Table Covering– we want to protect that table of yours from any spills or drips!
• Resin painting substrate– you can use Artboards, Canvases, Tiles, Vintage records
• ⭐️ BONUS: Here are more: resin painting surface ideas.
• Level– You need to be sure your surface is level so that your resin doesn’t run to one side. Then, completely off the surface.
• Colorants – such as alcohol inks or mica powders
• ⭐️ BONUS: Here are some of my best tips on how to color epoxy resin.
• Mixing Cups and Stirring Sticks
• Nitrile gloves – Protecting your hands is important. Resin kits contain chemicals that can irritate your skin.
• 💡 Pro tip: For the extra messy crowd, you may want to wear a plastic apron. It can take the resin drips instead of ruining your favorite shorts.
• Respirator – It’s an extra level of safety that ensures you can enjoy resin painting for a long time.
• ⭐️ BONUS: Learn more about respirators, including the one I use, in this resin safety article.
• Dispersion agents – such as alcohol, acetone, or silicone oil – Liquids like this are what help you to get cells in resin.
• Heat gun– You can use a heat gun to go over the surface to remove bubbles. Plus, you can push the resin around to create some unique effects.
• ⭐️ BONUS: How to use a heat gun with resin.

Steps to Make Resin Art

Step 1: Prepare your resin painting area.

You need plenty of room for your resin painting surface, plus extra space to allow the resin to drip off the side. Be sure your resin painting can stay undisturbed for a few days while the resin dries.

Resin may spill on the floor, but don’t worry – we have tips here for cleaning it up.

You need to work with resin in a well-ventilated room. If your outside temperature is warm enough, you can make epoxy art there.

⭐️ BONUS: Here’s the ideal temperature for resin.

Step 2: Choose a surface for your resin art.

Choose a surface from the list above to be the base for your resin painting.

Step 3: Gather your supplies.

Have everything close by so you don’t waste time looking for your resin supplies.

Step 4: Calculate How Much Resin You Need

Wait a minute. I have to do math??

No. You don’t need to do any math. (What kind of weirdo do you think I am? 😂)

We’ve done the hard work for you. Measure your painting surface’s length and width. Then, go to the Resin Obsession resin volume calculator. You input your dimensions, and it tells you how much resin you need to mix.

Step 5: Prepare the back of your resin painting

When the resin drips off the side of your painting, it will collect underneath along the edge. You can sand these drips off later. Or, you can add painter’s tape to the back, then remove it 18 to 24 hours after pouring. The drips will peel off with the tape.

Step 6: Place cups underneath your resin painting surface.

You need to lift your resin painting surface to allow the resin to drip off the side. If you don’t raise the surface, the drips will cure as puddles around the edges of your epoxy art. And you’ll have to do MORE sanding.

Step 7: Level to make sure it is evenly balanced.

Your resin will quickly shift to the low side if your surface isn’t level. Plus, your colors will move, and blend quicker than you were expecting. And you might see the painting surface through the resin.

Step 8: Mix and Measure your Resin

The Amazing Clear Cast resin is a clear epoxy resin that mixes one part A to one part B by volume.

⭐️ BONUS: If you’ve never mixed resin before, you’ll want to read this: how to mix resin.

If you want to color the resin, now is the time to do it. Split your resin among several cups. Add your colors, then mix well.

Step 9: Pour the Resin onto the Surface

The easiest way to start is by pouring a small amount of the colors in ribbons onto your surface. Then, watch them blend. Next, use your stirring utensil to push the colors around. Another option is to tilt your resin painting surface back and forth to help the colors spread evenly.

💡 Pro tip: When you get a look you like, LEAVE IT ALONE. I have ruined epoxy art paintings because I didn’t stop when I should have.

Step 10: Apply some heat.

Go over the surface with a heat gun. It gets out bubbles and pushes the resin colors to create some exciting designs.

Step 11: Cover your epoxy art.

The cover keeps dust, hair, and other things out of your resin while it cures.

The curing time for this resin is a full 24 hours.

Step 12:  Frame and hang your art.

Once you fully cure your artwork, it is time to show it off! Make sure to display it out of direct sunlight and away from heating and cooling vents. Your epoxy art is ready for you to enjoy for a lifetime.

Tips and Tricks

• Use a repellant to make those cool looking cells in your resin painting. Here are more details on how to get cells in epoxy resin.
• Try using metallic pigments or a metallic leaf to give your painting that extra shine!
• Avoid bubbles in your painting by warming your resin and hardener kit in a hot water bath for five to ten minutes before use.
• Work in layers. Working with multiple resin layers is an excellent way to create depth in your epoxy art.
• Go with the flow. Things go wrong, people make mistakes. It’s just the way of the world. Epoxy art is all about trial and error, keeping creating!
• Avoid Fish eyes. Fish eyes, voids, dimples, and other holes can sometimes happen when creating epoxy art. It happens enough that this topic deserves an article all to itself. Learn how to fix holes and fish eyes in resin.

Ready to make epoxy art?

Perfect! Get a [FREE] downloadable epoxy pouring supply shopping list.

For less than the price of a resin kit, you can get the downloadable ebook, Resin Fundamentals. It’s the book I wrote with the resin beginner in mind. You’ll learn the important details of creating with resin in under two hours. Buy the PDF book now and have it to read in minutes.

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