How To Resin Watercolor

Covering your watercolor painting in a coating of ArtResin is easy - in fact, epoxy resin takes watercolor art next level, sealing and protecting it with a professional looking finish and a glossy sheen that makes colour pop!

We love using wooden art panels here at ArtResin - you can mount your artwork and pour your resin directly on the panel!  Some panels even have a raised lip specifically designed to contain resin - they make for a super easy pour with clean edges.

Measure, mix, pour, spread, cover and wait, and in 24 hours your watercolor painting will go from good to gorgeous!

How To Resin Watercolor: Measure, mix, pour, spread, cover



Let's Get Started ...




Supplies:

  • 12 x 12" wooden art panel
  • a watercolor painting sized to fit the panel 
  • sealant labelled safe for watercolor ( we used a Krylon spray sealant )
  • spray adhesive ( we used 3M )
  • ArtResin epoxy resin 
  • A pair of nitrile gloves, a stir stick and spreader
  • a level
  • a measuring cup with easy to read measurement lines 
  • a mixing container 
  • a handheld torch like our Artist's Torch
  • toothpicks
  • an empty plastic tote or cardboard box with the flaps cut off to protect your piece while it dries


Check out our 
resin art tools & accessories!

  

1. Complete your Watercolour Painting

Complete your watercolour painting on paper sized to fit your panel. Trace as we did, using transfer paper, or draw your outline freehand onto the paper.

How To Resin Watercolor: Complete your Watercolour Painting


If you choose, you can apply masking fluid to block out any areas you don't want painted. Masking fluid is easily removed after your paint has dried with an eraser, or by peeling it off.

How To Resin Watercolor: masking fluid to block out any areas you don't want painted
How To Resin Watercolor: Masking fluid is easily removed after your paint has dried


Paint your image as you wish using watercolor paints.
Allow your painting to dry thoroughly.

How To Resin Watercolor: Paint your image as you wish using watercolor paints
How To Resin Watercolor: Allow your painting to dry thoroughly


Once dry, mount your artwork onto your wood panel using adhesive - you can use either a spray adhesive, a glue stick or a brush on adhesive.  
For best results, smooth the drawing out with your hands or a brayer to ensure that it's evenly mounted to the panel, with no air pockets.

How To Resin Watercolor: Once dry, mount your artwork onto your wood panel using adhesive


Seal your work using a spray sealant designated safe for watercolors, allowing it to dry completely.

A Note On Sealing Watercolor

We always recommend testing your particular materials out with ArtResin on a scrap piece so you know exactly what to expect before you resin your final project.  There are certain cases, however, when sealing your work prior to resining is required ....

  • Sealing to prevent absorption:  It's a good precaution to seal when applying ArtResin over soft or low quality paper that may otherwise absorb the resin, causing dark, wet spots in your work or causing your work to bleed.

  • Sealing over loose material.  With a medium like chalk pastel or charcoal, or when resining over a loose material like glitter, you want to be mindful of loose particles that might get mixed up and float away in your liquid resin. For peace of mind, you can certainly err on the side of caution and seal your artwork first - use a spray fixative rather than a brush on sealant.  

  • Sealing to prevent bubbles: Being an organic material, wood and paper may contain trapped air which can release into your resin as bubbles. There are many variables that can affect gas bubbles: with wood, the type of wood, how dry the wood is, and humidity can all affect how much air the wood contains. With paper, soft paper and paper that has been layered into a collage can contain trapped air.  Sealing with a spray or brush-on sealant is an option to help to prevent bubbles. 

    As far as our wood panels, we've used them enough to know that we don't need to seal them, but we always recommend testing with your particular materials so you know exactly what results to expect before you resin your final project. Again, if in doubt, you can never go wrong by sealing first if it makes you feel more comfortable.    

How To Resin Watercolor: Sealing to prevent bubbles


2. Calculate how much Resin you need

Using our Resin Calculator, simply enter the length and width of your piece to determine how much ArtResin you’ll need.

💡TIP: a standard 1/8" or 3 mm coating for a 12" x 12" panel requires 5 oz resin (2.5 oz resin and 2.5 oz hardener). Measure the lip on your panel as they can vary. The panel in our video, for example, has a 1/4" lip. In order to fill it to the top, you'd use double the amount: 10 oz total resin (5 oz resin and 5 oz hardener).


How To Resin Watercolor: Calculate how much Resin you need

 





3. 
Measure & Stir

Working in a well-ventilated area and wearing gloves, measure accurately ( by volume ) precisely equal amounts of resin and hardener. Stir thoroughly for 3 minutes total, ensuring you scrape the bottom and sides of your mixing container as you go. 

💡 TIP: for our very best measuring and mixing tips, read the blog How To Measure And Mix Resin And Hardener.


How To Resin Watercolor: Measure & Stir
How To Resin Watercolor: measure accurately




4. Pour the ArtResin

Pour the ArtResin onto the centre of your piece and spread it out to the edges using a plastic spreader or a popsicle stick. You'll have about 45 minutes of working time before the resin gets too thick to work with.

💡TIP: Read our blog How To Pour And Spread Epoxy Resin for more resin tips and techniques!

How To Resin Watercolor: Pour the ArtResin
How To Resin Watercolor: spread it out to the edges

45 minutes of working time before the resin gets too thick to work with 

5. Use your Artist's Torch

Using your Artist’s Torch, hold the flame a couple of inches above the resin surface just long enough to pop the bubbles, keeping the torch moving from side to side at all times. 

💡TIP: if you're nervous about using a torch, don't be! Read our blog with all you need to know about How To Use A Torch On Epoxy Resin.

How To Resin Watercolor: Use your Artist's Torch

 

6. Final Check of your Piece

Once the piece has been torched, look at the resin in the light for any missed bubbles, tiny hairs or bits of dust, using a toothpick to fish them out. 

How To Resin Watercolor: Final Check of your Piece



7. Cover your Piece

With a plastic tote or a cardboard box ( with the flaps cut off ) cover your piece and let it sit for 24 hrs until it’s dry to the touch.

How To Resin Watercolor: Cover your Piece


 

8. Wait 24 Hours

After 24hrs has passed, reveal your piece!  

💡TIP: the resin will be dry to the touch at the 24hr mark.  At this point, you're free to hang and admire your artwork on the wall, absolutely, but if you're planning on packing and shipping your artwork, please wait at least 72hrs until the resin has fully cured.

How To Resin Watercolor: Wait 24 Hours

 



We hope you found this informative and helpful!

Do you want to learn more about using resin with different mediums and on different surfaces? Check out our how-to tutorials: 

     

    ArtResin:  Made For Artists, By Artists.

      About the author: Joanne Wright

      I'm Joanne, the Content Manager at ArtResin. Originally from Canada, my home is now Indianapolis, Indiana. My love of all things creative and my entrepreneurial heart means I’ve worn many hats over the years including fashion producer & stylist, retail store owner, t-shirt designer, and even vegan baker! I am...