Professional Artists Share Their Favorite Resin Tips

• Show restraint with heat and don’t over torch. I tend to just do a quick once over with my torch and then use a toothpick to get any bubbles I missed. 
  
  
• When mixing by hand, I like to transfer the mix into another bucket after a few minutes of stirring. This really mixes the resin and saves time. 
  
  
• I use a space heater to maintain the perfect temperature for the resin. The heater is set at 70°F degrees. 
  
  
• Patience! I had to really learn this. Sometimes you can do everything right and it just doesn’t work out. Keep going and try again. 
  
  
  

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• My first tip is to mist the room down with a water spray bottle before I work, so that it will capture the dust floating in the air and settle it to the floor. This removes a lot of dust from the air that would normally settle into my curing pieces. I also like to turn the AC off when I work so that it doesn’t kick on and start blowing any dust particles around.
  
  
• My next tip is to tape the back of you art pieces with painters tape before you get started. Once you lay your tape down, then you can use the back of a spoon to burnish the tape securely onto your board. This tape will catch your resin drips while it cures. Once it’s cured, you take a heat gun and lightly heat up the tape on the backside,  and the drips will just peel right off. It’s like magic!
  
  
• I also say don’t be afraid to bring some big tools into the studio! Adding a large paint & mortar bit to a drill makes the perfect mixer for large batches of resin! 
  
  
• Lastly, I like to seal my wood boards with GAC 100 before I get started. The GAC 100 not only acts like a sealer on the back to prevent any moisture to the wood, but also prevents any wood induced discoloration to occur to my tinted resin.

• Spray the air with a water mister just before you begin to pour your resin. This will remove any floating partials in the air. 
  
  
• Build/set up a sealed off plastic area to secure a totally clean zone to pour your resin and have it cure safely. 
  
  
• Make sure your room is nice and warm for the resin ideal curing temperature and be sure there is no unnecessary air movement from fans or heaters that could blow hair or dust into your artwork while curing. 
  
  
• Wear a hair net and lint free clothes, ideally a paint suit. 
  
  
• Put on some tunes that you enjoy that also help you keep track of ideal mixing duration and resin working window. That way you can rock out while you are applying your resin while also keeping track of relevant time frames. 

• Mix resin well - work smarter and not harder! I use a drill attachment to mix my resin so that I get an evenly mixed resin pour every time.  These are available on Amazon for a reasonable price and will save you lots of elbow grease. Here is a link: https://amzn.to/4b2dH9y
  
  
• I use a cheap craft sponge to spread resin over my canvas, while maintaining enough control to get the art resin from edge to edge.
  
  
• Wait 15 minutes after the resin has been poured, and then fire up your heat gun to get rid of bubbles for the perfect glass like layer of resin!

• Be in a good mood! This sounds silly, but when you’re feeling positive the entire process runs more smoothly. When you're put under pressure to finish your art piece/s, you tend to rush more, which can lead to frustration and unwanted results. 
  
  
• Leave your resin in the mixing container for 5-10 minutes before pouring. Assuming you’re working in the ideal/correct temperatures, allowing your resin to sit for a handful of minutes helps with the dissipation of bubbles. Sometimes I’ll quickly torch the surface in the container too, before proceeding to pour the resin over my artwork. 
  
  
• Don’t leave your artwork on the floor or near a window to cure. These areas are prone to drafts and can create temperature fluctuations, leading to dimples or striations in your cured results. 
  
  
• Use corrugated plastic for protection from dust. Replace corrugated cardboard with plastic ones. I use the signage type boards found in hardware stores to sit elevated over my resin. These boards don’t wear down like cardboard and can be cleaned and reused more easily. They also don’t contain tiny flecks of paper fibres that can release off the cardboard and fall into your resin.
  
  
• Use black garbage bags. If you don’t want to shell out the money on large silicone mats for your table top, then opt for contractor grade garbage bags. They cover and protect a large surface area but also allow you to easily peel/remove cured resin.
  
  

• To reduce the risk of yellowing, especially over white or light areas of work, I like to add very deeply pigmented violet resin pigment paste to my resin. I add a tiny amount, just enough to lightly colour the resin. When I spread this over a piece, it looks fully clear.  This assures me that the artwork will look fresh for many years to come.
  
  
• To make my gold pigment stand out, I avoid mixing it directly with the resin. Instead, I sprinkle metallic pigment powder on top of wet resin, which then disperses and creates solid metallic gold areas which I love. As an added tip, make sure you sprinkle metallic pigment on in small amounts to account for the slight spreading when it absorbs into the resin, unless you want A LOT of gold coverage of course. You can also do it when it's slightly tacky after a few hours and then sprinkle on some gold to ensure it doesn't spread over your other details. This is my favourite way to apply gold. 
  
  
• If I want super clean edges, I tape the edges of the art panel before priming it. I like to use green FrogTape. Once taped, I scrape along the tape to ensure it is fully adhered, I usually use a wooden lolly stick for this. Then I prime over the entire panel with 2-3 layers of gesso, this will create a seal that resin cannot get into. After the artwork is finished, I blowtorch the top of the tape to soften the resin slightly, then I peel the tape off slowly. This method helps me to avoid any unwanted resin seeping into the tape, and it also means I don't need to sand any drips, which is a huge bonus.

• When it comes to choosing molds, pick ones with a flat and shiny surface, without intricate details. That way people can focus on the intriguing petri pattern created by alcohol ink.
  
  
• Use alcohol ink that’s compatible with resin. Do a swatch to make sure the color doesn’t react to the resin after the curing process (best to wait for 6 months to a year). E.g. some blue alcohol inks will turn ugly yellow.
  
  
• If you’re living in a colder area, always, always warm your resin to reduce bubbles.

• Warm the resin bottles to exactly 85 degrees prior to mixing. I’ve found this temperature works perfectly. By the time the resin is mixed and spread, it should cool to around 80 degrees (assuming you’re working in stable room temperature conditions) and the bubbles should be gone.
  
  
• Use a heat gun for large surfaces (above than 18x24in.) at the highest possible temperature (1350 Fahrenheit for mine) and do quick passes with the lowest possible fan speed. Do a first pass after about 5 mins since spreading, and another pass at about 15 mins since spreading. 
  
  
• Spray your working area with a spray bottle of water to push any dust and debris downwards so it’s not floating around during your resin process. 
  
  
• Try to spread the resin in a place with good lighting, either natural or artificial, so that you can see any debris that lands in the resin.
  
  
• Only use resin with a manufacturer date within 6 months (labeled on the ArtResin bottle) in order to get the most clear resin.
  
  

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• Mixing Containers: My favourite mixing vessels for resin are the 750g yogourt containers. I add Part A in one container and the same amount of Part B in a second container. To make sure the amount is the same for both parts, I use the writing on the container as a marker. The size and shape of the container work very well for what I need.
  
  
• Mixing Technique: To make sure the two parts are well mixed together, I pour one part into the other, mixing in a circular motion with a paint mixing stick. It's important to scrape the sides very often to blend the parts well. I pour the entire mixture from one container to the other and mix well. I repeat the switch from one container to another for a total of about 4 times to guarantee a homogeneous mixture.
  
  
• Thick Gloves: Since my art pieces have a lot of texture, I opt for thick and durable gloves when spreading resin. If gloves are too thin, they get caught in the texture, tear, and hands get covered with resin. This interrupts the process as I need to remove the torn gloves and wash my hands, to then put new ones on and continue the process.
  
  
• Good Lighting: After having spread the resin on the artwork, I place a good light next to it to find any missed areas or uneven spots. I either use the light from my cellphone or a spotlight that can be placed at the same level as the artwork. I make corrections to ensure an even layer of resin on the art piece, for it to have a flawless finish before curing.
  
  
• Bubble Removal: The trick to remove all the bubbles is about technique, rather than the price of the heat gun. I perform quick passes at a moderate distance from the artwork, moving the heat gun over each area 2 to 3 times. I use a light (see Tip #4) to check for any missed areas.