Handmade work has always been appreciated, regardless of the industry. Today, handwork is a popular direction. The result of this work can cause enthusiastic glances. Epoxy resin is an excellent material for creativity, it allows the master to realize any fantasies in the production of jewelry, decorative items, furniture, dishes or work surfaces.
Jewelry made of epoxy resin can be found in stores that sell jewelry. Even if there are no precious metals in their composition, popularity does not fall from this. Usually such crafts or accessories are represented by a huge variety.
Transparent resin can convey all the subtleties of design thought, fill the product with a certain romanticism and even give it a certain magical component. No wonder many amulets and amulets are made of epoxy.
The resin resembles amber, but unlike an expensive fossil, this material is quite affordable. Consequently, there are a number of unusual solutions that are quite realistic to implement independently.
Ideas come to mind with compositions imitating frozen water droplets, inside which plant flowers, precious stones, and all sorts of decorative elements have frozen. With the help of three-dimensional paintings, you can create the effects of the vastness of the universe.
Paintings made in the style of “Resin art” are in demand among modern fashionistas. Earrings, brooches, beads, rings, bracelets are made on the basis of resin castings.
Prices for ready-made jewelry cannot be called low in any way, although with their independent production, the cost price will please everyone. All jewelry made of epoxy resin is the result of the author’s work, which is traditionally valued very highly.
The variety of products is so great that it is simply impossible to describe the various variations. Classifying jewelry is also unlikely to work, since it is difficult to determine the parameter by which the division into groups is carried out. It is possible only as an example to present various models that differ from each other in manufacturing techniques, decor materials, shape or color of resin.
Material properties
One of the types of oligomers is epoxy resin. As a building material, it appeared in the 50s of the last century. Initially, epoxy was used as an adhesive compound, but then it began to rapidly expand the scope of applicability.
The possibility to use resin in the manufacture of jewelry, including jewelry, appeared due to some original properties of the polymer formed when mixing the basic composition with a hardener.
The formed polymer crystallizes in a matter of hours, and it completely retains volume and has high strength. The material exhibits a high degree of adhesion when solidified. In simple words, resin can be “bonded” with any materials. That is why the products are decorated with elements of wood, metal, plastic, natural fibers, glass.
The dielectric properties of the resin can also find application. Electrical safety allows you to make various lamps from polymer. It should be noted that when the dye is added to the main component, a colored crystal is obtained, which looks beautiful in the presence of illumination.
The frozen resin perfectly resists the action of chemically active substances. Durability and thermal stability are actively used in the manufacture of furniture. As for jewelry, the listed qualities will also be in demand here.
Epoxy in a solidified state is not a source of toxins, and its contact with the skin is absolutely safe. The resin can even come into contact with food.
Using mold
Since the workpiece for the future product is initially in a liquid state, a mold may be required for filling. It is made from improvised means, but there are also special purchased molds made of silicone. They perfectly hold the resin until it is completely cured, and then they are easily separated from the solidified array.
A mold in the form of a hemisphere allows you to make a lens out of resin.
Plant flowers, pebbles or shells are placed inside. Such lenses are used to make key chains, brooches or pendants. Accessories are added to the resulting hemisphere. Often it is made of silver or other precious metals.
Note that it is impossible to make such a hemisphere without a form. Some craftsmen are trying to carve the desired shape from the ingot, but they will not be able to get an ideal spherical surface.
There are special molds for rings.
If you insert small pebbles, sand or glass into the cavity before pouring, you will get a very original version. The fantasies do not end there. Tinting resin gives a whole field for the activity of the master, and the mother-of-pearl filling is obtained by adding glitter to the composition. These sequins must be thoroughly stirred so that the consistency of the resin is uniform.
There are also special molds for earrings.
The example given is not the only one. If it is not possible to buy a ready-made mold, it is made of special sculptural plasticine. As a decorative filling, you can even consider a dandelion flower.
For the manufacture of rings, molds are used, outwardly very similar to those with which the rings were cast. Since the volume of the poured resin is large enough, you can give free rein to your imagination when decorating.
The advantage of purchased silicone molds over homemade ones is that the frozen resin acquires a smooth surface, which greatly facilitates the task of polishing the product.
Three – dimensional compositions
Before considering a few examples, it is necessary to present all the possibilities of the wizard, if he does not have a suitable mold for filling. It is the absence of such that allows you to create masterpieces in the form of blanks for pendants, medallions, necklaces and earrings.
Normally cooked resin resembles freshly harvested honey in its consistency. Due to the forces of surface tension, the epoxy is not poured into a flat spot, but forms a low bulge. If you make a layer-by-layer fill, then in a few steps you can get a volumetric lens. The task of the master is to control the perimeter of the resin stain during the curing process.
To realize your idea, there are two approaches.
- The first is that a resin lens will be formed, the dimensions of which are suitable for the decor.
- The second approach is more practical, since it involves the formation of a lens for ready-made accessories.
In the first case, the decor is chosen first, it can be an inflorescence of a plant, a petal, a stem with a flower. According to its size, a template for the future lens is drawn on a piece of paper. The template can be either symmetrical or asymmetrical.
Note that recently fashion has been leaning towards asymmetric options.
A plastic film is applied to the finished template, and then resin is applied. You can adjust the spreading of the mass with a wooden stick. In 2-3 steps, you will get a lens, the shape of which corresponds to the template. After that, the decoration is glued to a flat surface and the second part of the lens is filled in. Depending on the accessories, you will get a link necklace, earrings, a pendant or a pendant element.
A striking example of an asymmetric lens is a leaf-shaped pendant.
This method of filling, perhaps, is the simplest. Of all the accessories, only a metal hook or a clasp for the suspension will be required. It is not difficult to make it out of thin wire.
The principle of pouring is that the resin stain is evenly distributed over the entire area of the leaf with a stick. The resin is applied in several layers, depending on the desired thickness of the lens. It is very difficult to keep a liquid substance at the border. Therefore, the epoxy will spread. After the resin has completely solidified, the lens is ground along the edges with a fillet, and then polished.
The option of forming a lens for ready-made accessories is suitable for those who have decided to restore old jewelry. Although now it is not difficult to buy a blank in a store. The principle of filling remains the same as in the case of applying a template.
For those who want to realize their creative abilities, we note that it is not necessary to use a whole bud as a decoration. You can assemble a magnificent composition from the parts.
The algorithm of working with finished accessories implies the formation of a lens on a metal surface. The high adhesion of the epoxy allows you to do this without any problems. But you will have to spend some time preparing the decor.
First of all, it is necessary to exclude the appearance of petals in the resin. For this reason, all parts are glued to the base. As an adhesive, you can take the same composition of epoxy resin, only first apply it in a small amount. Glued flowers, petals, stems should dry, only then you need to start pouring resin. Some craftsmen prefer to leave the natural relief, that is, the resin is poured in a very thin layer. It only slightly covers the surface of the natural material, leaving a voluminous relief.
Balls
If there is a suitable mold, it is possible to pour epoxy resin so that a sphere is obtained. Here the concept of sphere is very relative, since elements of ellipsoid shape also belong to this type of jewelry.
The complexity of making such jewelry lies in the fact that it is impossible to fill it at one time.
Liquid resin is quite heavy, so flowers or other light decorative elements can deform in bulk. It is recommended to immerse the flower in the mold and pour about half of the volume. Then, after the resin has solidified, the pouring should be continued.
The size of the balls will determine the use of jewelry. Large balls are great for a keychain, and small balls are used to make earrings or necklaces.
Difficulties of independent work
Experienced craftsmen who know how to make real masterpieces, as one, claim that it is possible to achieve excellent results only by trial and error. At first glance, it seems that the technology of making jewelry from epoxy resin is simple, but in practice there are many negative factors that a beginner simply cannot take into account.
Some of them can be cited, although real mastery comes only after the first trial works.
- Preparation of material for decoration is a mandatory and very important stage. If natural components are used (flowers, petals, inflorescences, twigs of plants), then they must be in a dried form. Drying plants requires certain knowledge. Some instances can change their color and shape. If the plant is not sufficiently dried, then it will rot in the epoxy resin layer, and the released moisture will form bubbles.
- When making the mold independently, in addition to the shape, you should think about the tightness and separation composition. Tightness is necessary so that the resin does not flow out of the mold at the first stages of solidification. The separating composition ensures good exfoliation of the resin from the mold surface.
- The resin is prepared from two components, one of which is the main composition, and the other is a hardener. To achieve high qualities of the final material, it is necessary to observe the proportions determined by the manufacturer. If the resin was obtained without labels on the package or without instructions, then there are likely to be problems with the result. Mix the components carefully so that the air bubbles have time to escape, the consistency is uniform, and no new bubbles form. The finished solution should stand for a while. If the bubbles do not come to the surface, then the solution is heated in a steam bath.
- It is necessary to pour the resin in small portions. If the filling is made inside the mold, then the resin is poured out of the cup so that it flows down a wooden stick. When forming a lens without a shape, a layer of resin is applied 2-3 drops by dipping a stick into the resin. Excessive haste can lead to the fact that natural materials are deformed, the resin will spread beyond the template or new bubbles will form.
- A special jewelry resin is used to make jewelry. But even if all the recommendations are fulfilled, the surface of the product may turn out to be matte. It is necessary to process the cast lens. First of all, the grinding work on the edges begins. The spread stain is removed with a file or a file. Then the lens surface is sanded. The abrasive grain gradually decreases, and grinding turns into polishing.
