A new and very creative direction of creativity is paintings made of epoxy resin. Thanks to this material, they turn out to be voluminous and deep. The 3D effect is enhanced by applying several layers of epoxy or adding additional elements to the canvas: shells, dried flowers, pebbles. You can create a similar picture with your own hands at home. It is only necessary to get acquainted with the main secrets and tricks of such creativity.
Material Features
Epoxy resin or epoxy is a polymer material. It is environmentally safe and has been loved by many creators for its extraordinary properties. The following advantages are most significant for paintings:
- the effect of glass after solidification;
- glossy surface;
- light weight, twice as light as glass;
- good miscibility with different dyes;
- excellent adhesion to wood, plastic, metal and other surfaces.
Such properties of the polymer open up a wide scope for imagination. For epoxy paintings, you can take different substrates or use the resin itself as a base. Make the elements of the drawing colored, transparent, luminous. Decorate with any small things.
High resistance to negative factors adds to the attractiveness of this material. The resin does not break, does not fade, is not afraid of moisture. The finished product can not be enclosed in a frame. The polymer is immune to direct sunlight, dust is easily removed from the surface with a soft cloth.
Modern resins have special additives that make them UV-protected. They do not change color, chemical structure and do not become cloudy with time.
Three interesting options
With the help of epoxy resin, you can get a very diverse picture. For inspiration, we offer three of the most popular versions:
- Fill. The finished image is coated with epoxy. Three-dimensional elements may be present on it. Thanks to the transparent resin, they hold fast to the canvas and have a glossy sheen. It turns out a non-standard application.
- Drawing on resin. For this type of creativity, special acrylic paints are used. The advantages of this option are the absence of an additional substrate and the ability to create a multi—layered image. The painted elements are covered with resin. This creates a depth effect. However, such a picture can weigh a lot.
- Drawing with epoxy. The most creative option of all. The image is created by the resin itself, which is painted in the right colors and randomly or intentionally smeared on the canvas.
The dimensions of the craft can be any: from a small painting to a large wall panel.
Painting
If you liked the third option the most, you should learn more about the technique of such drawing. Epoxy resin is a material with high viscosity. Therefore, you will need some skill to work with it. To begin with, we recommend watching a couple of videos on this topic or taking part in a master class that often take place in large cities.
Working rules and safety precautions
If you are already ready to start creating, read the security rules.
To work, you will definitely need gloves, eye protection and respiratory protection. You need to create on a flat surface in a well-ventilated room. Try not to let the resin get on the skin. But if this does happen, wash off the substance with plenty of running water.
The most effective removal of resin from the skin is with alcohol (vodka, cologne).
We also recommend that you carefully read the instructions of the polymer manufacturer and follow them clearly, especially at the moment of mixing the resin and the hardener. Incorrect proportions will spoil all the work done in the future.
Materials and tools
To create a picture you will need:
- Epoxy resin and hardener. It is best to buy a set, especially if you are new to this business.
- Dyes. Purchase special pastes and pigments for epoxy. Otherwise, the dye may mix inhomogeneously with the resin. To give a glow effect, use phosphors.
- The substrate. You can buy it ready-made or make it yourself. Wood, plastic sandwich panels, plywood and other materials are used as the basis.
- Mixing containers. Ordinary plastic cups will do. Take a thin wooden stick to mix.
- Scotch tape. It is recommended to use it to protect the back surface of the painting and create the sides. So the resin will not spread.
- Gas burner or construction hair dryer. For drying parts of the painting and creating a unique pattern.
Sandpaper can also be useful for rubbing uneven fragments or removing frozen dust.
Five steps to a masterpiece
When you have purchased everything you need and prepared a workplace, you can start creating. To begin with, it is worth sketching a sketch. It is necessary to understand how the elements of the drawing will be located, and then move strictly according to the planned plan:
- Prepare the substrate. Seal the entire back surface with tape, wrap the base around the perimeter, leave the sides. The height of the sides should exceed the expected thickness of the layers of the painting.
- Mix the epoxy with the dye. It is advisable to estimate in advance how much material of a particular color will be needed. Carefully observe the proportions and carefully mix the polymer with the pigment. We are waiting for the formation of a homogeneous mass.
- Add a hardener. After that, you need to work quite actively. Otherwise, the resin will harden before it is properly applied to the canvas.
- Pour the resin onto the substrate, evenly distribute it with a stick. If several layers are planned, work in stages. The first layer, then we wait for complete curing, then the second layer and wait again until it dries, and so on. For faster solidification, you can spray the painting with hot air from a burner or a hair dryer. However, it is impossible to process the same place for too long: this can cause the resin to crack. The curing time under normal conditions is at least 8 hours. Please note that the polymer must solidify in a warm room. High humidity and cold are unacceptable.
- Final processing. If there are dust particles in the frozen layer and various irregularities, walk over this place with a large sandpaper. Such work must be carried out in a respirator to avoid getting plastic particles into the body.
Additional volumetric elements must be placed in the painting before the epoxy resin begins to dry. From above they can be filled with a transparent layer of epoxy or varnished.
Important points
When working with wooden substrates, mandatory surface preparation is required. It is primed with a special compound, does not allow the resin to seep through the pores.
It is most convenient to remove bubbles at the stage of mixing resin with pigments and hardener. To do this, place the container with the composition in a container with warm water. If the bubbles have already appeared when applying the epoxy to the canvas, they can be blown out with a regular hair dryer or a straw.
Heating in a conventional microwave oven at low power and for a short time, from a few seconds, is also effective.
To detect dust particles and hairs, use the backlight. Extraneous elements will cast a shadow. To remove them before the epoxy resin solidifies, an ordinary piece of paper is suitable. The leaf is carefully immersed in the composition and cling to a speck of dust or a hair. After hardening, sandpaper is used, cutting out a piece or decorating with rhinestones, flowers.
It is convenient to get dust and resin hairs with wooden toothpicks.
The plot for an epoxy resin painting can be any, for example, images of the sea. But to try the pen, it is recommended to start with abstraction, gradually moving on to more complex and detailed images.
