Resin has become one of my favorite mediums to work with because it’s absolutely beautiful when it’s finished. It can make many surfaces look like glass, it can cover and protect, and it really gives off a great shine! When I learned about poured resin wall art, I just knew I had to try it out! I absolutely love it.
This is a sponsored post, I was paid to create this project and was sent the products to use for free. I always give me completely honest opinion and experience when writing sponsored posts. If you have any other questions, see my Disclosures page. There will also be affiliate links in this post, which means that if you click on those links and purchase through them, I get a small commission which helps me to keep my site running. Thank you so much for your support!
Supplies:
- Envirotex Lite resin
- Pigment dyes
and/or acrylic paints
- Canvas, I found a wooden board as the canvas works best, but a canvas works if it is supported in the center.
- Stir sticks
- Disposable measuring cups
- Disposable craft brushes
- Disposable gloves
- Paper towel
- Large Box or tray larger than chosen canvas
- Micro butane torch
Prepping work space:
Working with resin is very MESSY! You’ll definitely want to use gloves because it’s extremely hard to clean resin off of your hands, or anything else for that matter. You’ll also want to be sure you have a good box, layers and layers of newspaper, or something plastic that is bigger than your board in order to catch the drips that fall off the sides of the board. There will always be dripping! Be sure to have some paper towels too just in case you spill a little.
Canvas options:
The very first time I tried this technique I used a stretched canvas from the local craft store. It worked, but the weight of the poured resin caused the canvas to slightly fall in the center which caused all of the resin to pool in the middle and that is definitely not what you want. If you choose to use a stretched canvas then be sure to support the center so you don’t have this happen.
On the second try making this art, I used large section plywood and it worked much better. I’d highly recommend using a wooden board as your canvas.
Be sure that whichever type of canvas you use is free from all dust and debris. From here on out I will be referring to “the board”, since that’s what I used for this project.
Sealing the board:
To seal the board you will want to mix a few ounces of Envirotex Lite resin and spread it thinly across the entire board to cover the surface. Use your micro-butane torch
to pop any existing bubbles. This seal coat will help the resin spread across the board evenly and will reduce the number of bubbles that arise later on while the resin is curing. Wood tends to give off a lot of air bubbles if it is not properly sealed, so be sure not to skip this step.
Estimating Resin:
Envirotex Lite
comes in bottles containing two parts which you’ll mix: Part A is the resin, and Part B is the hardener. For this art piece you’ll be mixing a lot of resin, so you’ll need quite a few cups. I think I used seven total. The amount you need depends on the size of your board, and the packaging will tell you approximately how much you’ll need. I used three 8oz. boxes. You can mix all of the resin at once in a large disposable container, then pour a smaller amount into each of the cups (for as many colors as you need) OR you can mix a couple smaller cups and still separate them into different cups for different colors. I used white, blue, green, purple (mixed red and blue), white with glitter, and copper acrylic paint.
Mixing Resin:
When you mix the resin, you’ll need to add exactly the same amount of Part A and Part B.
Mix thoroughly with a stir stick, making sure to scrape the sides as you go.
Now pour into smaller amounts in different cups and add color pigment or acrylic paint to the resin to change each color. I used 6 colors, but you can use as many or as few as you’d like.
Pour the Resin:
Decide on one cup to be your first pour cup, it doesn’t matter if it is a color or white or even clear. Pour a small amount of each of the other colors into this resin. White was my main cup, then I added blue, green, purple, glitter white, copper then did it over again one more time until the cup was pretty full.
Pour that cup into the center of your board. Actually, you can start pouring it anywhere. Since you’re making art, it really can be done any way that you want.
My first pour wasn’t enough to cover the entire board, so I did a second pour using more of each color of resin.
Check out all those amazing colors and patterns! After that pour I still needed a little on the edges, so I took each color cup and just poured it into the bare spots. I even poured some of the colors over the top to add a little more character. You can do whatever you want!
The resin may need a little help getting to the edges, so slightly tip the board whichever way is needed. Then use a craft brush to wipe off the drips on the underside of the board. This will need to be done a few times as the resin all starts to settle and drip off the board.
Pop the bubbles:
Every resin project I have ever done has had tons of bubbles that surface just a few minutes after pouring. This may worry you, but with the right tools it is no big deal. You will definitely want a mini torch of some sort for this project because it’s just too big to try to exhale to pop all the bubbles. All you need is a micro-butane torch to quickly run a flame across the top of the resin and it will pop all the bubbles. Sometimes it helps to wait a short time after the pour, like maybe 10 minutes, then come back and pop the bubbles. This ensures that most of the air pockets will have risen to the top.
Here is a video showing the pouring process! If you like it, please click over to YouTube and leave me a comment!
Let the resin cure:
Alright, so the final thing is to make sure your artwork is in a clean place where no dust or debris will land on it. Let it cure for 24 hours.
Check out all the amazing patterns. These will continue to change slightly as the resin settles and mixes together.
All done!
Now stand back and enjoy that amazing artwork that you made! Check out the patterns, the sparkle in the metallic paints, find hidden images or your favorite design and just appreciate how easy it was to make something so awesome. Frame it if you’d like, or just leave as is! (I added a white frame.)
What do you think? Cool? Not cool? Tell me!
Check out these other resin projects!
DIY Wood and Resin Pendant using EasyCast
DIY Resin Seashell Wall Art Tutorial
Wow, totally Cool! I have got to try this! Thank you so much for your instructions. Pinned.
WAW how fabulous ❣
I would love to try this, maybe I should ask father Christmas to gift me materials for Christmas ❣
Beautiful Work, thank you ❣
Loved your demo colours are gorgeous thank you for Sharing your talents 🤗cheers
Hi! I was wondering if I can use this same process you used to create such a beautiful piece on my worn out dinner table. If so, what is your advise on keeping the resin to adhere and remain on the sides rather it drip off. I’m not crafty. This would be my first project EVER! I was totally inspired by your article and your artwork!
You explained so perfectly! Beautiful work and I will try it on plywood also!
Thanks for your expertise…..
Donna
Thank you Donna! Happy to help. Feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Sheri that is amazing!
My sons work with fibreglass and they use resin to help mold and solidify the fibreglass and have been for years, omg……putting it into craft will be great, why should they have all the fun.
My bedroom ( it’s only me) is done in silver, dark grey & pale grey with a light shade of purple , my doona cover has all those colours as well and i can hardley wait to try my hand at two matching boards for above my bed all thanks to you great art.
They should definitely not have all the fun. 😉 I would love to see what you create! You can do it!
Great post! Next time I would use ArtResin. Envirotex yellows terribly (not so much a problem with the colors you chose, but if you use white, it will become yellow rather quickly), where ArtResin is designed to protect art from harmful UV light, so it’s formulated to withstand UV light and not yellow at all. It also has a better working time before it starts to cure!
Welcome to the world of resin painting. It’s incredibly addicting!
Can you make a river scene out of this and then cut it up and use the pieces in grout to make a shower floor? Will it break under foot pressure ?
I have no idea. I’m not a resin expert, just a crafter, and I haven’t tried such an application.
Great step by step. I just started using resin, nervous at first, but I’m having good times with it on my Record pours, turn into Clocks.
So very cool, thank you!
HI, i have been working with resin for ages now, and i feel so bad for you girls who are trying to learn, so i hope this helps 🙂 Always gesso a wood board as the resin stays better and moves easily. if you want lacing, Hazel is correct! pour white coloured resin on your project and tilt and torch at the same time! I wish you all luck and it is a great piece Hazel 🙂 Well done x
thank you Patricia for sharing your expert advice! Really appreciated!
Thank you for this master class, wanted to try to pour with resin it looks so nice. Really helpful blog
Good luck! Thank you.
Hi – great video. I just purchased Envirotex and plan on mixing with acrylic. Have you had any luck with the ‘lacing’ effect (i.e. white that looks like waves in an ocean)? I’ve read to ‘thin’ with alcohol – just wanted to get any tips before I started…
thank you
I’ve read to thin it as well, but haven’t actually tried that yet! I do get a slight lacing sometimes when I run the micro butane torch across it. If the flame is close enough to push the resin sometimes you get that effect. Sorry I’m not more help! Would love an update if you decide to try it!
I adore the look of beautiful, shiny resin & as a newby at acrylic pouring I am really keen to progress on to this. I have been spending a small fortune on paints & other pouring products & my only concern is that resin work looks to be very expensive to do! Am I correct in working out that your lovely picture cost around $40 to produce with the resin that you recommend?
Kind Regards Claire Taylor
Yes Claire, that is about right.
Sheri, thank you a lot fot this MK! As you are I’m impressed of this kind of art. Really want to try it! My question is how large is your board? Can you tell me the size of it? I want to be ready to how much resin I need to have.
Thank you.
Sheri
Really liked this project especially on wood….beautiful work……
Rick
Didn’t work at all. Everything was too thick and wouldn’t “flow.” Wasted a lot of money and frustration… ?
I’m surprised to hear this because I’ve never had this issue. You do have to tip the board/canvas in order to get it to move. Sorry it didn’t work for you!
It could be done in a plastic surface? I will love to cover the top of my domino table wirh something like this.
Does the overall image of the artwork change if you use acrylic paint instead of pigment for the colors? Thank you!
I’m not sure what you mean. I used both in this project and have used both in other pours and haven’t noticed a difference between the colors dyed with paint and the colors dyed with pigment.
Great Blog and nice artwork. I’ve worked with Resin for a while and sell quite a bit.
One thing I would like to add to this is it is extremely important to wear a pro respirator! Breathing the chemicals, even Art Resin can form crystals in your lungs.
It is a BEAUTIFUL medium, but also dangerous.
Thanks so much for a well done tutorial.
Kym.
Hi my name is Lashia I’m a fellow artist well trying to be☺. Also trying to start my own blog this is my first comment ever but your work is just so beautiful I had to show my appreciation for how much I love it. I have always loved art but didn’t really find my passion for it until about a year ago, so I am fairly new to all this. My work seems to be similar to yours no where near as beautiful wondering if I could maybe show you a piece and get some feed back whenever your not to busy thank you for sharing
I’d be happy to help! My email is sheri@hazelandgolddesigns.com
That is one gorgeous piece of art. I was just looking into doing something like this but with acrylic paint. But I bet with the resin it will be rock solid and last forever.
I think that’s true. I’m actually participating in a class on Monday to try pouring resin. I assume it will be just as fun, but not as shiny or sturdy. 😉
Wow, what a pretty finish! There are so many things you can do with this medium. I’ve always admired how beautiful resin is even though I’ve never worked with it myself. Thanks for sharing with us at Creatively Crafty #ccbg 🙂
Thank you!
I had done resin molds in an art class, years ago. We made jewelry pieces. I love this & would love to try it. Thanks for sharing this with us at the Inspiration Spotlight party. Pinned & sharing
It sounds like a messy process, but the result is so pretty it’s totally worth the mess. Thank you for sharing at The Really Crafty Link Party this week. Pinned!
Definitely messy, but if you prepare for it then it’s not too bad. Thanks!
I love resin artwork – it looks beautiful on tabletops and gorgeous as actual artwork. You made it seem so easy, but I know it would take a fair amount of skill and creativity to get such an attractive end result – well done!
Thank you Leanne! I’ve done some that don’t look so great and others that do. It’s more luck than skill. 😉
Wow! This project really makes an impressive statement. I’m intrigued, and now want to give this a try myself. Thank you for the great tutorial, and thanks for linking up this week at our Encouraging Hearts & Home Blog Hop!
Do it. It’s so much fun. Just prepare for the messiness and don’t forget vinyl gloves. 😉
I will definitely be trying this soon. It turned out so beautiful!
You should, it’s so fun! Thanks!