Resin art is a wonderful and fun pastime for anyone that is looking to diversify their list of hobbies but it can be a great treat for kids too especially if they have an interest in arts and crafts and want to make their own objects. Resin is used by many companies to make necklaces, earrings, rings, and bracelets and in the span of a few years has become incredibly popular among young people. Here is how you can make resin jewelry for kids and also involve them in the process!
When you use synthetic epoxy resin there are virtually limitless designs you can make in an endless number of colors and for the extra wow factor you can even throw in glitter, sparkles, pearls, and even confetti! When making art resin jewelry for kids, you want to use as many bright colors as possible along with exciting elements so they are keener to wear the pieces and it will help cultivate their imagination as well.
Types To Use for Jewelry
Before you can go about making some excellent resin jewelry art pieces for your kids or teaching them the process, it is good to know the best types to use for the purpose. Epoxy resin, polyester resin, and UV resin are among the best choices for jewelry. Epoxy resin is undoubtedly one of the best choices because of its crystal-perfect effect as well as general smoothness. It is popularly preferred for jewelry making. Polyester resin is the next choice and the pros for using this type of resin are that it is very sturdy, fairly unbreakable, and also dries quickly. Perfect for impatient children!
UV resin is also a quick-drying option as it cures easily once put under a UV lamp. The other reason why UV resin is a good option to use with kids is that it doesn’t need to be mixed in a ratio with a hardener. It is great for small items like earrings because it needs to be worked through in thin layers laid on top of each other.
Making Brilliant Jewelry- The Process
If you’re going for the whole hog such as using sequins, glitter, pigments, dried flowers, etc then a quick and important tip is to add these particles in before you mix the epoxy resin so that they can be cast properly and aren’t sticking out. Regardless of the elements, you are adding in, you want the end result to be stable with balanced weight and shape.
Bear in mind that when using heavier materials like crystals or pearls, you will have to add extra coatings of the resin as most types need to be set in thin layers. If this is your first time making resin jewelry, use the smallest particles you can find for effect and once you have enough practice you can use larger elements like stones and crystals.
When using elements that are fragile such as strips of colored paper or dried herbs and flowers, you want to be careful that they don’t just form lumps and affect the shape of the item. You need to lay down the fragile elements carefully between layers smoothing them out as you go. For extra adhesive power, you can also use some napkin glue.
Once you have gotten all the raw materials together you can go about choosing a suitable silicone mold (that is sold widely in most arts and crafts stores). The silicone mold will determine whether you’re making earrings, pendants, or any other jewelry piece. After choosing your silicone mold, do a basic measurement of the amount of epoxy resin you will need for your project and dispense accordingly. Epoxy resin is usually a two-part process and has to be mixed with a hardener. You can also find an epoxy calculator online!
Following the aforementioned tips, pour your resin into the desired shape and size. Allow 72 hours to harden and dry for best effect (although some types of resin dry quickly as mentioned before). Make sure to always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when it comes to the ratio of all the chemicals as well as drying time.
When removing the mold and unveiling the finished object make sure you don’t incur any sharp edges. If there are sharp edges you can always sand them down with some sandpaper. If done correctly there should be any roughness in the finished product. If you’re looking to go a step further, you can use gloss lacquers for a more luxurious, store-bought finish.
