I've been winnowing down the number of tools I use in working with resin and my pressed flowers. I started out with all sorts of fancy stuff I found recommended by the resin -making companies and sellers of resin. I've winnowed these down to a very few which I find indispensable:
(2) Microbrushes. After I saw a picture of these somewhere once, I googled them and found quite a few prices, and as usual a large variety of prices. I buy them by the jar of 50 at a time, and use several each time I pour resin, to spread resin to the edges; to move flowers around, to catch little pieces of plant that I don't want in the piece of jewelry. The original ones I used to buy were metal and could be bent to an angle; I haven't been able to find those lately. These plastic ones will angle only a little but are still incredibly useful.
(3) A paintbrush for applying resin to the sides of jewelry. I buy cheap ones in bulk so I don't have to try to clean and reuse them. I just have to make sure that there are no loose hairs before I stick them in the resin.
(4) A plastic flat-head tweezers. Also very inexpensive; they don't bruise delicate flower petals like the metal tweezers do.
(5) Disposable makeup sponges. Sometimes I buy the double-ended ones, depending on the price I can get for these in bulk. I find them indispensable for wiping drips and run-overs of resin while I'm pouring and repairing resin.
Not pictured, but what I also use are: little 1 ounce medicine cups in which I measure my resin; I buy them by the 100 from our local pharmacy; disposable plastic 2 ounce bottles with which I dispense the resin after the two parts are mixed;(boston rounds with dispensing tips), online), baby wipes for spills; a microwave terracotta brick press, for the times I microwave instead of press drying flowers; blotting paper (I googled for it online) and old phone books and bricks as weights, for regular drying of my flowers
I also want to introduce you to an artist whose work I love. Ruth of Buttermilk Lane
(http://www.buttermilklane.com/index.html) has been my inspiration for the 5 years I've been working with resin--she's been making pressed flower and resin jewelry for a heck of a lot longer than that! Here are two absolutely lovely pieces of hers. I don't know that I'll ever reach her level of expertise or her artistic ability with flowers and resin!
nice.
ReplyDeleteI made my own sanding sticks by taping sandpaper around a paint stir
and for paintbrushes I make sure to buy the ones with the black plastic bristles because they never seem to lose bristles (plus they're the cheapest)
I'm trying to think.. as for me.. clear tape/double-sided tape.. popsicle sticks. I actually eat a lot of popsicles so I always have them haha.
A sewing needle or straightpin.. and lots of paper towels
I use one of those emery boards that has a rough side that goes all the way down to a smooth sign on different sides. The first one I bought didn't have a rough enough side but I found one that did.
ReplyDeleteI don't know how much to fill up the large doming mold that are round. I've put in flowers and some glitter and some more flowers and it seems like it is done, (well three out of 4. The other one doesn't look so great)
ReplyDeleteShould I pop them out now and sand them? Or is it important to fill the whole whole with resin?
I used those makeup sponges and the really worked great! I still sanded the outside with an emery board to sand off the big outside.
Thanks,
Pennee
Sorry Pennee, I am late visiting the comment sections! You can either pop it out and sand the concave edges, or fill it up and still have to sand the edges. It just depends on how thick you want your resin to be. I rarely end up with something out of a mold I don't have to sand at least a little. Chris
ReplyDelete