One of the best pressed flower resin jewelry artisans I have ever come across is Canadian, Shireen Nadir of
The Blue Brick. Do have a peak if you missed
the feature on this multi-talented designer last week. She has been making resin jewelry for a number of years. She said,
" In that time, I 've made some beautiful things but also had some tragic failures." Eventually, she distilled all she had learned through the hard way and put in into her book,
Resin Jewelry (
eBook on Etsy;
printed book on Book Blurb). I received a copy for review.
The first part of the book reveals the sheer breadth and thoroughness of this resin jewelry guide. Shireen shares many tips and tricks, which supplies and equipment to use and where to get them as well as the methodology needed for successful projects. For example, she stresses that jewelry grade resin is the way to go as cheaper versions used in completed designs will yellow with time. She covers in detail the different ways of preserving materials -
there are 4 just for flowers! Also useful is her section on the 5 ways to attach a bail.
Her explanation of how to make resin and how to pour and dome is clear. But what was amazing was the section on how to use a simple (and not that expensive vacuum pump) and a small vacuum chamber to degas i.e. remove every one of those pesky bubbles. The idea of using vacuum never crossed my mind even though I spent many years in a laboratory where I've had to degas solvent mixtures! This is a great tip especially if one does a lot of resin jewelry making and need to production line it.
But for small scale resin artists, the author does suggest the nearby heat source technique for bubble dispersal. However, she did not mention another effective method - the blowing gently through a straw one across the poured resin's surface. This disrupts the surface tension enough to let the bubbles escape.
Each of the 16 projects was laid out with many inspirational pictures accompanying the general technique being taught. The project pages are especially compact and efficient - just two facing pages! The projects also increase with difficulty. The spread below is on how to layer elements in resin. Shireen sometimes uses several pours in some of her more complex designs.
Every single one of the projects is chock full of ideas. Shown below is a design using an open bezel.
She also covers how to use pigments to get faux enamel and opal effects as well as different kinds of silicon molds including the spherical ones. Her dandelion clock and Queen Anne's lace (below) spherical pendants are so cool.
I also liked her project on using silicone molds to create stunning wrought iron inspired and contemporary looking designs. Very clever indeed.
Her fabric section shows how to embed lace in a bracelet bangle and how to easily sand the edges smooth.
One of my favorite projects is the one where she instructs on the use of printed transparencies. These really open up a whole range of possibilities using photographs, images and other graphic designs.
The author also includes several more gorgeous designs in the gallery at the end of the book, 18 of which she briefly describes how she created them. A troubleshooting section also tackles issues such as why preserved flowers go spotty and fuzzy.
This is a beautifully produced book - an outstanding example of how to publish a craft book (self-publish or professional) and how to take attractive jewelry photographs. It is a definitive guide for those wishing to learn how to make resin jewelry.
Highly recommended.
Giveaway If you'd like to win
an eBook copy of Resin Jewelry, please make a comment below. Make sure you leave contact info below if you do not have an online shop or blog.
Email subscribers need to scroll down the post they receive, click on Share Comment and enter your comment. Pick Name/URL. If you don't have a store or blog, leave the URL blank.
This giveaway is international. Extra entries if you become or are a blog subscriber or follower etc. If you also do shout outs about this giveaway, those will count as additional entries too! Please say so in the comments.
It ends in a week's time at
6 pm EST Monday, March 9, 2015 . I will pick the winner randomly and announce the results as soon as possible after. So be sure to leave a contact email if you don't have an online link or make sure you come back and check! Otherwise I will redraw in a week. Good luck!
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