My first attempt at coloring resin was a dismal failure. I had bought some art chalk pastels and shaved off some little pieces. But it didn`t color the resin - the little bits just sat there. I realised I had to really grind those up if it were to work. So I needed a better solution.
I didn`t want to risk liquid paint as too much might alter the resin reaction. My local Michaels stocked some great alternatives. So I had fun experimenting with them.
Jacquards`PearlEx powder is by far my favorite as the result is a metallic with a pearlescent effect. Simply gorgeous. I had to buy a whole set of these little pots so I made sure I waited for a good discount day! If there is no Micheals near you,
try Amazon for the set of Jacquard Pearl EX Set (Series 3)
for about $23. They also sell single pots over there.
As you can see from my resin supply below ( I use different makes), Part B was getting old. (All resin and resin clay, irrespective of make, do not have a long shelf life. It is usually the Part B which yellow and eventually becomes useless.) So coloring resin is a great way of using aging resin supplies.
Follow the manufacturer`s instructions and mix a batch of resin. Working with resin requires one to be organized. So I tend to use up the clear batch first for other designs. I only color the remaining bits - dividing it if I needed to work with different colors.
I used this small long bezel from
Nunn Design. It didn`t take much to fill the the bezel. Don`t overfill if you are going to add things to this. A toothpick helps to level out the resin.
Many things can be added to a design. For this one, I added 3 Swarovski montees.
As this particular Nunn Design pendant with a raised cross design had a predrilled hole, I pressed it firmly onto some contact paper - the kind used to line shelves. If the resin were to flow into the hole, the contact paper will keep it contained. The contact paper can be removed after the resin has set. Any resin in the hole can be removed with a small drill after it has set. (See this post
Tool Review - Hand Drills for Resin and Polymer Clay).
After coloring the resin, add small drops of it on the lower areas of the pendant. Use a toothpick to gently move the resin to different areas. As the resin was starting to thicken at this point, I was able to avoid getting resin into the hole.
Always put a cover of some sort over curing resin otherwise dust might land on it. It takes 48 hours to fully cure resin but you can handle it after a day. Add or make a bail and add a chain with a clasp and you are done!
I also like
Ranger`s Perfect Pearls metallic set of 3 (silver, gold and bronze). I also got them from Michaels.
Amazon also carries them for about $10 a set
. They don`t have much of a pearlescent effect but still very pretty as you can see from this large dragon pendant I made with the gold color. Some care is needed with this pigment. Make sure to add enough of it and distribute it carefully - as you can see I did not manage to do that around the bottom edge).
There are also liquid dyes especially designed for resin by Castin. They come in opaque or transparent dyes. These don't sparkle unless you add their resin pearlizing powder - an extra step! Some Michaels stores carry these or you could try art supply shops in your area. I got mine from Currys, a local art store. I find these more expensive than the Pearl Ex or the Ranger Perfect Pearls to use because they don`t come in sets. A 1 oz bottle like the
Castin Craft transparent blue dye from Amazon 
costs about $7. Using it is easy - just add a drop or two to the mixed resin.
Have fun coloring your projects!
Disclosure I received the Nunn Design components for review. I am also an Amazon affiliate which means I get a small commission should any purchase be made through the links.
Photography I used my iPhone 5, camera+ app and the Modahaus TS 320 tabletop studio. Notice the difference in the red resin tone in the photos? The tutorial picture was taken under artificial lights in my basement studio, the final shots were done in natural light. Best to stick to natural light whenever possible. Info on my
How to Photograph Jewelry webinar here.
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