I am friends with
Helen Breil, the polymer clay artist who is known for her silk screens, texture plates and awesome contemporary designs. At a lunch date not too long ago, she wondered if epoxy resin could be applied on top of polymer clay. I thought it would work but we both needed to see if the results will look good. So Helen gave me two scrap pieces of her polymer work for this epoxy resin over polymer clay experiment!
I used
Little Window's excellent Brilliant resin (
15% reader discount code : BG1516). This two part epoxy resin has a different ratio for mixing, a 2:1. I've mentioned it before in previous tutorials that it has a longer shelf life than many brands I've tried. Absolutely crystal clear with no signs of yellowing. Both parts are clear even before mixing unlike some brands I have tried. This is because of the extra effort in removing impurities. But best of all, it is a low bubble producer.
You can use the markings on the little plastic cups for measuring the right amounts. I prefer to weigh to save some squinting. An important tip I learned from Little Windows is to microwave Part A for 6-7 seconds before mixing. This reduces bubble formation to a minimum.
Once the resin is mixed and rested according to the instructions, I poured it over the polymer clay pieces. These rest on
Little Windows's large silicone doming tray - very useful to catch drips. The cured drips are easily removed afterwards.
If you are planning to try this and you are a resin newbie, resist the temptation to pour too much resin. If you do, it will overflow and leave resin "icicles" on the underside. Just work slowly and ease the resin to the edges if the self-leveling doesn't quite reach.
You can see the results below compared to one of my uncovered trial polymer clay pieces. Helen's pieces look like they are under glass! She was suitably impressed there were no bubbles to be seen. I didn't have to pop any! (It is trickier with molds and inclusions as I discovered with
my real flower resin jewelry tutorial and other tutorials.)
Most polymer clay artists sand and buff up their work. Some add some sort of varnish for a glossy finish. But adding resin gives the pieces a more substantial glossy layer - there is a doming effect.
Helen really loved the effect but we are well aware that not everyone will like this look.
Please let us know in the comments what you think!!
DisclosureI do receive a small fee for any products purchased through affiliate links. This goes towards the support of this blog and to provide resource information to readers. The opinions expressed are solely my own. They would be the same whether or not I receive any compensation.
PhotographyI used natural light, my iPhone 6S with the ProCamera app and the Modahaus TS400 tabletop studio for final product photography. The tutorial pictures were taken with the same equipment but with artificial lights in my windowless basement studio. Check out my
How to Photograph Jewelry Webinar (webinars will resume in the new year).
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