Designer Challenge Part One - Adding Colour To Resin

Yesterday I posted my design challenge.  I am going to make a piece inspired by the brooch (see below) I spied in a window in Paris this month.  In order to make a big flat circle I pulled out my muffin pan.  The pan is made of silicone and is a non stick mold for resin too!  (but don't use it to bake food after using it for this technique)

My first step was to mix up a batch of Envirotex Lite and I poured about 1/8 of an inch in five of the pan openings.  

This creates your first clear layer.

I need to create a green swirly effect like I see in the original piece.

 Here are a few of the products that will help me with this second layer.

First colouring technique.  Mix up a tiny batch of Envirotex Lite and add a nice dollop of Luminarte Polished Pigments.

Second colouring technique.  Mix a tiny batch of Envirotex Lite and add a drop or two of Castin'Craft dye.

Third colouring technique.  I tore up some tiny pieces of a green paper napkins and glued it to the clear layer of resin.

Fourth colouring technique.  I used Claudine Hellmuth's Studio paint to add some colour directly to the clear layer.

 Fifth colouring technique.  I added some drops of Liquid Pearls and just spread the colour around.

 This is the resin mixed with polished pigments.

This is the resin mixed with the Castin Craft dye.  I just dripped onto the clear first layer and let the resin settle where ever it wanted to.

Here is my pan drying/curing.  Come back tomorrow to see how I do layer three.  I need to get some black in these!

A Few Last Important Tips For Colouring

When adding colorant, paint, etc., always blend it into premixed Envirotex Lite first.  Then disperse this mixture into your clear pours, etc.  Paint or pigment not blended into mixed Envirotex Lite can cause a number of issues down the road, that includes fogging between layers, migration of chemicals through the coating, which then can develop into a soft or sticky coating.   When adding paint, pigments or dyes, add just enough to achieve your desired colour and no more.  Adding too much can and will often result in a "soft" coating when cured.  One should always "Top Coat" with a clear coating of Envirotex Lite to protect the coloured layer.  This top coat will not only protect the coloured layer, but it will also have the hardness that is often desired.

Oh, please note that we have set up a new fan page for this blog and all things Environmental Technologies Inc. the makers of Envirotex Lite.  I have a link at the side of this blog!

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