Paper and Resin - How to Avoid Resin Stains

These samples were made without any glue or "wet" mediums.  

Ordinarily when I use a paper image in a bezel, which I will be filling with resin, I protect my paper with three applications of either Mod Podge or a good medium like Ultra Seal.  I have shown you this technique on the blog here.

There is another way to protect the paper.  You may have heard of the packing tape technique.  When I teach resin classes I am always fighting with the clock waiting for glue to dry.   I have tried different ways to speed up the drying but have concluded that I need to show students how to protect their paper images using a dry and fast technique in a class room setting.

 This is the best way to do that.  You need to cut your images and place them on a strip of clear packing tape.   That will protect that BACK side of your paper.

 Then you need to place another piece of tape across the top.  That protects the FRONT side of the paper.  BURNISH the tape to the paper with a spoon.  Make sure your tape is adhered and that there are no air pockets.

 Then cut out your images.  Be sure to leave a little extra tape along the edges.  If you cut too close to your paper you may leave an edge open to resin staining it.

 Instead of gluing your image to your bezel (in my case this button) use a dry sticker maker to apply adhesive to the back.  Place the image in your bezel and you can now pour in your resin!  No waiting.

Be sure that bubbles are monitored.  They tend to hang out on the edges of the packing tape.  The images in these buttons are from Cari Lopez.  Her blog has so much wonderful art to see and purchase!

 By the way, this is packing tape.  I buy it at Staples.