Inexpensive jewelry on the shelves jewelry stores always attracted the buyer's attention with its bright colors. Jewelry from epoxy resin are in extraordinary demand and popularity. They are the ones who ideally embody the flight of design ideas, a certain magic emanating from decorative natural materials. For them, frozen in resin, it was as if time had stopped. The unique properties of the resin make it possible to capture irreversible processes in nature. You can endlessly enjoy the fragrance of your favorite flowers, examine a drop of morning dew, or simulate the flapping of a butterfly’s wing.
At first glance, we are talking about some fantastic paintings that appear only from the artist’s magical pen. But in fact, these are very real crafts that ordinary people, just like you and me, work on.
Brooches, bracelets, rings, earrings, pendants and other jewelry are made from epoxy resin. Some products act as souvenirs. Jewelry has its own audience of fans and admirers. Even the absence precious stones and metals in jewelry does not reduce the interest of fashionistas with extraordinary taste.
Since the cost of such products is quite high, many would like to learn how to make jewelry from epoxy resin with their own hands. There is quite enough literature on the Internet that describes the method of working with resin. Unfortunately, some sources are limited only general principles and do not reveal all the nuances, although the percentage of successful results for a novice master is quite low.
Epoxy resin is a very capricious material. On the one hand, it does not require specific knowledge. On the other hand, skill and experience come only after a series of unsuccessful experiments. Articles that present a step-by-step algorithm with qualitative and quantitative indicators are of practical importance for beginning craftsmen. We'll give a few examples that anyone can use, but there are a few theoretical issues worth considering.
General information about the material
In principle, in order to work with resin, you don’t need to know much about it. The type of epoxy used for making jewelry is called compound. It is sold in the form of two components, one of which is considered the main composition, and the other is considered a hardener. The main composition is oligomers containing epoxy groups. The hardener is amines or acids.
The working composition is prepared by mixing the components. By entering into a chemical reaction, they form a bonded polymer, physical properties which differ from the primary oligomer. In simple words, the resin hardens and crystallizes.
The proportion for the components depends on the brand of resin. It is indicated by the manufacturer in the documentation. Externally, the hardened resin is similar to transparent plastic or plexiglass, but surpasses these materials in terms of strength. Its other qualities that allow it to be used as a compound are also important: transparency, wear resistance, and ultraviolet resistance. But the most important quality that the master uses is maintaining the shape after polymerization.
The presence of epoxy resin properties that are attractive to the master does not guarantee a satisfactory result. Before designing the work, it is necessary to become familiar with some of the requirements that the compound imposes at different stages. Preparatory stage begins with the selection of material. Today you can buy ready-made resin specifically for jewelry, without going into details of its characteristics. However, there are a number of important parameters that you should pay attention to.
- Availability of instructions. Experiments with the proportions of components can lead to damage to the material. A lack of hardener will not allow the resin to harden, and an excess of it will interfere with pouring. Detailed steps are indicated in the instructions, which should be included with the product.
- Resin lifetime. An important parameter showing how long the intensive polymerization reaction occurs. As a result of this reaction, heat is released, so when pouring large volumes, boiling of the compound may occur. Since the material consumption in the manufacture of jewelry is minimal, you can choose brands with a short lifespan.
- No air bubbles. During the preparation and pouring process, bubbles may form in the resin. It is necessary to reduce the possibility of their formation to a minimum. To do this, mix the components and pour the compound with extreme caution. The composition is preheated in a steam bath. Decorative elements are coated with a primer.
- Sparkling transparency. Even the most transparent epoxy resin models are covered with a matte film after curing. After polishing, a characteristic gloss appears.
Many people want to find a hobby that will bring not only pleasure, but also income. The production of epoxy resin jewelry will be an ideal income option for creative people with free time and desire. Products made from epoxy resin are transparent decorations with beautiful internal filling. Today, epoxy resin jewelry is not yet widespread. Few girls and women decorated with such items can be found on the street. But this is not due to the fact that the products did not find well-deserved love among consumers. The niche of this business in the Russian market is not yet sufficiently occupied, and accordingly, competition is very small. Thus, a home business on epoxy jewelry will be very successful and profitable. Thanks to a reverent attitude towards your hobby, you can learn to create incredibly beautiful jewelry that brings its creator a decent, stable income. Selling epoxy resin jewelry can be done through social networks or your own website on the Internet. In order to buy epoxy resin jewelry, those interested can write a message or call the specified phone number. The price of jewelry can be set according to your wishes or based on an analysis of the competitor market.
Our business assessment:
Starting investment - 5,000 rubles.
Market saturation is average.
The difficulty of starting a business is 2/10.
How to make jewelry from epoxy resin with your own hands?
In order to learn how to make original jewelry from epoxy resin, you will need patience and perseverance. In addition to proper attitude towards the production of products, it is necessary to purchase:
- epoxy resin;
- disposable materials - gloves, various syringes, mixing cups, stick for mixing resin;
- materials for decoration - dried flowers and plants, stones, shells, fittings, gold leaf, Perlex powder, stained glass paints, etc.;
- mini drill with various attachments;
- cardboard or polyethylene to protect the surface during work;
- silicone molds.
What is epoxy resin?
Epoxy resin is a chemical reaction product that is mainly used in construction. It is made from various adhesives, varnishes, plastics, textolite and much more. The resin is also used to create various automotive parts. Despite huge list important things, epoxy resin has also found application in items for the fair half. Resin became the basis for original jewelry. Many people have a question about where to buy epoxy resin for jewelry. You can find resin in almost every craft store. If there is no such store in your city, the resin can be ordered online. Many companies deliver goods throughout Russia. It is worth understanding that epoxy resin has a negative effect on the body. To prevent inhalation of harmful elements, use a respirator. It is recommended to provide a good exhaust system. If this is not possible, you must keep windows and vents open. If possible, you should remove all carpets and similar materials, as they have the ability to absorb harmful substances.
Disposable materials for work
To create jewelry from epoxy resin you will need consumables. Make sure you have several clear plastic cups. Through transparent plastic it will be more convenient to control the resin set. There should also be several medium-sized syringes without needles. It is with syringes that the resin and hardener are collected. Wooden stick for stirring the mixture. Several pairs of gloves. It is worth taking care of purchasing comfortable latex gloves, since the work will involve the smallest details. If your gloves become dirty or damaged, you should have several pairs to replace them.
Materials for product decoration
If you decide to make jewelry from dried flowers and epoxy resin, you need to prepare the material in advance. Collect the flowers and plants you like. In order to prepare the leaves for use in products, it is necessary to use the ancient method of drying the herbarium. The leaves should be folded into a book and left for about 1 month until completely dry. To prevent letter marks from remaining on the leaves, fold the sheet into white paper and only then place it between book pages. It is better to choose a thick book, since the pressure on the sheet will be greater than from a small book, and the sheet will dry faster. If the material is not only leaves, but also three-dimensional elements, such as buds or inflorescences, it is worth choosing a different method for drying them. All the buds need to be tied with a thread to their stems and create a garland. If tying is inconvenient, you can use a needle and thread it through the stems. Then we hang the garland in a dark, dry room. The ideal solution is a closet with clothes. Drying time is the same as for leaves - approximately 1 month.
If you plan to use shells, decorative sand or stones in decorations, then such materials should be thoroughly washed and dried. After their first products, many begin to improve and make jewelry from wood and epoxy resin. This is a rather complicated process, but possible. In this case, you will need wood blanks coated with epoxy resin.
An important material in creating jewelry is fittings. Accessories mean various bases and frames for pendants, earrings, and brooches. You can also purchase jewelry for bracelets and other products. Currently, you can order inexpensive accessories in China. However, the quality of such fittings leaves much to be desired. It is recommended to purchase accessories in specialized stores for creativity, or on the Internet, but on the websites of the same stores.
To give the decoration an interesting shade, Perlex powder or stained glass paints are added to the resin. When adding gold leaf, beautiful and interesting clumps of new colored material appear in the product.
Tools required for production
In order to sharpen the finished jewelry, you will need to use a mini drill. A drill can be purchased at any hardware store. If it is not possible to purchase a drill, you can use a manicure machine with a grinding attachment.
Silicone molds for products
To create volumetric products, it is necessary to use molds. They are molds for jewelry, thanks to which you can get the finished product. There are molds different forms and patterns. It is worth purchasing at least several different molds.
Making jewelry from epoxy resin
Once all the tools and materials necessary for the work are at hand, you can proceed to creating decorations from flowers and epoxy resin. The first and very important thing is to prepare the working surface. You need a perfectly flat surface that you don’t mind spoiling. You can place a large tray on the table on which you will work on decorations. The tray should be covered with cardboard, a document file, or covered with tape. After preparing the working surface, it is necessary to thoroughly rinse all molds that will be involved in the process and wipe dry. Wearing gloves, you can begin preparing the resin. The preparation technology is simple - after carefully reading the instructions, fill different syringes with resin and hardener and pour the contents into a glass along the edge to avoid splashing. Next, take a wooden stick and mix the ingredients for the time specified in the instructions for the purchased resin. Usually this is from 4 to 10 minutes. If bubbles form while stirring, they will come out after the resin has been sitting for about 30 minutes. If the resin is ready, you can start creating the decoration. Take out the mold and materials that will be used in the product. Arrange decorative materials in the mold at your own discretion. After everything is prepared, pouring with resin begins. The resin should be poured in a very thin stream onto the decorative elements until the entire mold is filled and a small mound forms above it. After all the products are filled with resin, you need to leave them for a day until completely dry. The next step is polishing the products. Using a mini drill or manicure machine, you need to sand down all sharp or uneven corners and edges. Now is the time to admire the finished decoration, and if it exceeds all expectations, then feel free to put it up for sale.
Jewelry created using epoxy resin and mold is amazingly original appearance. This master class will present step by step instructions, supplemented with photographs and detailed description each stage. By repeating all the steps of the wizard, you can create your own unique decoration, attracting the attention of others.
So, for work we will need:
- epoxy resin;
- silicone molds that are combined with epoxy resin;
- disposable gloves, plastic cups, syringes, sticks for mixing ingredients;
- decorative elements: shells, colored pebbles, dried flowers;
- powder, stained glass paints and gold leaf;
In order not to stain the table surface, it is better to do the work on a regular file. A hemispherical pendant will look beautiful if you add dandelions to it. For work, we will need two dandelions, so that later we can compare how they look in the finished version.
Before work, carefully rinse all molds prepared in advance and wipe them dry with a cloth. Wear disposable gloves to protect your skin from unwanted damage. After this, pour resin and hardener into plastic cups. In the future, it will be convenient to draw them into a syringe. Carry out all jewelry making steps in a well-ventilated room.
Measure out the required amount of epoxy resin and pour it into a clean plastic cup. Using a syringe, draw up the hardener and add it to the resin cup. Different manufacturers indicate different proportions required to obtain the result. Therefore, please read the instructions on the package first. It is important to carefully follow all manufacturers' recommendations for work. The quality and beauty of the finished craft directly depends on the accuracy of the calculations. If you mixed epoxy resin and hardener, but the mixture does not harden, then the proportions are off. This can also happen due to insufficient thorough mixing of the ingredients.
If the syringe has a rubber insert, the hardener will not splash. The resulting mixture is mixed with previously prepared wooden sticks. You can use skewers for kebabs. The solution should be stirred for ten minutes in a circular motion.
The dandelion fits very neatly into the mold. Parachutes that interfere with work can be removed using tweezers.
After mixing the ingredients, leave the resin for half an hour. This time is enough for all chemical processes to take place. You can see that a chemical reaction is taking place by the state of the glass. It will heat up. It is not recommended to work with epoxy resin in hot weather, as the reaction proceeds quite violently and the resin completely hardens within half an hour. Although, different manufacturers offer epoxy resins of different quality.
Carefully, in a thin stream, pour epoxy resin over the dandelion placed in the mold.
After hardening, the resin will settle a little. Therefore, it should be poured into the mold with a small margin (convexity).
Now let's try to make beautiful rings from glass washed by the sea.
So, take some resin, lay out the pebbles and fill them with the mixture in the same way as when working with a hemisphere. A small bulge should form.
You can make earrings with dandelion parachutes. Pour a small amount of resin and spread it carefully using a stick. This step will thicken the resin slightly. This will help the parachutes stay in the position in which they were stowed.
Make a bouquet.
Pour some resin on top to create a bulge. If you work very carefully, then minimal sanding of the product will be required in the future.
A truncated ball is created in a similar way. Fill half of the mold with resin.
Using a toothpick or needle, place the required number of parachutes.
Pour epoxy resin into the mold.
Now let's try to do beautiful bracelet, decorated with shells. Pour resin into a special bracelet mold. At this point the epoxy became even thicker. This is what we need. Add pebbles and shells to the mold. The crushed shells will stick to the walls, giving the impression of being suspended.
About half an hour ago a new batch of resin was prepared. It should be poured into the mold from above. This must be done with extreme care to avoid the formation of bubbles. What to do if bubbles appear? Preheat the oven to 80 degrees and place the mold with resin there. Leave in the oven until the temperature increases to 204 degrees. After this, the bubbles will come out.
Make sure that the mold is in a level position during operation. Otherwise, the resin will harden at an angle. Remember that the more carefully you work with epoxy resin, the less sanding you will have to do on the finished product.
Now leave the mold for a day until it dries completely. To prevent debris from getting onto the surface of the future product, cover the mold with a box or lid.
While the bracelet is drying, you can make a pendant. Let's start by creating the main background. To do this, liquid plastic is applied to the workpiece. Cover it up polymer clay, rolled out into a thin layer. The resulting composition is baked in the oven. After cooling, you can start working.
Pour a couple of drops of resin onto the surface. Using tweezers, a composition is made from dried leaves or flowers. In this case, the resin is the glue. She will not allow the composition to budge. Fresh flowers should not be used to create the composition. Over time, they will turn black and lose their appearance.
There is a holder on the back surface of the pendant. It should also be placed in a mold to create a flat surface. It is not necessary to think through the composition in advance. You can create masterpieces by improvising.
The result is a unique picture. The craft needs to be dried. When it dries, a second layer of resin is poured, forming a bulge.
After a day, the bracelet hardened and can be taken out of the mold. This is the top part of the product.
Rings, earrings and pendants are created in a similar way.
Beautiful hemisphere decorated with dandelion.
Unusual truncated transparent balls with parachutes.
You can also make small decorative hemispheres.
Previously made rings decorated with sea glass.
In order to give the epoxy resin a bright shade, you can add a little powder or stained glass paints. If you decide to use stained glass paints, add very little to the resin. Otherwise, the proportions between the resin and hardener may be disrupted. The finished product will not harden, but will become sticky.
If you add gold leaf, you get very unusual jewelry.
And these are beautiful lenses decorated with dandelion parachutes.
The reverse side after drying remained flush with the edges.
This reverse side pendant, which was obtained after the resin hardened.
It should be sanded carefully. To avoid breathing dust, you can use a respirator.
After grinding, this is the back part of the hemisphere.
All sharp and uneven edges must be carefully sanded after the resin has cured.
We do the same with the bracelet. You can use a special manicure machine.
If you work carefully, then minimal sanding will be required in the future.
Sanded edges can be varnished. The varnish layer should be very thin.
After it dries, you can enjoy the result of the work done.
A very beautiful frame was chosen for the pendant, which is decorated with a miniature steel butterfly.
Some jewelry lovers have at least once wondered how and from what they produce such beautiful and original products. The secret of their production is quite simple and accessible to many, because to reproduce such masterpieces it is enough to purchase epoxy resin and some auxiliary products.
And options for your future creations can easily be suggested by numerous photos of epoxy resin crafts posted on websites or in magazines.
If you are a creative person, then you can make unique amazing earrings, bracelets or pendants with various internal fillings with your own hands.
The process of making crafts
The process of making crafts from epoxy resin is quite simple; the main thing is to combine two components in the correct proportions: resin and hardener. You can read the proportions in the annotation attached to them.
You can come up with ideas for creating crafts yourself or look them up on the Internet, but during production you must follow certain instructions.
To start implementing your idea, you need to prepare the following devices: a container for mixing the main components, a wooden stick and pouring molds.
To make the product bright and original, you need to place decorative elements inside the mold in the form of sparkles, pieces of dried vegetation, beads, seed beads, etc.; you can tint the background using a special dye.
To harden the craft, you need a temperature of 25-60 degrees Celsius, in which it must remain for 24 hours.
DIY crafts
Anyone can make crafts from epoxy, the main thing is to have the desire and necessary materials. And how to properly make crafts with your own hands, appropriate master classes can help you.
For example, you can make unique earrings from epoxy resin and small parts of watch mechanisms. To do this, you need to choose a form the right size made of silicone in the form of an oval, pour a resin solution into it, then place the prepared watch parts in the intended location using a toothpick or tweezers, add dye.
A gray-golden background can be obtained if a mixture of graphite and silver is used as a dye. The hardening of the resin can be accelerated if you place the product in the oven, but not hot; at a temperature of +50 degrees it will harden perfectly quickly and without the formation of bubbles.
After this, the products need to be removed from the cabinet, and then from the mold and sanded using coarse (at the beginning) and fine (at the end) sandpaper.
Finally, you should drill a hole for the fastener, cover everything with varnish and fix the fastener. The product is ready for use, wear it for health.
Decoration of crafts with dried plants
For crafts using epoxy resin, dried elements of plants or inflorescences can be used as decorative filling.
But in this case, you will need a certain sized form and pre-prepared decor from dry plants. The principle of making such crafts is similar to the previous one, but it is worth considering some important nuances:
- It is strictly not recommended to place raw plants or inflorescences inside the composition, since the product will not be durable, as it will soon begin natural process rotting, and the composition will be spoiled. Therefore, all decor must be well dried in advance.
- The hardening process should take place in a warm place to avoid bubbles. Mix the resin and hardener for 5 minutes with constant stirring.
Insect decor
Unusual and interesting idea The design of a decorative composition inside a craft is the use of various insects: beetles, scorpions, dragonflies and other inhabitants. At the same time, insects retain their unique natural appearance.
However, to get this effect you need to dry them properly, i.e. separately in parts (wings, legs, body), which are glued to the necessary places. But such work is very painstaking and requires a lot of diligence and patience.
The preparation stage can be called the most significant. A regular tennis ball, which is pre-cut into two halves, is suitable as the shape of the product. If the insect is dried in a beautiful, straightened form initially, then you can simply place it inside the resin; if in parts, then they will have to be glued together during the work, which is not at all easy to do.
It is better to lubricate the inside of the mold with oil to make the hardened epoxy ball easier to remove. Epoxy is poured into two halves, the insect is in one of them. Then the halves are tightly connected, and the joining seam is covered with tape to make it invisible.
After hardening, the mold is removed, the product is ground, polished and varnished. Beautiful craft made of epoxy resin is ready.
In addition, you can make other crafts with your own hands using various elements and materials for internal decorative filling.
Photos of crafts made from epoxy resin
Flowers, shells and insects in transparent capsules attract the eye, regardless of whether such bracelets, rings, pendants and souvenirs suit our taste. But few people think that you can make such a miracle with your own hands, devoting some time to mastering the technology of step-by-step production of jewelry from epoxy resin.
This liquid synthetic polymer, subject to a certain temperature regime for thickening and hardening, successfully imitates glass, providing almost unlimited freedom in choosing shapes and filling.
How to choose epoxy for filling
The range of epoxy resin is quite wide, so the first piece of advice for beginners is to read the product description to choose it according to its purpose.
The optimal choice is a special resin paired with a hardener for mold filling and glazing. As a rule, such a product has additional properties of increased transparency, ultraviolet resistance, etc.
The second selection criterion is the authority of the manufacturer, which is reflected primarily in the price. To begin with, you need a small volume, so you shouldn’t skimp and it would even be logical to purchase several different sets of epoxy resin at once to test a jewelry master class.
Workplace and safety rules
Before making your first attempt at creating jewelry from epoxy, you need to choose the right workplace and read the instructions for safe handling of polymers:
- You need to work with the polymer composition in a well-ventilated area, preferably in a workshop, fenced off from the residential part of the house.
- It is necessary to avoid getting the resin on the skin and mucous membranes, so you should use gloves, a medical mask and safety glasses.
- Polishing of the finished product is carried out in a respirator.
- If resin gets on your skin, you should immediately rinse it under running water. If the solution gets on objects, it must be removed immediately with a dry cloth.
It should also be taken into account that during the manufacturing process and during use of finished products, contact with food products must be avoided.
Decoration from epoxy resin can be made either by pouring or glazing, but in both cases it is important to have a perfectly flat working surface.
Containers and tools
To mix the solution, you will need a heat-resistant plastic container and a stick, which are usually included with the kit. To work accurately with the polymer, disposable syringes are used; to correct fillers (flowers, insects, stones, etc.) you need tweezers.
To fill, you need to stock up on silicone molds. An alternative method is to apply the thickened mixture directly to the dried litter. In this case, two layers are made on the front side, and one on the back.
The filler is placed on a tray with a glossy surface that prevents sticking. This procedure will take more time: you need to wait 24 hours for each layer to dry.
Uneven edges and roughness are removed with sandpaper or using a grinding machine.
In the process of mastering the process of working with epoxy resin, you can also master the technique of creating interesting silicone molds with your own hands for original jewelry and souvenirs.
Preparation of fillers
Before you make your own model, you should familiarize yourself with photos of similar epoxy jewelry with various fillers. For a plant theme, it is necessary to dry the fillers in advance, 3-4 weeks before starting work.
The leaves can be placed under a press in a book, as for a school herbarium. Bulk plant fillers, such as buds or berries, are strung on a string and air dried.
Almost any item that has decorative value can be used as a filler - shells, tree bark, rhinestones. Images printed on matte photo paper can be placed in an epoxy capsule. For additional effect, special dyes are used.
Pay attention! 
Stages of work
Preparation of the mixture. At this stage, it is important to carefully adhere to the proportions recommended by the manufacturer. Mixing with the hardener is carried out for 10 minutes, using uniform and smooth circular movements.
Setting process. For chemical reaction with a hardener it takes from 30 minutes to 2 hours, depending on the parameters stated in the product instructions. After mixing, bubbles form in the solution, which should disappear during the chemical reaction.
Pouring into molds or creating layers on the filler should be done in strict accordance with the timer and as quickly as possible.
The hardening process is completed after 24 hours. The workpiece must be located in a stable and dust-free place.
Pay attention! 
Even the most best ideas Jewelry made from epoxy resin can remain a dream without careful adherence to technological subtleties and when using low-quality material.
Therefore, it would be more correct to first master the process of creating a solid and transparent capsule, and then start experimenting with fillers and combining epoxy parts with metal fittings for jewelry.
Photos of epoxy resin jewelry
Pay attention! 
