Create sparkling color-shifting beauty with some JUMBO Dichro-ISH Films and texture tools. You can use a single sheet or multiple layers to create depth, dimension and shine in your resin work. Embossing, Casting, Doming, Demolding, and adding findings are all demonstrated in this tutorial. Have fun!
(click each item for details and to shop)
This pair of earrings looks totally different depending on the lighting. Dichro-ISH Film embossed with the gear pattern folder, then domed on both sides with jewelry findings embedded in the resin. They are long but lightweight!
Doubled-up Texture Film, domed on both sides then drilled with our Spring Drill.
This pair was also made with doubled-up Texture Film, domed on both sides, with crystals embedded as the resin set up. Holes added with our Spring Drill, ear wires were hand-formed with copper wire.
These tiny shiny beauties were made from scraps from a bracelet project, domed on both sides, with the jewelry findings (sterling silver head pins), embedded in the resin.
Dichro-ISH Film embossed with the Gear pattern, cast in Brilliant Resin in our Medium Squares Mold. This one changes from gold to green to blue, depending on the lighting and angle.
Dichro-ISH Films are too flimsy to dome if they are just a single layer. For this piece I took a piece of clear packing tape, sprinkled some chunky glitter, then pressed a sheet of Texture Film onto the tape. Then cut out my shape and domed it on both sides with Brilliant Resin. Used my Spring Drill to make holes for these super-strong sterling silver plated jumprings, and strung it onto one of our sterling plated snake chains. So simple, so sweet.
Ooooh, these are some of my favorite pieces from the embossed Dichro-ISH Films video, they're simple but the hex pattern in blue is so eye-catching as it shifts in the light. This first piece was cast in our Medium Rectangles Mold.
Here are 2 jewelry options for the same piece!
And here's what if looks like if you turn that piece sideways, and drill the corners.
This video was made as a guide for our Brilliant Resin Starter Kit, and teaches the most popular resin jewelry techniques: CASTING in Molds, DOMING on photos and stickers, and working in metal BEZELS. Also shows how our PHOTO CROPPING SOFTWARE works, and teaches several JEWELRY MAKING methods.
This kit includes all you'll need, but you can use open stock materials too and embed anything you'd like. Here are the techniques featured in this tutorial and some of the projects we made:
Black paper (better quality than construction paper so it doesn't bleed)
Stickers - holographic drips and white ghosties (I found mine on etsy)
Scissors
Paper towels
Start by cutting strips of paper to fit your molds. Decorate with stickers, rub down firmly.
Cut to correct length and tape ends together. Dry fit in mold to check size.
Pour resin, then insert strip, watch for bubbles, then fill to top of mold. Allow to set, dome edge with resin if needed.
Cut strip to whatever width you want, wrap around wrist to determine fit. Leave 1" minimum gap between ends.
Decorate with stickers and rub down firmly. Punch holes at ends if you plan to put ribbon or elastic through. Place on Doming Tray, dome and allow to set for 12-14 hours.
Timing is important for this technique as you'll need to bend your resin strip while it's still soft enough to bend easily, without fingerprinting. Wrap around something that approximates the size of your wrist, I used a couple of mixing cups taped together with some paper towel between to keep them straight. Use clear packing tape to hold this in place while the resin fully cures - at least 1 more day.
Add ribbon/elastic if you want.
Also, our White Resin Colorant won't yellow with baking, so it's great for making eyes and other designs that require bright white shapes.
You can also use Resin Color Film as a background with your polymer clay creations, like Veronica did in this piece. Cast in our Oval Double-Sided Mold:
The example above and below are from a collaboration with Mags Bonham of Really Unique Creations and show how you can dome thin or thick layers of Brilliant Resin over your baked polymer clay pieces for a great shiny finish.
You can also Sculpt around your cast Brilliant Resin cast pieces you've already made, and bake them with your clay. Just don't exceed polymer clay time and temperature recommendations.
Here's another example of doll eyes made by Kendra at VirgosAlchemy.com, which Phyllis of PGM Sculpting worked with to create the lifelike gaze of this beautiful mermaid doll.
For these projects you'll need:
Alcohol Inks - any colors + white CLICK HERE for recommendations
Sharp scissors
Clear Packing Tape (optional)
Whatever ribbon, chains, or other findings you want to finish your projects.
This shows the fronts and backs of these pretty ornaments:
.
For these projects you'll need:
Alcohol Inks - any colors + white CLICK HERE for recommendations
Sharp scissors, straight pin and/or toothpick
Paper towels
Clear Packing Tape (optional)
Whatever pins, jumprings, keychains, chains, or other findings you want to finish your projects.
Same supplies as above, used in different ways to create amazing and dramatic color effects in resin. Try with our without photos for unique, dimensional resin castings!
Same materials as above :)
There's lots of fun to be had by incorporating alcohol inks into Brilliant Resin, here are a few techniques you can try, CLICK HERE for alcohol ink recommendations:
You can add color between layers of resin for beautiful organic looks, or to add dimension. Inks can be painted on, or dripped and blotted.
Step 1 - Cast clear layer of Brilliant Resin in any mold and allow to set up.
Step 2 - Place a monogram sticker on the resin, rub it down well, then drip, daub, or paint inks over it. Allow to dry, then remove the sticker.
Step 3 - Add a layer of clear Brilliant Resin to seal it in.
Here's one on a white cast resin piece, outlined in silver ink:
This is a fun way to create gorgeous glass-like looks. In the image above I dripped inks on a sheet of Clear Photo Film, which holds the inks very well, and then blew through a straw to splat them out.
Here's what you'll need...
Use the guide that comes with these molds to size your strips.
For these bangles and sun catchers, attach a sheet of Clear Photo Film to a stiff board (cardboard, a clipboard, or other white surface), prop it up at an angle and squeeze your inks at the top of the sheet, allowing them to run down. For distinct colors let each one dry before adding the next color. You can tip the sheet different ways to get all kinds of rivulet patterns, and try dripping pure alcohol in spots to create more intricate looks. CLICK HERE for alcohol ink recommendations. Have fun experimenting!
As anyone who has tried this technique knows, it's trial and error until you figure out how to get the look you want. Our friend Myriam of Myriam's Nature has tons of well done video tutorials that can save you time and money, and give you great new ideas.
Here are some resin eyes I made using our Silicone Cabochons Mold, Brilliant Resin, White Resin Colorant, alcohol inks, and a black nail polish pen:
This is done in a similar way to the glitter eyes in this how-to video.
You can also paint or blot alcohol inks onto our Special Photo Papers for selective color or design. While the inks stay put nicely even with layering resin, some colors of alcohol inks shift in resin, and some fade faster than others.
LOTS OF TUTORIALS HERE!! All of these projects were made with our Double-Sided Molds These are well-priced, made from high-quality, shiny silicone. They have a deeper version of our original Large Geometric Mold shapes in the top, and a matching-shaped bangle mold in the bottom.
Here's the latest tutorial, focused on Photo Bangle Bracelets, have fun!
Another technique creating beautiful bangles with our JUMBO Pack of DichroISH Films. You can use single or multiple layers for color-shifting gorgeousness!
Here's what you'll need...
Use the guide that comes with these molds to size your strips.
For these bangles and sun catchers, attach a sheet of Clear Photo Film to a stiff board (cardboard, a clipboard, or other white surface), prop it up at an angle and squeeze your inks at the top of the sheet, allowing them to run down. For distinct colors let each one dry before adding the next color. You can tip the sheet different ways to get all kinds of rivulet patterns, and try dripping pure alcohol in spots to create more intricate looks. CLICK HERE for alcohol ink recommendations. Have fun experimenting!
So much fun, and so versatile! You can cast from 1/8" thick up to 3/4" thick for a variety of looks. Single pour or lots of layers for dimension.
Brilliant Resin (includes mixing cups and mixing wands)
Special Photo Paper / Resin Color Film / Dichro-ISH Films
And whatever else you'd like to add to your creations.
On our Amazon Recommendations Page you'll find the things we love but don't sell, like alcohol inks, curved scissors, great printers, and more fun stuff.
I used spooky stickers but you can use any designs you like for year-round happy!
There are so many ways to make your own buttons using Brilliant Molds or a Silicone Doming Tray. Insert button shanks into setting resin or drill any hole size once your resin has set up.
Tutorials for each of these projects are in the following videos:
Embossed Dichro-ISH Film Buttons (and lots of other projects :)
Silicone Cabochons Mold Tutorial
and tutorials for the basic techniques of Casting, Doming, Layering, and Embedding just about anything are FREE in our F.A.Q.'s section.
Brilliant Resin (includes Mixing Cups and Mixing Wands)
Black and White Resin Colorant
and findings for the projects you make