A Beginner's Guide To Epoxy Resin Art With 5 Projects To Get You Started

If you’ve been over to your local markets or browsed a couple of shops on Etsy, you may have noticed a rise in what's called "epoxy resin art" in the form of beachy chopping boards, marble trays and coasters.

Unfortunately, many of these pieces — while stunning — can cost you a good arm and leg, especially if they’re handmade by a resident artist. Some artists may charge $200 or more, when a single bottle of resin can cost as low as $30.

Resin art is surprisingly easy to DIY and it's a fun crafting activity to spend with friends or share with little ones. You can even hand them out as gifts for a special one-of-a-kind birthday or Christmas present.

Recently, Logan Paul sparked controversy online thanks to a certain resin art home project he completed with a collection of rare Game Boys. While the coffee table he created looked cool, many were appalled that he ruined 15 still operable handheld gaming devices. On a positive note, Paul's gaming-inspired resin project is a great example of one of the many great things you can achieve with epoxy resin.

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Epoxy resin is a two-part adhesive that usually consists of mixing liquid resin with a matching hardener. When combined, the two start a chemical reaction that generates heat and takes several hours to harden and cool down. You usually need to mix the resin and its hardener in either a 2:1 or 4:1 ratio.

For the purpose of arts and crafts, it's best to go with a high viscosity (also known as laminating) resin that features a consistency similar to honey.

This resin kit for $89.62 is a great way to get a quick start. It includes one clear bottle of resin, transparent hardener, 12 colour pigments, three packets of gold leaf, moulding trays and an array of tools. You can also get this starter kit for $35.99 if you want to begin with more resin (but less tools).

Make sure you wear protective equipment, including protective gloves, eyewear and an apron before starting any resin project. For your safety, please ensure you work from a well-ventilated area and avoid contact with your skin and eyes.

If you’re convinced this is your next big hobby, read on to discover some easy 10 minute crafts you can do at home.

Every time we go to the local farmer's market, there's always that one stall that stocks beautiful, sea foam-inspired resin chopping or cheese boards. Here's what you need to do if you want to recreate one at home.

What you need:

Directions:

Check out this YouTube tutorial here for guidance.

One can never have too many flower vases. Or, if you have a love of plants, why not combine two hobbies into one? It turns out propagation and resin art can go hand in hand, so here's how you can get started.

What you need:

Directions:

Have you ever eyed off those gorgeous geode coasters at your local farmers market? Same. However, the price tag is usually enough to make us choke (we’re talking $20 per resin coaster). Who would’ve thought it's easier (and cheaper) to do it yourself at home?

What you need:

Directions:

You can follow this YouTube tutorial here for inspiration.

While recreating anything that resembles marble might feel out of your comfort zone, it's surprisingly simple when you’re got a batch of resin and a heat gun. Marble is a texture that will never go out of trend, and looks great in almost any combination of colours. Here's how you can make a colourful and bougie looking marble resin tray.

What you need:

Directions:

Watch this YouTube video to follow the tutorial.

If you thought dominoes were a thing of the past — they’re about to make a stylish comeback. Making glittery, flower-filled dominoes is a welcome spin on the classic game. Not only will this make for some stunning coffee table decor, but the perfect gift for all of your friends.

What you need:

Directions:

This article has been updated since its publication.

Isabella Noyes is an E-Commerce Writer at Pedestrian Group, working across PEDESTRIAN.TV, VICE Australia, Refinery29 Australia, Business Insider Australia, Gizmodo Australia, Lifehacker Australia and Kotaku Australia.

Great, so lets just make more plastic crap that people actually don't want and the planet can ill afford. Honestly, LH, can't you come up with better DIY articles?