EXPLORE CREATE RESINATE
Jen Cushman
Saturday May 4, 2019
A Dozen Multimedia Techniques for Beautiful Resin Jewelry
Resin is a versatile material that’s perfect for making innovative mixed-media jewelry. Every time I wear my resin jewelry in the “real world” – aka amongst the Muggles – strangers are always commenting on the uniqueness and depth of my pieces as if they’re seeing something magical that they’ve never seen before.
Making resin jewelry is multifaceted. It can be as simple as mixing and pouring into a bezel over a single image or a dried wildflower. Resin can also scale in complexity to three dimensional castings for statement jewelry. In this brand new-format workshop, we’ll take any residual fear out of working with resin as we move quickly and efficiently through a dozen techniques where we’ll not only have exploratory time but also walk away at the end of the day with some beautiful components and a few finished jewelry pieces.
In a full-day workshop we will:
- Learn to properly mix and pour resin so it’s never sticky or uncured.
- How to correctly seal imagery so resin doesn’t seep into your collage bits.
- How to layer imagery to create interesting collage compositions with depth.
- Add inclusions such as charms, chain and glass glitter without causing unwanted bubbles.
- Use organic elements such as dried flowers or fragile insect wings in resin.
- Make resin paper that can be cut, torn, stamped, die cut or used with paper punches. This is a great technique for collage artists who want to add a little “pop” of unexpected to your work.
- Make resin paper beads.
- Make molds of your favorite small found objects so you can use them again and again in your work, thereby giving your precious one-of-a-kind objects endless art lives.
- Cast resin objects from your molds.
- Transform cast resin pieces from clear, uninteresting castings into tromp l’oeil objects.
- Incorporate castings into bezels to create three-dimensional focals that literally break out of the bezel.
As for completed projects you’ll have:
- A handful of layered, collaged resin bezels that can be worn within 8 hours of cure time (in order to accomplish multi-layered techniques within the time frame, instructor will include in kit bezels with a first layer of collage and color for students to build upon).
- A stacked resin paper journal (you will make resin paper, but instructor will also supply already resined and cured vintage book paper to build with).
- A collage pendant with a dimensional cast resin object incorporated into the piece (You will make molds and learn castings, but instructor will also supply some already cured castings to build with).
- We will also create a pretty recycled silk sari necklace so that by the next morning of Art is You, you’ll be able to proudly wear your favorite handmade pendant from your day of resin exploration.
I’ve been teaching resin for over a decade. While this seems like a long “to do” list to accomplish in one day, trust me; it’s all doable with some pre-built kit pieces, the right pacing and taught in the proper sequence. My sincere hope as an instructor is that at the end of our time together, what you’ve learned will “resinate” with you in a big way.
Special note: This is a great workshop for artists and creatives who sell their work at art shows and galleries, as I love to share these techniques freely and with complete transparency so you can take what you learn and make it your own. I want all my creative friends to successfully be able to incorporate these techniques into their work to create resin jewelry that sells.
Supplies to bring:
Nothing; Instructor will provide all materials necessary. Just show up to class happy, caffeinated and ready to play!
Kit Fee: $25 and includes multiple bezels, resin, molding putty, use of small found objects to cast, paints and surface patina, pre-built resin components/substrates made by instructor, vintage book paper, silk sari ribbon, wire, square metal journal pieces, jump rings, inclusions, cups, stir sticks.
Instructor: Jen Cushman
email: moc.liamg@tranamhsucnej
