Are you starting the exciting adventure of preserving flowers in resin? If so, there’s a whole lot you’ll need to learn about, from what to use for dried flowers for resin, to the step by step guide of its process.
I was where you are now only 5 short years ago, but I had to struggle my way through it without this handy guide. So, to help my fellow epoxy resin flower artists, I decided to create my very own guide on how to work with flowers and resin the right, safe way!
To newbie resin artists, working with flowers is intimidating, but it doesn’t have to be that way! You don’t need to be an experienced resin artist to work with flowers, despite how the finished product may make you think otherwise. It’s all in the process!
Without further ado, here are the topics that you’ll learn about below to help you in-the-know about your floral project!
- What materials do you need for preserving flowers in resin
- Which is better: fresh flowers or dried flowers?
- Step-by-step guide on how to preserve flowers in resin
- Prepare your flowers
- Mix your resin and hardener
- Pour a base layer
- Place your flowers
- Fill the mold
- Cure until complete
- Last minute tips for perfecting your project
This is going to be your go-to place for everything about flower art, and this guide is also going to help you make sure that you avoid some of the easiest-to-make mistakes (like I did). Do as I say, dear readers, not as I do! Here we go.
What materials do you need for preserving flowers in resin
You most likely already know the basic materials, like resin, hardener, mixing cups, safety gear, etc. However, working specifically with flowers and epoxy resin does come with a few additional supplies and focuses in your existing supplies
Firstly, the new additions: flowers! For the best overall personalization, head on outside and pick a few of your favourites so that you can dry those and use them effectively (more on that next). You can also choose to purchase dried ones (or artificial ones), too, if you don’t want to have too many tasks right in the beginning. If you dry our own flowers, however, you’ll need to have a notebook for pressing, silica, and something as well as somewhere to allow them to hang to dry.
As far as your existing supplies, you’ll need to get the right kind of resin for flower art. The best bet will be purpose-designed art resin. It may even say that it’s best recommended for flower art. You want that clear, fresh and glossy finish, after all, right? The wrong resin may not give you that!
Which is better: fresh flowers or dried flowers?
A debate in newbies is going to go with fresh flowers that you press and dry, or with purchased dry ones. Or, artificial ones. Which of these options are going to give you the better solution?
Basically, all three have to be treated the same. Fresh flowers will need to be completely and “professionally” dried using pressing ,silicica, hanging, and more. There’s a lot of labour involved and it can take up to 4 weeks at times! If you try to rush the process, it won’t work properly and your final result won’t be worth it.
Dried flowers come ready to go and artificial flowers are much the same. It simply comes down to understanding what you want to focus on when it comes to starting out your adventure the right way.
Step-by-step guide on how to preserve flowers in resin
Now that you’ve got everything ready to go, here are the steps to help you create your masterpiece!
Prepare your flowers
If you’ve got fresh flowers, prepare them by drying them fully. If you’ve got dried or artificial flowers, you can skip this step and focus on the next one: preparing their design. You’ll want to have a plan on how you want the flowers to go into the resin so you don’t need to adapt it and learn as you go. Once that is done, feel free to set them up on your workspace in hat design for easy, effortless placement.
Mix your resin and hardener
Making sure you’re following the manufacturer’s instructions on the mixing amounts or weights, you can blend your resin and hardener and stir slowly and carefully to help you thoroughly mix everything together and keep your resin as bubble-free as possible.
Pour a base layer
This will eventually be the top of your finished product. Pour a base layer and make sure that it’s going to be thick enough to keep your flowers (next) suspended for that impressive 3D appeal.
Place your flowers
Now, put your flowers into the resin base layer using your stick. You can press them in but it’s best to simply apply a gentle pressure. This will keep your resin undisturbed and it’ll look like your flowers are floating. Check for bubbles at this stage, including under the petals.
Fill the mold
Depending on your brand, you’ll either fill the next layer immediately, or wait the set amount of time. Make sure that you know this before you start, as it can impact the setting of the flower petals! Check for bubbles and pop them before setting them aside. The second layer is important for making it look like the flowers are floating somewhere in the middle.
Cure until complete
For best results, you can expect to wait about 72 hours for your project to be fully cured. However, the manufacturer’s instructions will tell you more. Don’t rush the process and remove it too soon, or you’ll ruin your project!
Last minute tips for perfecting your project
While exciting, preserving flowers in resin is a little intimidating when you think about getting all of the details perfect. If you’re feeling a little overwhelmed, here are some tips to give you the encouragement you deserve!
Firstly, start simple. If you are nervous about drying fresh flowers, purchase dried ones from a crafting shop. There’s no rule that says you have to go all out and learn how to properly dry flowers right in the beginning!
Secondly, you’ll want to keep your design simple in the resin itself. It’ll take some getting used to as far as the 3D effect, so don’t try to make a complicated 3-layer design your first time! Even a centred or 2-3 petals “randomly” scattered into your resin is enough to start off.
Thirdly, remember to have fun with it! This is going to be such an exciting part of your journey in working with resin, and when you peel the silicone mold off of it and see the magic that you’ve created, it’s going to give you the biggest smile ever! Who cares if one tip of your petal is folded over? Or if there are one or two tiny bubbles that you didn’t see? It’s a learning process for a reason!
Learning how to effectively preserve flowers in resin is going to take a bit of a learning process, but this guide will help! Then there’s the fact that this will also help you make sure that the results will be worth it.
