Marbleized Resin with Transfer Sheets Tutorial

Learn how to create a marbleized resin effect using Nunn Design 2-Part Resin, Gilding Flakes, and Nunn Design Transfer Sheets. The results will look very different than traditional colorized resin.

Supplies:


• Nunn Design Resin Kit
• Castin Crafts Opaque Pigments
• Nunn Design Bezels
• Gilding Flakes

Other Supplies Needed:


• Q-Tips
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Wet wipes
• 
Plastic Bags
• Toothpicks
• Gloves
• Timer
• Glossy business cards or card stock

Prep Bezel:

Step 1.
The Nunn Design Findings are oxidized to provide an aged look to the precious metal plating. When the oxidation comes into contact with the mixed Nunn Design Resin the color of the resin could change. To avoid this, clean the findings thoroughly prior to applying the resin. Get the tip of a Q-Tip wet with rubbing alcohol and clean away any of the blackened oxidation on all surfaces of the bezel.

For this tutorial we used a Nunn Design Grande Pendant Heart.

Prepare For Resin Mixing:

Step 2.
Read the resin instructions for safety concerns regarding the Nunn Design Resin.
When I work with resin, I always:

• Have my room heated to around 70°-73°.
• Place a large plastic bag over my work surface and tape it down.
• Make sure I have ventilation in my workroom.
• Wear gloves.
• Wear glasses (readers because I can’t see anymore. Plus it protects my eyes!).
• Have a pile of wet wipes handy.

This is a great blog post that covers 20 Habits for Successfully Using Nunn Design 2-Part Epoxy Resin. Even if you are a seasoned resin mixer, you might also be interested in reading this blog post: 12 Ways to Prevent a Resin Jewelry Disaster!

Mix Nunn Design Resin:

Step 3.
Place one cup (included in the Nunn Design Resin Kit) onto your table.
 For curing purposes, it is very important that the resin be an exact 1 to 1 ratio of Part A and Part B. I suggest getting your eyes level with the resin so you can see the lines on the measuring cup.

Pour Part A of your resin kit up to the 1 TBS mark on your measuring cup.

Pour Part B of your resin kit into the same cup until it is filled to the 2 TBS mark.

It is important to pour Part A first and then Part B. It is some chemical thing about part A being heavier or something.

Step 4.
Set your timer for 2 minutes. Using the stir stick from your kit (a popsicle stick or coffee stir stick will work great too), slowly and carefully stir your resin scraping the sides as you stir. Stir for a minimum of 2 minutes. If your resin is still cloudy continue to mix until clear.

After mixing is complete and your resin is clear, scrape both sides of your stir stick on the edge of your resin filled cup.

Colorizing Nunn Design Resin:

Step 5.
To create 2017, 2018 and 2019 Pantone Colors, take a look at these blog posts for the color mixing formulas:

• 2017 Pantone Color Formulas using Nunn Design 2-Part Resin and Opaque Pigments
• 2018 Pantone Color Formulas using Nunn Design 2-Part Resin and Opaque Pigments
• 2019 Pantone Color Formulas using Nunn Design 2-Part Resin and Opaque Pigments

Step 6.
To colorize the resin, place another empty resin mixing cup onto your work area. Pour the clear, mixed resin into the cup, filling it to the 1 TSP mark.

The Castin’ Craft Opaque Pigments are very potent. Let’s define what a “tiny toothpick tip” and a “toothpick tip” amount of colorant should look like. This is not an exact science. If you don’t get the exact amount, your color will still come out fairly close.

A “tiny toothpick tip” should look like this.

A “toothpick tip” should look like this.

Step 7.
Add in the colorants according to the color formulas and then stir gently until the colorants are fully mixed in the resin. For this tutorial, I wanted to have a fairly translucent resin, so I added less colorant to the clear resin when mixing.

Let resin sit for 5 minutes to let the bubbles rise to the surface and pop.
 Tip: Be sure that the colorant does not equal more than 10% of your resin as having more than 10% could cause issues with curing.

Cure Resin for 5-6 Hours:

Step 8.
When the resin starts to become very thick and warm to the touch in the mixing cup, use your thick mixing stick to remove the resin. Scoop the thick resin onto a piece of plastic, such as a Zip-Lock Bag. Smear the resin around with the stir stick until the resin is consistently about 1/16” in height.

Step 9.
Let the resin cure on the plastic bag for about 5-6 hours, or until it is slightly sticky to the touch. This 5-7 hour curing phase for the resin is referred to as the “soft-cure phase.”

The resin will be very soft and easy to handle. It may be very sticky, so apply a little baby oil to your fingers to prevent the resin from sticking to your fingers.

Sculpt Soft-Cured Resin:

Step 12.
Press some Gilding Flakes into the slightly tacky resin and burnish the Gilding Flakes down with your fingertips.

Step 13.
Roll the resin into a smooth ball and insert it into a Nunn Design Bezel of choice. To create a smooth surface, use a wet-wipe to smooth out any fingerprints in the resin’s surface.

Step 14.
Let the resin cure. It will start to be hard to the touch as early as 12 hours, but the resin will continue to cure up to 72 hours.

Apply the Transfer Sheet

Step 15.
Follow steps 2-4 to mix up another batch of clear Nunn Design Resin.

Step 16.
Drizzle some of the clear resin over the cured marbleized resin.

Step 17.
With a pair of scissors, trim out one of the Nunn Design Transfer Sheets. Transfer sheets are printed on a film with a paper backing. When the transfer sheet is submerged into water, it separates the film front from the paper backing. For this tutorial, we used the Nunn Design Bird Silhouette Transfer Sheet.

Step 18.
Now we are ready to apply the transfer sheet into the colorized resin.
 Fill a small shallow dish with warm water approximately 3⁄4 of the way full. Drop your trimmed transfer sheets into the water and wait 30 seconds.

Step 19.
The film is very fragile, so be gentle when handling it. When removing the transfer sheet from the water, you will be able to feel the film and paper-backing slide apart from one another when you hold them in your fingers. Leave the paper backing attached to the film front and dry your fingers with a paper towel.

Step 20.
Slide the transfer sheet up slightly so one of the ends of the transfer film is exposed without the paper backing. With a toothpick, hold the transfer film down in the resin and pull the transfer film image away from the paper backing. Use the toothpick to press the film down into the resin, agitating any air bubbles that might have been trapped under the film.

Step 21.
Drizzle more clear Nunn Design Resin onto the surface of the marbleized resin, fully covering the surface. Use a toothpick to pull the resin out to the edges of the bezels.

Step 22.
If you see bubbles rising to the surface, using your hot breath, breathe on them. It isn’t a “blow” sort of breath – more of a “huff” sort of breath. The hot air will make the bubbles expand, rise to the surface and pop. As the resin starts to set-up and becomes thicker, it will be more difficult for the air to rise to the surface. Make sure to check in on the curing resin and double check for air bubbles. If you do have some bubbles that won’t pop with your “huff”, use a toothpick to gently drag them over to the sides. This agitation process will help them to pop. When the resin is thick and taffy-like in texture it is time to let it be. If you attempt to pop bubbles at this time, you may end up with a gooey mess.

Step 23.
If you have resin that has over-poured, wait about 6-12 hours until the resin is at its “soft cure” phase. Use a pair of needle nose pliers to bend back the resin from the bezel. The resin will easily separate and peel off of the bezel.

Step 24.
Let the resin cure for 12-14 hours. The resin will be hard to the touch but will continue to cure for the next 72 hours.

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