Be Inspired
Resin Jewelry Techniques: Playing with Transfer Images and Pure Metal Powders
(Updated March 2025 | Original post February 18 2021)
For those of you that are new to Nunn Design, my name is Becky. I started Nunn Design more than twenty years ago in the back bedroom of my 1929 cottage home in Port Townsend, Washington. The business started as a result of needing to earn a living in a retirement town where jobs were scarce. As a result of leaning into what I knew how to do best, design and market products, I started down the road to building a line of jewelry findings that our customers know today.
The base for growing Nunn Design has resulted from a core element. That element is curiosity. As a child I was the one kid who would turn over a rock, lay down in the muck to examine all the amazing life that lived underneath. It is with that same curiosity that I now “play around with making jewelry.”
Exploring Metal Powders in Resin & Transfer Sheets
I was really curious on what kind of affect I could create if I applied transfer images onto the pure metal powders. Transfer images are created using a film called Lazertran. The film has a paper backing that is released when submerge into water. If this isn’t making sense, think about a temporary tattoo. It is sort of like that.
Here, I created a “sampler” for myself so that I could see what the various pure metals looked like within different plates of bezels. I also wanted to see what the “feel and look” would be when I applied the transfer images. Each row is a different bezel plate, antique copper, antique gold and antique silver.
THE HOW-TO:
Here is a quick and brief explanation of what I did to create this look:
- Clean the Bezels: Start by cleaning the Nunn Design Bezels with rubbing alcohol.
- Mix the Resin: Mix a batch of Nunn Design 2-Part Resin.
- Pour the Resin: Drizzle the mixed resin into the bases of the cleaned bezels. With a toothpick, go along the inside edge of the base of the bezel. This is typically where air bubbles will lurk, so by agitating the resin, you will dislodge them.
- Add Pure Metal Powder: Scoop up a toothpick worth of pure metal powder. Place the toothpick over the resin filled bezel and gently tap. The pure metal powder will drop onto the surface of the resin act like an oil slick… oh such a beautiful thing!!! The resin has to be fresh in order for the metal powder to spread like you are seeing here.
- Let the resin cure: I think I did 12 hours, but I think you could do it sooner. The resin just needs to be firm.
- Trim Transfer Sheets: Trim the desired transfer sheet image to size.
- Mix another cup of Nunn Design 2-Part Resin.
- Apply more Resin: Drizzle a couple drops of the mixed resin onto the cured pure metal powder that is lining the base of your bezel.
- Prepare Transfer Sheets: 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. The paper backing will release. Learn more here! Colorized Resin with Transfer Sheet in an Open Back Bezel
- Place image onto Resin: Place the film of the transfer sheet onto the resin. Poke the transfer sheet to release any air bubbles that might be lodged under the surface.
- Apply more Resin: Apply more resin until domed.
- Let cure: Let the resin cure. It will be hard to the touch in 12 hours, but will take 72 hours to be fully cured.
ND SUPPLIES:
METAL POWDERS
I have found two sources where to buy these metal powders. If you find another, I’d love to know about it!
BUT WHAT IF I…
I was curious what it would look like if I had a paper collage sheet in the base of the bezel, then applied a transfer sheet over that. I mixed in a little pure metal powders to create this look.
I had some extra resin, so I pour the excess resin into a mold that I had made using EasyMold Silicone Putty. I had rubbed the mold with the pure metal powder and then poured in the clear resin. When the resin was cured, I popped them out of the molds and glued them into the Earring Post Mini Bezel and onto a Ring Adjustable 13mm shank.
I hope you have enjoyed following along on my creative journey!
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