A Crystal-Clear Finish
Not every woodburning project calls for resin. Like any finish, the best choice depends on how the piece will be used and the effect you want to create.
Resin creates a crystal-clear, glass-like finish that beautifully enhances colour and depth. Because of its glossy surface, it also reflects light, so it’s worth considering whether that effect complements your artwork.
I especially enjoy using resin on artwork that incorporates pressed leaves and petals. Read my blog on adding pressed flora to pyrography.
Adding colour
While resin is crystal clear, you can add colour to the resin itself. ResinTint, made by ArtResin, was developed to be used with their resin. As a colorant, ResinTint is non-toxic and non-flammable, which means that you can use a flame torch to remove the air bubbles after you have finished pouring the resin over your woodburned piece.
If you like to add colour to your pyrography designs, you’ll appreciate knowing that resin can be used over watercolour, acrylic and ink that have thoroughly dried. Resin can also be used over dried, organic material such as leaves, flowers and butterfly wings. However, if you use coloured pencils, always apply a spray or brush-on sealant first to protect the art.
Whatever medium inspires you, it’s always a good idea to test it first on a small project or scrap piece of wood.
Food-safe resin
In my blog on finishes, I discuss using food-safe finishes on items that will come into contact with food such as wooden spoons or charcuterie boards. The resin made by ArtResin is food-safe when cured. Adding colorants, other than ResinTint, may render the resin unsafe to use on products that will be in contact with food.
ArtResin includes a UV inhibitor, which also protects your artwork against yellowing.
Preparing your workspace
As a first step, I place a plastic tablecloth on a work surface. I then put painter’s tape along the sides and back edges of my woodburned piece to keep the resin from seeping over the sides and back of the wood.
Before pouring resin over my artpiece, I place it atop painter’s pyramids to allow any excess resin to drip off the wood. I use a level to ensure that the wood is completely horizontal. This step is essential to allow the resin to self-level.
Mixing and pouring
I use ArtResin’s online calculator (artresin.com/calculator) to determine how much resin I need to cover the surface of my canvas. You just need to enter the dimensions of your pyrography project in centimetres or inches. The result is the total combined volume you’ll need (50 percent resin plus 50 percent hardener).
Wearing disposable nitrile gloves, I measure equal parts resin and hardener into separate silicone cups before combining them in a larger cup. I then stir the resin and hardener for three minutes, making sure to scrape the sides and bottom to thoroughly mix the two together.
If you’re going to colour the resin with ResinTint, this is the time to add it to the mix. You can add up to six per cent of ResinTint to the total volume of your resin-hardener mix to ensure that it cures as expected.
Once the resin and hardener have been mixed, you have about 45 minutes to pour the resin before it begins to thicken. Like thick honey, the resin is easy to spread. I use a reusable plastic spreader to nudge the resin to the edges of my canvas.
If you want to have resin on the sides of your artwork, let the resin flow over the edges and use a gloved hand to spread it evenly.
Removing air bubbles
After evenly coating the canvas, I use an Artist’s Studio Torch to eliminate trapped air bubbles. I do this by sweeping the torch back and forth a few inches above the surface. The heat quickly eliminates the bubbles, leaving a perfectly smooth finish within seconds. Finally, I use a toothpick to pick out any stray dust particles before the resin sets.
Curing time
While the resin cures, I place a cardboard box over my canvas to protect it from dust. I let it cure for 24 hours before removing the cardboard box and painter’s tape. If you wait more than 24 hours to remove the tape, it might not come off easily. I then put the cardboard box back on top of my canvas and let the resin cure for another 48 hours.
Clean-up
Wearing disposable nitrile gloves, I wipe off any resin residue from the reusable stirring stick, spreader and silicone cups with rubbing alcohol and paper towels. I then rinse these items with warm, soapy water. Needless to say, I avoid pouring any resin down a sink.
Material
Level
Painter’s pyramids
ArtResin resin
ArtResin hardener
Painter’s tape
Plastic tablecloth
Silicone measuring/mixing cups (two small ones and one large one)
Silicone stirrer
Silicone spreader
Disposable nitrile gloves
Rubbing alcohol (you can transfer the alcohol into a spray bottle to clean your material)
Spray bottle (plant or garden sprayer)
Paper towels
Cardboard or plastic box
Toothpicks
Artist’s Studio Torch
Butane to fill your torch
Every finish tells a different story. Choose the one that best reflects your artistic vision.
