Let's talk about matte and shiny...let's talk about all the pluses and the minuses that can be...Let's talk about molds...let's talk about molds...
...If you've made it this far, you're my people!
Did you know that just about any nonstick mold can be used for resin? Even a plastic cookie cutter? Yup. It's true! As long as you can create a way for the resin to stay inside (completely or mostly) within the boundaries of the mold...you can use it! But there's some things you should know...
For instance, some molds leave your resin projects with a dull or matte finish. That's fine, if it's the look you're going for! Sometimes, the matte finish looks better to me, so I leave it the way it comes out of the mold. BUT sometimes I really want that glossy finish! And if I'm using a mold that doesn't leave a glossy shine, I can still give my finished product a shiny finish by adding a little bit of resin to the top, after it's fully cured and removed from the mold. This gives me a big range of versatility in my creating!
There are many types of molds you can use for resin...and there's really only a few things resin doesn't stick to: silicone, plastic, and vinyl (I'll also throw in wax paper...because the resin only seems to hold onto the waxed paper temporarily...and doesn't adhere to it completely, so it's easily removed). The most common way people use resin is either epoxy resin in a silicone mold, or UV resin - and the fun thing about IV resin is that you can dip and shape/sculpt your creation like you would at a glass blowing studio...but that's a whole other experience I suggest you do at least once in your life! But did you know you can also create a hand drawn mold using silicone caulking from your local home improvement store, or even by using a hot glue gun? (Hint: this is a great method for creating geodes or other imperfect shaped items). Just make sure you prep your crafting station with an acrylic base, some wax paper, or a tape especially made for UV resin projects!
-Acrylic sheets and blocks, waxed paper, and glue guns...I believe these should be staples in any crafter's arsenal.-
You can also use silicone mix products to make your own molds...but there's plenty of YouTube videos on that, so I'll let you look them up yourself!
So, if you ever find a mold at the back of your baking cabinet that you haven't used in years and you think about giving it away...why not try it out with some resin? See what you can create...
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