Generally when I pour paints, I like to use either fluid acrylics and inks on their own, or I'll mix them with acrylic pouring medium to create these lovely rivers of colour on my canvas.
Recently, the kind and generous folks at ArtResin sent me a pack of their resin to test drive in my studio. To be fair, I've watched a lot of videos on using resin in the past couple of years and I've researched a fair bit of info on the process as well, but even still, I was rather reluctant to try this new medium, as I really wasn't sure how it would stack up against my favourite pouring medium. What if I made a mess and created a disaster? I'd seen many an artist on Instagram create beautiful glass-like works of art, however, I wasn't truly confident that I could create anything that resembled those pieces.
Regardless of my concerns, last weekend I took a leap of faith and tested it out. Firstly, let me tell you, I made a ton of mistakes–like forgetting to wear gloves (ack!) and not having a tented structure to protect the work from dust while drying. I even worried that I might blow the place up with my little chef's torch while torching out the air bubbles. However, the process was much less scary than I expected, and the results were pretty astounding compared to my acrylic pouring medium. Resin has this unmatchable high gloss finish that really takes your artwork to the next level and creates the "illusion of reality!" I immediately knew I was hooked!
I have a ways to go to improve my technique... my pouring and torching definitely needs some perfecting, and I may prefer other pigments that aren't quite so opaque, however, I look forward to exploring further with this medium.
Side Note: ArtResin is non-toxic! How great is that?!? Here's some info from their website:
ArtResin is non-toxic (when used as directed) so it's not bad for your health like other resins. No VOCs. No fumes. No solvents. No respirator needed. Non-flammable. Non-hazardous. Conforms to ASTM D4236 (Safe for Home Use).
