Resin has become very popular in the last few years and is used in many different home decor products such as candleholders, trays, bowls, dishes, vases, paintings, and more. Resin jewelry and jewelry dishes are also very popular. But what is it that makes resin such a versatile and popular material and how did it capture the hearts of everyone on social media?
What is Resin?
Most resins used in commercial applications are epoxy resins. Epoxy resin is basically two kinds of resins with different chemical properties that, when combined, form a very strong plastic substance. It is very commonly used as an adhesive or glue, because it can connect two broken parts with a very strong but flexible bond. Unlike other glues, its adhesive properties only appear when the two chemicals are mixed, so if they are not mixed they can be stored almost indefinitely without drying out like other glues are likely to do.
How do you create art out of epoxy resin?
Once resin is cured and dry, it is a very strong and durable substance. Epoxy resin is in the family of plastics, but unlike most of the other plastics you see, it can be cured and shaped without an industrial process, and can be easily repaired (with more epoxy resin) if broken.
Why resin is so popular
So how did epoxy resin become so popular with artists and crafters that create home decor? There are several things that make epoxy resin excellent for creating handmade home decor.
Resin is an inexpensive and readily available material
Unlike other traditional mediums like wood or stone carving, oil painting, or metallurgy, epoxy resin is relatively easy to purchase and get started creating. This makes it perfect for individual artisans and small businesses to create with.
Resin is easy to mold
The process of turning the liquid resin into a solid object is as simple as pouring the resin into a mold and then waiting for it to dry. The mold can then be reused many times over, making it possible for artisans to create multiple nearly identical versions of their products with ease.
The process of creating resin pieces is beautiful
Bright colors, mica, glitter, and clear resin all serve to make the process of making resin fun to look at. Artisans quickly figured out that showing the pouring process on Instagram would get them a lot of views. Taking the resin pieces out of the molds proved to be just as satisfying. In the age of social media, resin as a medium allows artisans to document their processes and get more eyeballs on their artwork, home decor pieces, and jewelry.
Resin is versatile
Resin is incredibly versatile. It can be formed into almost any shape and any color of the rainbow: from an understated black to fluorescent yellow. Resin can be made into a variety of finishes as well, from a smooth glass-like finish to very rough and rustic surfaces.
Resin is lightweight
Resin sculptures tend to be lighter than their similarly sized clay, glass, or stone counterparts so shipping them around the world is less expensive and uses less carbon.
All of these reasons have made resin decor incredibly popular. The best part is that it gives artists, designers, and artisans the chance to experiment and create new and intriguing shapes, textures and color combinations. For a creative person, there’s nothing more exciting than working with a new medium and discovering its limits and potential.
Our favorite resin designers and artisans
One such example is Raul de la Cerda, a designer from Mexico City who had been working with a resin workshop to create custom pieces for his furniture designs. During the pandemic lockdown of 2020, this generations old workshop was about to go out of business. Raul decided to partner with artisans of the workshop to create a line of resin vases, bowls, and sculptures to keep it from closing. The decor pieces they ended up creating together are an inspiring mix of the lines of pre-columbian mexican pottery combined with modern materials. The defining feature of this line of resin “pottery” is a technique employed in pouring the resin that combines black and clear resin to form beautiful cloudlike patterns in the objects that are reminiscent of ink droplets dissolving in water. This is a look that can only really be created with resin. You can see the pieces in our B&V Resin Vases and Bowls Collection.
Another designer that has been working with resin is Monica Celderon. She is also a designer who partners with artisans to create unique and show-stopping resin pieces. Her focus is on sculptural and utilitarian house wares like bowls, centerpieces and sculpture. Working with colors inspired by nature, she utilizes the unique resin-specific technique of mixing different colors and shades of resin to create home decor pieces with marble and crystal like patterns. The transparent quality of the resins she uses allows light to shine through and become a part of the color story of the piece. Take a look at these unique pieces in our Resin Work by Monica Calderon Collection.
