Have you made the decision to play around with resin? Awesome sauce! Now you’re probably asking yourself what resin to use. Well, if you google resin, there are SO many options out there! It is definitely overwhelming! To help you decide, I’m giving you my top five favorite resins. This list is not in any particular order, just resins that I have used and loved.
1. Alumilite
If you are a beginner to the world of resin, I highly recommend using Alumilite Clear Cast. I started out using this resin, and it is very user-friendly. It gives a nice, shiny finish, and minimal bubbles, if any. Many creators start with this and never change, which is awesome! I have the problem of always trying to find that unicorn, so I usually use up what I have on hand, then try a different brand. The best part about Alumilite is that you can get it at Michaels or Hobby Lobby. Of course, there’s Amazon, but if you want it same day, this is the one to get. You can find them at www.alumilite.com.
2. KSResin
KSResin is a great resin to try once you’ve had a little bit of experience. It is also user-friendly, but it loves heat. You’ll either need a warm workspace or some bottle warmers or a candle warmer. I don’t have a separate thermostat for my art room, so I got a stand-up space heater that helps get my room warm. KSResin has many different options, including casting resin and fast set resin. I absolutely love their fast set. This type of resin is hard in a quarter of the time of regular resin. So it helps if you’re in a time crunch. Their resins are also very affordable, which is much appreciated! Their website is www.ksresin.com.
3. ProMarine
ProMarine started out with epoxy resin for marine applications, then they moved into the art world. They have marine grade, table top, casting, and art resins. I found there wasn’t too much of a learning curve when using their resin. They are slightly more expensive than KSResin, but still affordable. My favorite product is the table top resin. They also offer bundles and sell accessories. You can check them out at www.promarinesupplies.com.
4. TumblerPoxy
TumblerPoxy is newer to the resin game, but they have great products. They offer art and fast set resins. They also have accessories and are constantly creating new products for creators. While I really like their fast set resin, to me, the art resin had a huge learning curve. I’ve tried it and given up, and tried again, but I haven’t gotten back to it yet. Many people have amazing outcomes with it, I just found I had a lot of microbubbles. However, like I said, I love their fast set resin. I don’t have to put a lot of heat on it, and I haven’t had many bubbles, if at all. Their prices are very similar to ProMarine’s. Their website is www.tumblerpoxy.com.
5. Counter Culture DIY
My current favorite resin is from CCDIY. It is their thing viscosity. I love it because it is a thinner resin and if heated up, while it cuts down on the working time some, there are no bubbles. CCDIY is almost a one-stop shop for resin creators, and I find it wayyyy too easy to spend all my money there! They have multiple types of art resin, multiple types of casting resin, and fast set resin. I did not find there was much of a learning curve with these. I recently used their casting resin, and I was blown away by it! Along with their resin, they offer accessories, alcohol inks, mica powders, stones/crystals, molds, and so much more. Their pricing falls in-between KSResin and all the others. You can go spend all your money at www.counterculturediy.com.
Go get to artin’!
Now that you’ve seen my top five, it’s time to pick one and start creating! If you’re not sure what to create, check out 5 easy projects you can do with epoxy resin. Not all epoxies are created equal, so I hope that this list has helped you narrow your search down. While I included the websites, I know most of these are on Amazon as well. I didn’t check prices over there, but it’s probably more expensive. If you join any of these company’s mailing lists, you’ll receive coupons and freebies, so I highly recommend doing that and ordering directly from them. Working with resin is not a cheap hobby, but with it, you can make so many beautiful things! So get you some resin, and get to artin’!