A Guide: Create Resin Geodes and More

A geode is a rock that contains sparkling colored crystals inside. Some people are passionate about searching for geodes in nature, but for a fun indoor project, you can create your own resin geode art. Here, we’ll run through a step-by-step process for how to make geode art with resin.

What is a Resin Geode?

If you can imagine a geode, you can imagine what a resin geode might look like. Geodes are geological formations (within sedimentary or volcanic rocks, to be technical!) that contain colorful mineral matter inside. When the rocks are cracked or sliced open, their stunning crystals are revealed.

A resin geode is not, of course, a real geode. It’s an artistic version of a geode made with resin, a chemical compound that dries with a hard and shiny finish. You can add colors, glitter, sparkles, crystals (real or artificial), and metallic paint to your resin for added effects. 

If you’re into arts and crafts and enjoy colorful, sparkly objects, you’ll love making your own resin geode. These can be relatively flat and created on a canvas or board, made into slices that can be used as coasters, or be larger and more sculptural. You can even learn how to make a resin geode table! Here’s how to make geode resin art.

How to Make a Resin Geode

If you’ve never worked with resin before, it’s a good idea to take a tutorial on working with the medium. It’s not too difficult, even for relative beginners, but there are a lot of important things to remember. Some types of resin are toxic, and all require safety gear like gloves and a respirator, so it’s important to know how to handle resin before getting started. Skillshare instructor Janirette Vazquez teaches a beginners’ guide to working with resin, which will prepare you well for how to make geode resin art.

Step 1: Gather Your Materials and Protect Yourself and Your Work Space

To learn how to make geode art with resin on canvas or board, you’ll need:

• Resin part A and part B
• Safety gear: latex gloves, drop cloths, and apron (a respirator and safety glasses are highly recommended)
• Spatula and stir sticks
• Measuring jug or cup
• Masking tape
• Wet wipes and isopropyl alcohol
• Wooden or canvas panel (not a stretched canvas)
• Acrylic paints
• Decorative items like crystals, foils, glitter, glass globules, and acrylic gems

Set everything up before you begin mixing the resin (always according to the instructions on the label). Wear an apron to protect your clothes, long sleeves and gloves to protect your skin, and a respirator and safety glasses for your face. Lay protective drop cloths over your table and floors.

Tape up all four sides of your canvas so that any drips of resin are easy to clean up.

Finally, make sure your work surface is totally level (use a level marker, if you have one, to check this). Wet resin will dry lop-sided if your surface is uneven.

Step 2: Draft Out Your Geode Shape

Browse images of geodes to find one that you’d like to recreate. Draw out the outlines and main shapes of the design on your canvas, noting which colors should be placed next to each other for the best effect.

Of course, if you’d rather work more spontaneously with your resin and decorations—that’s perfectly fine, too!

Step 3: Paint onto the Canvas

Using your acrylic paint, paint directly onto the canvas, following any lines or sections that you sketched out in the previous step. If you want to add metallic foil or glitter to your geode design, this is the time to do so.

Step 4: Add Crystals or Other Embellishments

If you want to add glass or acrylic crystals to your design, add them once the paint has dried. Secure them with a dab of ordinary craft glue so they don’t move later when you add the resin.

Step 5: Add Layers of Resin

Following the instructions on your resin bottles, mix the two parts together. Mixing smaller batches is a good idea so there’s less chance of wastage. At this point, you might want to add colored paint or powder to your resin. 

If you want to have different colored resins side-by-side that don’t blend, you’ll need to mix different containers of resin up separately and pour them onto the surface of your canvas in stages. However, some people like the effect of different colored resins mixing, so this is up to you. Use wooden sticks to nudge the resin to the places you want it.

Step 6: Add Glitter Layers

If you want to add a layer of glitter-embedded resin to any parts of your canvas, it’s best to do this at the end so that the sparkles are nearer the surface. Repeat the process of mixing up a small batch of clear resin and add a sprinkle of glitter to the mixture.

Step 7: Add Optional Clear Coat

Clear resin gives a glossy and smooth finish, so you might want to add a final clear layer on top of your colored and sparkly layers. Doing so may make the resin geode look more like a polished piece of agate. However, if you’ve added a lot of glitter or gemstones to your resin geode, adding a clear coat may take away some of the texture. So, whether you decide to add a final clear coat is up to you.

If you’re here learning how to make a resin geode table, note that it’s important to add a clear coat (or two) for a totally smooth and flat surface.

How Do You Put Crystals in Resin?

Adding crystals to resin is easy and can be done a couple of different ways, both of which we touched in the above steps. To recap:

• If you’re using small crystals (real, glass, or acrylic) or glitter, mix them directly in with the resin when you’re preparing it. Pour or brush the resin and crystal mixture onto the canvas.
• If you’re using larger crystals, place them on the surface of the canvas first, affixing them with a dab of craft glue (such as PVA). Then pour your resin on top to firmly attach the crystals to the surface.

More Resin Geode Art Fun!

Freeform Resin Geodes: Make Solid Resin Sculptures and Artworks that Resemble Nature

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