This year I will be doing resin crafting and art for my in-depth 2021 project! I chose this because i got the supplies for it last year but when I attempted it the pieces came out bad. Because of my failed first attempts I decided not to continue working with it but I really want to try and pick it up now. I am going to learn this skill with the assistance of a mentor, guidebooks, website help, and video demonstrations, I know how to do my in-depth in theory but there are so many small things that can make or break the final product. I plan to learn this skill through the combination of constant trial and error and guides. I know my first pieces wont turn out great but i can experiment and grow from every piece made. What others could do to help me in this endeavour would be to give me helpful pointers if they have any or even just request a certain look from the pieces I am making to push me to create something with a specific design in mind.

My hope for the times of making the resin pieces would be when I have time, so preferably weekends, and I really want to make at least two resin crafts each month moving on from this point in time. The making process will be conducted in my bedroom with the windows open for ventilation and cardboard on the floor or in the garage depending on the space available when I go to make the crafts.

I’m still looking into mentors but I have an idea for someone to go to and ask now so I will have a mentor before the volunteer papers are due back. Once I have completely established my mentor we will be calling at least once every two weeks as a check in and to show progress and get feedback on what I’ve done.

Each time I go to make my crafts I need to get gloves, open windows, get stirrers, the resin, the hardener agent, a mold, and the add-ins. The hardener and resin need to be poured in a perfect 1:1 ratio or else the resin will never even fully harden and it’s a waste, stir slowly but for 3 minutes to be fully combined but with little bubbles. Then pour in the base layer into the mold, remove the bubbles with blowtorch and toothpick as best as possible, and let it cure the time it says on the back of the bottles. Once it has cured pour more and add different colours, pieces, flowers, etc and let that cure as well. You can potentially add a third layer of fillings if wanted. After pour another clear layer of resin, let it fully cure, then remove from mold. Sand with wet sandpaper as you see fit and repeat per each piece.

Before starting anything I need to find one of the blowtorches in my garage and make sure it will actually be working. I will choose the molds, style plans, and add-ins for each month prior to the day I decide to use the resin. Over the months I want to do two successful pieces per month with a final product during the last month. To make sure there aren’t any issues with time I will be the final mold one month before I plan to use to it. After every session I will also need to be checking my supplies cupboard and replenish any empty containers with something else.

This is a fairly autonomous project for me so I won’t be needing all too much help but I’ll need my parents help in buying the final supplies for my end product. Other than that I’ll just be using pointers from my mentor and the rest is pretty much up to me.

I have sufficient materials but I will probably be buying a second or third mold and flowers to be used as my final artifact at the end when we present our projects as In-Depth comes to an end. I obviously cannot get the flowers now anyways because they’d die before I could use them which would be a waste.

I’m really excited for In-Depth this year and I know this will be a different experience than Interior Design last year!