Creative Process: Cooking up Resin Brains!

A lot of people have been asking me what the heck I'm talking about when I say I'm moving CC into a new more 'self-sufficient' direction, so I thought I'd put it up in a blog post.

My aim is to be able to create my key jewellery pieces in my home, which is where the self-sufficient part comes from. I also want to make my designs as original as can be, so crafting them completely from scratch is my plan. 

For an example I have chosen my new brain ring design. The first step is really to come up with the idea, but I can't photograph my brain thinkings so we'll start at step 2. 

STEP 2: Once I have an idea I then need to make a positive object. I make mine from polymer clay because its a very work-able product for me to use. This is my 'positive' brain.

STEP 3: Once the polymer clay has been baked, and sealed with a glaze (A process which takes about an hour and a half with baking, cooling, glazing and drying) I then need to make a mold of the positive. I use RTV2 Condensation cured silicone rubber. 

STEP 4: Cast the brain. I use epoxy resin suitable for jewellery castings (and its not too smelly for my little work-room) I tint it a brain-ey pink colour using resin pigment. The resin I use takes about 48 hours to fully set and harden. Its a long process considering I'm quite impatient. 

STEP 5: Is to pop it out of the mold, and then do some finishing touches. I paint the brain with a contrasting pink to bring out the full brainy detail. Once the paint has dried and I'm happy with it, I then sand off any rough edges, and seal the whole brain with two coats of resin finishing spray. (This also takes further drying time)

STEP 6: Is to attach the ring finding. The adhesive I use takes about 24 hours to fully bond, so this is another waiting process. 

 BUT once its dried I have a nice n pretty pink BRAIN ring! Even though I can get impatient with drying and setting times, its worth it in the end to be left with a piece that I have made from scratch to my original design. 

So there you have it! The creative process behind my brain rings. I hope this post shows you just how much work and time is involved in each piece of my new range. 

I'll be doing some more behind the scenes posts like this in the future so please check back if you're keen to see more. 

Sheina, 

The Crypt Keeper.