You've seen throughout my work since the beginning, the use of photo charms in my bracelets. I started off using bubble caps but soon decided the quality and the look wasn't so great and decided to put the extra effort and time into resin. Oh the difference! There is so much time and patience needed to do even the tiniest charm that I decided to give you an "idea" of what goes on during this process. This is not meant to be a step-to-step tutorial, but instead just to let you know about my process of using resin.
So above is just a sheet of photo paper. I usually wait and get a couple of orders in and try and do as many photos as I can at once. I print out the sheet and let it dry overnight. Then I put about 2-3 coats of glue on the top and bottom and wait at least 24 hours for it to dry.
Skipping some steps, I cut out the shapes to the desired fit, (add another layer of glue) and after the photo is in, I add even more glue to the outside edges of the photos. As you can see, there's build up all around and it may make your photo look distorted, but trust me it's not. This will keep the resin from seeping in and this is a step that you cannot rush! I do this about 2-3 times. I'd rather be safe than sorry so I don't mind waiting the extra day to add more. Takes up about 2 days of building the glue and letting it dry. So far we're about 4 days into this process.
Now here comes the resin. As you can see, I have my 2 photo charms ready and dry. Resin consists of 2 different mixtures. You MUST pour equal amounts of each component because if you don't, your final product will be sticky and will never dry. After measuring each of them you pour both into the same container and mix very slowly until the resin becomes clear. This can take at least 15 minutes. Yes, even for this small amount. Mixing resin slowly is important because if you mix it too fast you can cause bubbles and you don't want that in your photos. I like to mix my resin anywhere from 15-20 minutes and making sure the resin is clearly mixed well together. After that, you still have to re-pour it into another container and mix AGAIN for another minute or so before you use it. It's very time consuming but it's all worth it in the end especially if done right!
Sorry for the blurriness of the photos. The finishing product is a great dome shaped, clear coat on your photos. It's the best quality and it will never break off or become unattached. After you pour it on the photos, I wait for 3 full days to make sure the resin is fully dry. Making resin photo charms can take up to almost a week from start to end, but I believe in the quality of my work and all of my customers prefer this over any other ideas. It's a lot of work and believe me, many trial and errors!! I'm finally comfortable with resin and you've also seen resin rings I've made and will be making more of! Bracelets, necklaces and more! These photo charms are also a big fan from my customers. Many of the charm bracelet request I'm currently working on now will have a photo charm. Here are 2 finished necklaces I've made. Remi and Jayden. These were made for 2 of my customers who have also previously have a custom charm bracelet made from me. These were Christmas gifts to match their bracelets. What a great idea!
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