3D Outcomes Development: UV Resin

 In order to apply colour to the leaves in my designs, I had to use UV resin to fill in the wire frames.

First, I used 0.4mm wire to create the frames. I wrapped the wire around a small cone shaped object and twisted the ends so it would create a loop. I was then able to shape the loop with the help of my fingers and pliers to create soft and sharp turns. I did this for every leaf and petal and a few test pieces.

It was time to set up then. I used a room without any windows to prevent the UV resin from hardening prematurely, so I could work at my own pace. I worked next to an extraction fan as a safety precaution. In addition, I used a respiratory mask, safety goggles and gloves while working to prevent the inhalation of fumes and exposure to UV rays and resin on my skin. 

I laid out all my pieces on a baking sheet to prevent sticking, as I would need to pour some of the wire frames instead of dipping. Since my resin was not made for dipping, I used tiny amounts of PVA glue to change the formulation. I found this idea through this youtube video made by Daniel Cooper. In the video, Daniel Cooper uses clear PVA glue, however, mine was the white and runny type so it would not work as well. I managed to be able to dip the smaller petals and leaves, but I did have to pour the bigger petals and file away the excess using a metal file.

I did not wait for my resin to rest before using it, causing bubbles in the cured outcomes. This was intentional, since I only needed the surface to be able to paint over it using nail polish. 

In the end, this process was incredibly time consuming. Next time, I will definitely use clear PVA glue instead of the white PVA glue, since the formulation seems to be different enough for the resin. However, finding this glue and resin 'hack' changed a lot for me. I can now use my cheaper UV resin as dipping resin, which will be helpful for future projects.