New materials, new ideas, same Swarez quality and attention to detail. This is the first in a series of new and vibrant resin art works that use geodes and rock strata as their foundation.
180cm x 60cm (71″ x 24″)
There’s a ton of YouTube videos on pouring resin with paint mixed in to it. They’re mostly all on little canvases and most people use acrylic paints.
I mention that to begin with because it sets the scene for the titanic battle I’ve had figuring out how to pour resin on a much bigger scale and without using acrylic paints (which I find to be the most lifeless and banal medium and I refuse to use them).
Oh and it’s also because everyone else is using them so I like to be different!
The larger you go with your canvas the more sagging you get in the middle. Casting resin is heavy so it’s only natural that it will pool at the point where the canvas is at its weakest – the centre.
Some people choose to paint onto MDF or ply-board which is fine but I don’t do that – I am an artist who paints onto canvas; call me old fashioned if you will but it really is the best medium to work on.
With the help of my colleague Adrian we have come up with an ingenious solution and for the the first time created a larger resin painting that has not sagged – or will ever sag. The secret to this will remain so but it’s a beautifully elegant solution and one we are very proud of. We should be able to go to any size now. Can’t wait!
I love rocks. Plain and simple. So taking inspiration for my resin art from natural wonders like geodes and rock strata was a no-brainer for me. I have long been fascinated with the layers that are formed under intense pressures and how the colours change when mineral deposits are compressed.
And being a colour freak it’s only natural for me to go nuts with the selection for Train of Thought. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been sympathetic with my choices though because I have; opting for the solidity and earthiness of dark grey and black whilst populating the in between layers with gold, silver, aqua and jade green. Seriously, you should see this lit with a spotlight – it lights up like a jeweled Christmas tree.
There are no paints used in this glorious piece of abstract resin art. None whatsoever.
Confused? No need to be; as I cannot use my faithful enamel paints with casting resin I had to look at using an alternative. So I have chosen a selection of rare earth pigments and metallic flakes.
These are mixed in to the resin and then applied. The pigments are naturally occurring and have been sourced from a number of different specialists – none have been artificially created. They are all 100% natural (and expensive!).
It’s incredibly glossy. I mean really glossy. In fact it’s been a nightmare to photograph because it reflects everything. And boy does it look good doing so. It’s also very tough. When resin is cured it’s like covering your painting with what paperweights are made from (not the glass type but you get the idea).
Happily though it’s not just a coating of clear resin on top of pigment – they’re mixed in with the resin so the whole thing looks like you’ve just sliced open a six foot long piece of 14 billion-year old lava bubble. Amazing!
