Coating Leaves with Resins

Fall inspires so many creative art project ideas. The beautiful colors and textures lend themselves to amazing artwork. Today we are showing you how to make a beautiful fall project by coating leaves in resin. 

As artists we can appreciate that nature is truly art in itself. Watching the leaves change from green to their autumn shades is truly a magical experience. For that reason, fall art creations always lend that comfy, cozy, magical feeling. Seeing those gorgeous colors while they are at their peak can be tricky.

By coating leaves with resin, however, you are able to preserve those beautiful fall colors for seasons to come. We give you the step-by-step instructions you’ll need to capture the beauty of your fall leaves in Counter Culture DIY Artist Resin.

We have also included a video tutorial from one of our brand ambassadors: Heather of @artsymadwoman. Heather shows you how she created some absolutely beautiful fall leaf resin art that you can make at home!

Coating Leaves with Resin

When it comes to choosing the leaves for this project, no foliage is off limits! We focus on fall leaves here but you could do this in any season. In the autumn, though, there are so many beautiful shapes and shades to choose from. And these leaves are like snowflakes, no two are the same.

You can also use some greenery or in your project to add color contrast. By using a variety of foliage, you can add extra layers of depth and dimension to your artwork! 

Once you’ve gathered your leaves it is time to prepare them. Use a soft brush, such as a paint brush, to gently remove any dirt and debris. This will eliminate anything that could cause your resin to set improperly or mar your art work. Next, place your leaves between two sheets of clean paper and place them between the pages of a heavy book for about a week.

This will allow them to dry completely and also flatten them out. Having your leaves nice and flat will allow them to easily set evenly in the Counter Culture DIY Artist Resin. 

After you’ve selected your leaves you will also need to decide what typed of resin project you’d like to do. Heather creates some beautiful coasters and wall art pieces but you could also make jewelry, bookmarks, or paper weights. We would love to see your fall leaf resin creations.

Be sure to share them on Instagram and use #counterculturediy so we can check them out! This is also a great spot to find inspiration from your fellow resin artists. There are so many amazingly talented people in our community and we really enjoy seeing what you all create using our products. 

Watch the Artsy Mad Woman video            tutorial here!

Supply List

• Fall leaves
• Resin mold(s)
• Counter Culture DIY Artist Resin
• Gloves
• Measuring and mixing cups
• Stir sticks
• Heat gun/torch
• Soft brush

Coating Leaves with Resin Instructions

1. First prepare your leaves. Use a soft brush to gently remove any dirt or debris. Next, place your leaves between two sheets of clean paper and place them between the pages of a heavy book for about a week.
2. Now use your measuring cups to measure equal parts of parts A and B of Counter Culture DIY Artist Resin. Add both parts to your mixing cup and mix thoroughly for three minutes scraping the sides of your mixing cup and stir stick. 
3. Next, pour a layer of the combined resin into your mold(s). Use a heat gun to remove any bubbles. 
4. Now, add your leaves face down. Use your gloved fingers or stir stick to gently pat them into place. Let cure for 5 hours. 
5. Next, repeat step 2 to make a new batch of resin. Pour over your leaves to fill the resin mold and use a heat gun to remove any bubbles. Allow to cure for 24 hours.
6. Finally, remove your pieces from their mold(s). Sand as needed.

That’s it! This is a pretty simple but fun fall resin project. Heather’s creations are so gorgeous and we hope you enjoyed watching her process. And just look at that Artist Resin shine! So, grab your hiking shoes and head to the woods (or your slippers and head to the back yard) to grab your fall leaves.

Other than that the supplies for this project are pretty minimal! We hope you have fun creating and that you enjoy a beautiful fall! 

If you want more inspiration and information we have a Facebook group for that. Join us in Counter Culture DIY Artist Support where we, and other artists, offer ideas, answer questions, and support each other!

Do you have an art project using any of our products that you want to share? Send it to us at [email protected], and we can feature them here!