When I was new in resin, I experienced overtorching two projects. Over torching means that I kept the torch too close to my freshly-coated rein or I held it for too long in one place. I knew that I made a mess when I saw smoke or burn marks after the artist resin cured. I also noticed the change of color (turning yellowish), dimples, or waves in some spots.
It was frustrating to come up with a project different from what I wanted it to look like. Taking note from that experience, I come up with these techniques to avoid overtorching my succeeding projects:
– I always practice torching a sample project first. I do this to test for how long I should torch the real masterpiece. It should also tell you how far your torch should be from the surface. You don’t like to hold the torch super close to the wet resin as it can damage it significantly.
– Don’t work in a cold room. The cold temperature will not hold the resin thoroughly. Work in an area with room temperature.
– If you will be resin a photo, the safest way is to pre-seal your work. It also helps in minimizing bubbles.
– Consistently torch back and forth all the time, as if you are ironing clothes.
Here are the steps to fix your overtorched project:
– If waves or dimples appear, sand off the resin to remove the imperfection. Use an 80 grit sandpaper to remove the ripples and the dimples. At the same time, make sure you do the sanding nicely as it needs to create a “tooth” for the new layer of resin.
– Clean up the sanding residue with a damp towel. Repeat this step until all the dust are taken out. You really need to make sure that the surface is clean before you pour another layer of resin.
– Mix the Counter Culture DIY Artist Resin as instructed. Pour the mixture into the surface as instructed.
– Cover your piece and let the resin cure for 24 hours. The next day, you can marvel on what seems like a new piece of art!
Note: Not all damages can be restored to its original beauty. If the burn marks are just too much or if the artwork itself is damaged, there is nothing else you can do except to redo your piece…this one hurts!