How to Make Simple Resin Coasters with Dispersion Colors

If you are new to resin or new to Dispersion Colors, today’s tutorial is perfect for you! Karen Horvath of MG Creations by Karen is back to show us how to make simple resin coasters with Dispersion Colors! Easy enough for beginners, beautiful enough for resin artists of any skill level!

Some resin art takes lots of practice and detailed processes to achieve. And the results are nothing short of spectacular! But there doesn’t have to be an intricate method behind every piece of gorgeous art. Karen is showing us how to make simple resin coasters that are as easy to make as they are beautiful!

Whether this is your first resin project or you have been a resin ninja for years, these coasters are sure to please. Karen uses Dispersion Colors (more about them later!), Thin Viscosity Artist Resin, and mica powders to give her coasters their bold colors and beautiful shimmer. And she shows us, step by step, how it’s done!

How to Make Simple Resin Coasters with Dispersion Colors

So first off, lets talk about Dispersion Colors. What are they and how do you use them? Dispersion colors are a water based pigment made to disperse evenly into water or epoxy resin. Use these colors to make beautiful resin art, paintings, or add color to your casting resin.

You can also use them as a base coat for your glitter tumblers. Or mix them in with your resin to add gorgeous color to your other tumbler designs. We have tons of fabulous colors to choose from. You will find many shades of the same color families. And a large selection of neons too!

And, when you check them out on the website, you will see what they look like mixed with water, added to resin, and mixed with resin and white metallic. So you know exactly what colors you will get no matter what project you are using them for!

How to Add Dispersion Color to Resin

As Karen points out in the video, Dispersion Colors are highly concentrated pigments. And since a tiny bit goes a long way, we also designed EZ Pour Lids for 2oz and 8oz bottles. They allow you to add just a drop or two of your Dispersion Colors at a time.

The best way to add Dispersion Color (or any pigment, really) to resin is to start with just a drop or two. Mix it into the resin and see where you are at with your color depth. If you need more, add just a little at a time until you get to the shade you want. Once you have worked with the colorant for awhile you will have a good idea of where to start to get the colors you love.

For her red resin, Karen started out with 6 drops of color because she has used Freedom Red many times in the past and knows that she will use at least that much. Then she adds in her mica and more Freedom Red (a little at a time) until she gets the right red for her coasters. 

Watch the Video Tutorial Here!

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How to Make Simple Resin Coasters with Dispersion Colors

Yield: 2 coasters

Materials

• Counter Culture DIY Thin Viscosity Artist Resin
• Geode Coaster Molds with Open Center
• Freedom Red Dispersion Color
• Ring of Fire Mica Powder
• White Snow Dispersion Color
• White Armor Art
• Angel Wing Mica Powder
• Gold Armor Art
• Silicone mat
• Protective gloves
• Filter mask
• Mixing cups
• Mixing sticks
• Glitter Spoon
• medicine cups
• Heat gun

Instructions

• Start by making sure your molds are free of any dust or debris. You can use packing tape with the sticky side out to do this. Just dab the tape onto the molds and it will remove any unwanted materials.
• Next, measure 4oz of Parts A and B of Thin Viscosity Artist Resin in separate cups. Then, pour them both into a mixing cup.

  Scrape the sides of your measuring cups and your mixing stick to make sure you are getting all of the resin out.
• Then stir well to combine. Scrape the sides of your cup and your mixing stick every so often to make sure you are incorporating all of it. Stir for 3-5 minutes until the resin is very well combined.
• Now grab 3 medicine cups. They will be for your red, white, and gold resin. Pour about 2oz of resin into each medicine cup (a little less for the white cup), leaving some in your original cup that will stay clear.
• To your first cup, add 6-8 drops of Freedom Red Dispersion Color. Then use a glitter spoon to add a tiny scoop of Ring of Fire Mica Powder. Mix the resin well to combine. You want the resin to be opaque when you are done.

  If you want more shimmer you can add a little more mica powder.
• Add 3 drops of White Snow Dispersion Color to the second cup. Then a small scoop of Angel Wings Mica Powder. Then mix the resin well.
• In the last cup, add a small amount of Gold Armor Art. Start small and then add more if you need it. Mix well to combine.
• Add a little bit of the clear resin around the center part of the molds, where the openings are. Then pour the red resin on one side of your molds.

  Karen wanted red to be the dominant color so she does a little less than half of the mold with it.
• Next, pour your white into another section. And finally, add your gold to the remaining coaster.
• Then, use a heat gun to move the colors towards each other. They will blend as they meet. As the resin sits and cures, the colors will continue to move and spread.
• Once the resin has cured to the point where it is the consistency of more like jelly (check after 30-45 minutes), take a stick and add swirls here and there where the colors meet.

  Then allow the resin to cure at least 24 hours before moving on to the next steps.
• Now it's time for the top coat. Mix up a batch of Artist Resin like you did for the first layer but leave it all clear. Then fill the mold almost completely. Allow the coaster to cure completely (24-48 hours) then you are ready to demold!!

The Finishing Touches

And that is how to make simple resin coasters with Dispersion Colors! And we want to assure beginner resin artists that there is nothing to be intimidated about when it comes to working with resin. All you are doing is creating a chemical reaction (when the two parts of the resin mix and cure).

So with careful measuring and thorough mixing, you will be able to create beautiful things! Want to learn more about the basics of resin art? Check out our post, Resin Art for Beginners: 5 Things you Should Know. It covers how to measure and mix as well as helpful tips and tricks! 

We also want to give a big thank you to Karen for sharing her skills and knowledge with all of us again. If you loved learning from her and want to see more of here work, you can find her on Facebook and Instagram. And you can find more awesome video tutorials like this one on our YouTube channel!

You can find more awesome video tutorials like this one on our YouTube channel!

Be sure to follow us on Pinterest so you can stay on top of everything that’s new and never miss a blog post!

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!