Sunset, Sand And Shells Resin Clock

11 Materials
$15
2 Days
Easy

Today’s project is another great way to create unique pieces to remember places that you’ve visited. These are also just exquisite gifts for someone special who’s heart belongs to the ocean.


I use real sand that I collected on a trip to Miami and some shells from my beach wedding in Scotland.


If you’re interesting in buying this clock then it’s currently for sale in my Etsy store along with lots of other resin goodies. The link is below in my closing paragraph.


I also run a YouTube channel where I’ve filmed the entire process for this project which you may find easier to follow. Please check out my channel and consider subscribing! Video link within this post.

This may look like a tough piece to pull off, but trust me, it’s so much easier than you may think. Once you know how, you’ll be creating professional looking pieces yourself in no time!

WHAT YOU’LL NEED


  • Resin - Click this link and use my code HANNAH for 10% off along with free shipping. I’ve used Rockstar Resin’s 4 Star 1:1 Thin Coat formula
  • Sand
  • Shells
  • Large mold (mine is 9 inches in diameter)
  • Mixing containers and sticks
  • Liquid and mica pigments (I’ve used ‘Let’s Resin’s liquid pigments)
  • Liquid latex (or painters tape)
  • Marking implements (protractor, pen, ruler, tracing/parchment paper)
  • Clock mechanism (I buy bulk from Walmart)
  • A drill
  • Heat gun
  • Blow torch


*Always use resin safely and wear protective equipment*

MAKING YOUR SANDY BASE


Mix together 200mls of resin. To do this, add 100mls of epoxy resin into 100mls of hardener for a 1:1 formula (whenever you buy ‘resin’ you will receive both parts needed). Always add your parts in the order I mentioned as it makes for an easier combination and a more throrough mix.


Combine the 2, stirring and mixing for at least 5 minutes, remembering to frequently scrape the sides and bottom of your container.


Next add in your sand. I added enough sand to roughly double my mixture to 400mls. Add the sand in bit by bit and mix together thoroughly, then pour the sandy mixture into your silicone mold.


Get more tips on how to make silicone molds yourself.


Use your heat gun to pop any air bubbles in the mixture and then use your blow torch to get rid of any last surface bubbles.


Leave your resin to fully cure. The 4 Star 1:1 Thin Coat resin that I have used takes approx 12 hours to cure.

PREPARING YOUR BASE


Demold your clock base and lay it flat. The side you want facing you now is the side that was facing you before you took it out of the mold.


Add a generous layer of liquid latex all around the edges of your sandy clock base or tape off the bottom using painters tape to avoid drips.


Mix together another batch of resin, approx 150mls. Then decant 100mls from this batch into 5 smaller containers (so roughly 20mls in each), leaving approx 50mls in the large container. I then colour my small portions as follow:


Purple - Purple mica, Rose Red, Purplish Red and Purple liquid pigments

Pink - Pink mica, Rose Red and Purplish Red liquid pigments

Rust orange - Bronze mica, Orange, Golden Yellow and Rose Red liquid pigments

Orange - Orange mica, Orange, Golden Yellow and Red liquid pigments

Yellow - Yellow mica, Yellow and Golden Yellow liquid pigments

YOUTUBE


Remember you can watch a video of this entire project via my YouTube channel by clicking the video link above. Every tool and item that I’ve used is linked in the description box of this video too if you’re interested in getting your hands of the exact bits and bobs that I’ve used.


Remember to subscribe too, not only to show me some love and support but so that you can keep up to date with the latest crafty tutorials that I upload.

WATCH THE SUN SET


Once you’ve mixed your colours, cover approx 2 thirds of the base with a combination of these.


I start with my darkest colour (purple) going to my lightest (yellow) which creates a lovely sunset-like spectrum. Add the colours in a horizontal, zigzagging fashion, overlapping them slightly when transitioning from one colour to the next. With your lightest colour, draw your shoreline which for me was just a wavy line of yellow. This is just a bit more interesting and realistic than having a straight line.


Use your heat gun to blur the edges where each colour meets and to naturally pop the majority of your bubbles as you go. Then using the remaining 50mls of clear resin, add this to the last third of your clock base so that now the entire base should have resin covering it, whether that’s coloured resin or clear. Also make sure that the edges of your base are coated by running a resin-covered finger along them. There may already be drips running down the sides so just spread that resin over any bare edges.


Lastly, use your blow torch to get any little surface bubbles then allow this to cure again.

SEGMENTS


Once your base has cured, it’s time to measure out your segments. I do this by drawing around my silicone mold onto parchment paper so that I have the right sized circle to start drawing onto.


First find the centre of your circle using the diagram I’ve attached. Once you have this, draw a straight line right through the centre point across the width of your circle. The 2 ends of this line indicate your 12 and 6 o’clock.


After this, use your centre point, the line you’ve just drawn and a protractor to measure out 30 degree increments along from your 12 o’clock and 6 o’clock and mark out each increment. These 30 degree increments all indicate your other numbers. Once you’ve found all these points, draw straight lines from them across your circle, through the centre point joining up with the opposite 30 degree points on the other side.


You should now have a circle divided into 12 segments.


Now you need to decide how far up each line you want you shell/number to sit. I measure out the same distance on each line and bore a small hole at each point so that I can transfer a mark through the paper onto my base in the next step. I bore a hole at the centre point too.

TRANSFER


Place the parchment paper circle over your cured base and using a pen or ink, mark out each point onto your clock base including the centre point. When you remove the paper, you should see the marks you’ve made for where to place your shells and where to drill your centre hole later.


Now mix your last batch of resin. Mix approx 100mls and colour a small amount white (only about 15mls).


Pour the clear resin over the coloured part of your clock base only and create a 2nd wavy shoreline that is slightly further in-land than your yellow shoreline. Leave the last third of the base resin-free.


Now with your white, add a thin line at the edge of the clear resin shoreline so that the white touches both the bare base and the clear resin.

MAKING WAVES


Pop any little bubbles with your blow torch and then it’s on to making your waves!


Use your heat gun to blow the white resin into the clear resin.


It’s slow at first because the resin won’t be very warm but once you start applying heat, it flows easier and you’ll start to see the waves appear. Keep going until your white has drifted up your clock base and stop when you’re happy with how it looks.


Use your blow torch on a low flame and sweep it over your white resin. You’ll see the resin starts to part and turn into foamy cells which is exactly what you want. Try not to hold the heat on your resin for long or it will burn.


I add a 2nd wave further up but this is all down to your personal preference. Add loads if you want!


Now whilst the resin is wet, add your shells. You should be able to see the marks you made earlier for your guide. For the parts of your base where there is no resin (the bare third) just dab on a blob of resin with your mixing stick from your container which should have some residue in the bottom.


Now leave your resin to cure one last time.

ASSEMBLE


Once you’re waves have cured, peel off the latex from the back and pick off the resin drips. If you used painters tape then use your heat gun and apply a bit of heat to the tape so that the resin becomes soft, then carefully pull the tape off.


Using a drill with a drill bit that is the same width as your clock mechanism’s shaft, drill a hole in the centre of your clock where you made your mark earlier.


Now assemble your clock mechanism according to the instructions. I always buy mechanisms with wall hangings built in which makes things super convenient!


And that’s it. As I mentioned earlier, this clock and many more items are for sale in my Etsy store so please feel free to go and check that out by clicking here.


Please also check out my YouTube channel where I share all my tips and techniques for tackling resin for beginners.


Thanks again for reading/watching!


Take care x

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