bqueen creative exchange

Have you tried Flexicast yet?

I used it for the first time the other day and it's a sensational material.

It sets bendy, like rubber, and can be poured into your Pinkysil moulds to create all sorts of amazing shapes:  bangles, rings, bowls, keyrings... you name it.  It also doesn't need sanding (sigh with relief) and can simply be trimmed with scissors for a clean edge.

Flexicast can also be pigmented to achieve any colour you can imagine (although in it's natural state is a rather ugly clear yellow colour... so pigments are recommended).


The pics below are of a bowl Kerry from Barnes made.
Great for storing your keys or your jewellery.



Have fun!

A sneak peak at the new bowls.

I made these ones using bqueen resin, BJB pigments and our new bowl moulds. 

A fantastic wood turner called Gab made the original for us, then we made into a mould.  You could do the same using sculpting clay or a bowl you've got at home (although beware of undercuts in the design if you're making a one part mould).

The design is really clever and the bowls can be stacked.  They look amazing on my coffee table.



We are now just waiting for all the moulds to be finished and then the homewares workshops will get started.  Can't wait!

So you want to make some resin jewellery, home wares or embed objects and don’t know which materials to use… here’s a guide to resins to help you choose the right one.

Bqueen:  for jewellery
Bqueen resin is the easiest type of resin to use for making bangles, rings, pendants etc.  It sets super quick (within 15-20 minutes), which means you can make lots of pieces with a limited number of moulds.  It is a transparent champagne colour and easily coloured with a range of pigments available from Barnes.

It’s best used for smaller pieces (ie under 100ml total volume) as the work time is reduced the greater the volume.

Water clear resin for embedding objects
The best product to use is a polyester resin called ‘Clear Casting Resin’.  A word of warning though:  it smells!  

• It usually takes a couple of hours to set.
• Polishes up beautifully and has a glass like feel.
• To use it safely you will need to either be outside or have an extraction system and wear appropriate safety equipment.
• Great for pendants with papers or objects inside them

The beauty of this product is that it is water clear in colour, pigments easily and is great for showing off objects inside the resin.

You do need to purchase the catalyst that makes it set and specific pigments designed for polyester resin so remember to check prior to use.

Easycast Clear:  professional use only
A lot of people have been using this for resin jewellery making but it is not recommended for this application.  Easycast Clear is not actually easy to use.  You need to pre warm the bottles before use, be extremely accurate when measuring and be patient as it takes a while to set.  It also requires you to mix the Part A and Part B much more thoroughly than bqueen resin or else it won’t set properly and will remain sticky forever.

This product has also been known to cause rashes if the appropriate safety gear is not worn.  It can also cause rashes to other people who are in the same room as the person using the resin!!

It is also very sensitive to moisture (example embedding insects or leaves) which can create prolific bubbling.

This product should only be used by experienced/industrial resin casters.

TC802:  great for home wares
This product is quick and easy to work with.  It appears transparent in its bottles but once the two parts are mixed together they turn white…which means that when you pigment them you will get beautiful pastel colours.

 

If you need any more help selecting the right type of resin for your project don’t hesitate to contact me or visit the Barnes website at www.barnes.com.au.

 

 

 

A common question when teaching a resin workshop is “do you think Dinosaur Designs are expensive?” and my answer to this is, “I think they are spot on for all the work that goes into them”.

Now before you gasp in horror, stay with me as I share a flashback  from an accounting class I attended a while back:  namely ‘fixed costs’ and ‘variable costs’.

I’m not suggesting that the costs below are al the costs associated with producing a resin bangle, but it’s worth noting some of them:

Fixed Costs:

• ·      Rent
• ·      Website
• ·      Advertising
• ·      Accounting costs

Variable Costs:

• ·      Resin
• ·      Pigments
• ·      Silicone
• ·      Cups
• ·      Sanding supplies
• ·      Wages
• ·      Delivery costs

Given that Dinosaur Designs manufacturers their resin bangles in Australia (ie Australian wages not overseas wages) the cost of producing each bangle is a steal for what you’re getting. 

I honestly believe that for the craft industry to grow, we need to start pricing our products according to what they cost rather for $10 at a local market.  By undervaluing your work, you are lowering the perceived value of purchasing a handmade item.  The result being that it is very hard for people to make a living from craft.

I’m not suggesting you inflate your prices to unrealistic heights, just to consider how much work goes into producing a piece and considering that if you were working for an employer, you’d expect a certain standard of wages for your efforts.

So the next time you get dressed up with a resin bangle on your arm, remember to marvel at the great value you’re wearing.  Oh, and also remember to apply some hand moisturizer or cooking oil to its surface to bring out its sheen.

B
xx

 

 

Welcome to bqueen's new website... a place to share, learn and help contribute to the art of creativity.

The site provides a space for creative people to blog, share videos and photos and see what others are up to.  Invite your friends, form groups and explore.  It's your site!

We are still running our fantastic workshops.  There are even a few new ones which will be popping up over the next few months... did someone say resin homewares?  Can't wait.

If you have any questions feel free to email us anytime at info@bqueen.com.au.

Enjoy,

bqueen
xx