The best way to learn resin art is to make something. These ten projects are specifically chosen because they're achievable on your first or second attempt, require minimal equipment, and produce results you'll actually want to keep or gift.
1. Round Coasters
The classic beginner project. Use a round silicone coaster mould, mix your resin, add 2–3 drops of alcohol ink, swirl gently, and pour. Add dried flowers on top before curing for an elegant finish. A set of four coasters makes a beautiful, professional-looking gift.
2. Resin Keyrings
Small, quick, and endlessly customisable. Letter moulds are especially popular. Fill with metallic mica powder for a luxurious look. Cure time is short and the pieces are easy to demould. Add a keyring hardware loop (available with Suvi moulds) and you're done.
3. Geode-Style Tray
Use a rectangular tray mould. Pour white resin as a base, then add lines of gold metallic powder and alcohol inks in blues, greens, or purples. Use a stick to drag the colours together and create that iconic geode crystal look. Absolutely stunning and easier than it looks.
4. Pressed Flower Bookmarks
Pour a thin layer of clear resin into a rectangular mould. Place pressed flowers face-down. Pour a second layer over the top. The result is a jewel-like bookmark that preserves real flowers in glass-clear resin.
5. Resin Jewellery — Drop Earrings
Use teardrop jewellery moulds with holographic mica powder for a wearable, fashion-forward first jewellery project. The small volume of resin means fast curing and minimal waste while learning.
6. Night Sky Phone Grip / Topper
Use a circular dome mould, navy blue resin base, and scatter silver holographic powder through it before curing. The result looks like a captured galaxy. Attach a phone grip backing and it's a functional art piece.
7. Resin Paperweight Sphere
Sphere moulds require deep-pour resin. Fill halfway with clear resin, place a small object (dried flower, glitter layer, coin) inside, and top with a second pour. The sphere acts as a natural magnifying lens over the embedded object.
8. Decorative Wall Letters
Large letter moulds are available in sizes up to 8 cm. Fill with metallic or marbled resin. Mount on a wall for personalised home décor. A child's initial filled with their favourite colours makes a meaningful and permanent decoration.
9. Resin Magnets
Use small circular or square moulds. After curing, glue a magnet to the back. Great for kitchens and office boards. These make wonderful wedding or birthday favours when made in bulk.
10. Ocean Wave Art Panel
Pour resin onto a wooden panel. Create layers of white, aqua, teal, and deep blue using a palette knife and wig comb to simulate ocean waves. This one takes practice but once you get the movement right, the results are absolutely breathtaking.
What Is Petri Dish Resin Art?
Petri dish art refers to a style of resin work — often done in circular coaster or tray moulds — where alcohol inks are dropped into the surface of freshly poured resin and then activated with small drops of isopropyl alcohol (IPA). The alcohol causes the inks to spread, separate, and form organic cell-like patterns with extraordinary depth.
The name comes from the similarity to the patterns seen in biological petri dishes under a microscope. When done well, the finished piece looks like a living, breathing galaxy or ocean surface caught in glass.
What You'll Need
- Art resin — crystal clear, low viscosity formula works best
- 3–4 alcohol inks in complementary colours
- Isopropyl alcohol (91% or higher) in a fine-tip dropper bottle
- A round silicone mould (10–15 cm diameter is ideal for beginners)
- Toothpicks or a fine needle for detail work
- A heat gun (optional but helps activate movement)
The Technique: Step by Step
Step 1 — Base pour. Mix your resin normally and pour a thin base layer (3–4 mm) into your mould. You want the surface to be level and bubble-free before adding colour.
Step 2 — Drop the inks. Drop small amounts of 2–3 alcohol inks onto the resin surface — don't mix them in, just let them sit. Start from the centre and work outward.
Step 3 — Activate with IPA. Using your dropper, add small drops of isopropyl alcohol directly onto the ink droplets. Watch as the ink spreads outward and cells begin to form. The higher the IPA concentration, the faster and larger the spread.
Step 4 — Layer for depth. Wait 10–15 minutes for the first layer to become slightly tacky, then add a second set of ink drops and IPA in different positions. This creates the layered depth that makes petri dish art so striking.
Step 5 — Finish with a clear pour. Once satisfied with the colour movement, pour a thin final layer of clear resin over the top to seal and protect the design.
The Colour Rule
Use a maximum of 3–4 colours per piece, and choose colours that share at least one neighbour on the colour wheel. Complementary opposites (blue and orange, purple and yellow) create dramatic contrast. Analogous colours (blue, teal, green) create harmony and flow. Avoid using more than one very dark colour — it dominates and flattens the composition.
Colour Combinations That Work Beautifully
- Deep navy + teal + white + gold metallic — ocean at night
- Coral + peach + ivory + rose gold — sunset
- Emerald + forest green + black + silver — dark forest
- Purple + indigo + silver holographic — galaxy
- Turquoise + aqua + white + sand — tropical shore
Common Petri Dish Mistakes
- Using too much IPA at once — the design becomes muddy and overworked
- Adding too many colours — the piece loses focus and becomes dull
- Not waiting between layers — colours blend completely rather than layering
- Touching the surface too much with a toothpick — the organic movement is better than manual intervention