How to make epoxy ocean water that is calming to the eyes and irresistible to make as an artist? Well, I’m here to assist you to do that exactly with ease.
I first fell in love with the epoxy ocean water white waves crest when I started learning resin art. It looked mesmerizing. And so, I just had to learn it, overcoming all the challenges.
It took me quite a few days to convince myself to make one small epoxy ocean water art piece. And guess what, I haven’t stopped making more of resin epoxy ocean water art ever since.
How to Make Epoxy Ocean Water Like a Pro?
By now you must have gone crazy looking at the beautiful epoxy ocean water creations all over the internet. Hushing from one tutorial to another in search of an easy method to get the lacy effect similar to sea foam.
So, let’s get you started.
Supplies Required to Make Epoxy Ocean Water Art
You will need the following supplies for making Epoxy ocean water.
| Epoxy resin |
| Pigments – Ultramarine Blue, Metallic Turquoise, Ultra White |
| Resin Ocean Sand (You can also use crushed white glass) |
| A Wood Panel or Canvas (round or square) |
| Latex Gloves |
| A Surgical or Respirator Mask |
| Disposable Paper mixing cups |
| Ice-cream sticks to stir |
| A piece of plastic to work on |
| Hair Dryer |
| A Dust Cover – Cardboard or Plastic Box |
| Acrylic Paints and a Paint Brush |
| Gesso |
Keep All Epoxy Ocean Supplies Handy
When working with epoxy resin for any project, however small, always remember to gather all the supplies you will need.
You can use a painter’s tape or the brown tape (readily available at home) to cover the edges and the base if you are using a canvas or wood panel. It will help keep the edges and back surface clean when epoxy resin splash from the sides.
Use disposable paper or plastic cups to lift your wood panel or canvas to a certain height. This will prevent your art base from sticking to the working area.
Always prime the canvas as it makes your painting surface smooth, making your artwork last forever.
Before you begin, always check that the canvas or wood panel is placed on the same level from all sides.
Use a leveler to check that it is placed proportionately from all sides.
If not, level it before you start pouring resin else resin will flow from one side to the other. The resin should self-level not flow from one end to other, and drip from one side leaving the other resin empty.
Tip: Always use a leveler to check that the canvas is placed on the same level from all sides.
Mix Your Epoxy Resin and Pigments
Wear latex gloves before you start working on your resin epoxy project.
Mix your epoxy resin and hardener, by weight, in the ratio mentioned by the manufacturer on the instructions label. Stir it slowly with an ice-cream stick for 3 minutes. Scrape the sides of the cup while stirring to mix the resin and hardener properly.
If the mixture is not mixed correctly it might lead to a tacky outcome that just might not cure. So always mix the resin and hardener carefully.
Let the mixture sit for 15 minutes. It will settle the bubbles and the pouring consistency of the mixture will be thicker than before. Make sure the resin viscosity is honey like when you pour for it to flow freely and self level.
A thinner consistency can lead to a muddy pour and ruin your design completely.
For creating epoxy ocean water I have used 4 colours as mentioned:
| Ultramarine Blue |
| Metallic Turquoise |
| Ultra White for creating water and sea foam |
| Sand (I have used crushed glass to make this project. It give an awesome shimmery sand effect) |
Use just a little bit of pigment as it is enough to get the desired colour. However, there is always room for experimentation.
But remember, sometimes not curing of your resin piece could be because you added too much pigment.
Create The Picture Perfect Art Beach
We will begin by creating the beach first.
As I have used crushed glass for this project, I decided to paint my canvas with acrylic colours using beach shades. There is no thumb rule to create the beach.
You can paint the canvas with acrylic paints before pouring resin to give depth to the epoxy pour. Or you can decide to go ahead with epoxy resin pour directly on the primed canvas. It’s a personal choice.
I thoroughly mixed the crushed glass in the epoxy resin mixture (2 parts resin and 1 part hardener). And let the mixture sit for 15 minutes till it was of honey-like consistency.
Now pour the sand (crushed glass) and resin mixture.
I decided to spread some extra crushed glass on the beach to give a bit more sand-like appeal. You may not do this if you feel the crushed glass and epoxy mixture is good to go as it is.
Whatever shape you choose to work on – round, rectangular or square, pour the sand and epoxy resin mix on the edge closer to you. Usually it will flow and take a shape. If it doesn’t give the desired shape by hand or ice-cream stick.
Creating Epoxy Ocean Water
Check on your resin-pigment mixture. If it had a chance to sit for some time, it thickened enough for a freely-moving pour.
Now apply the ultramarine blue epoxy resin towards the other end of the wood panel. When you look at the ocean farther, it seems deeper and darker.
Using a dark shade of blue pigment (ultramarine blue) gives a mystical aura to the project and a photo-realistic appeal of the ocean.
Next, pour the metallic turquoise epoxy resin from one end to the other. Let it flow freely to meet the ultramarine blue resin at one side and the beach on the other.
Looking at the ocean water is soothing to the nerves. And creating one for yourself can be therapeutic as well.
Have you observed how clear the water is when you look at it closely from the shore.
Making Beautiful Waves for Ocean Art
This is the most crucial and also the fun part. And if carried on patiently, this could make your epoxy ocean water project look surreal and captivating.
Drop a thin line of clear resin between the beach and the ocean.
Next drop two or three thin lines of clear resin anywhere on the ocean water.
Then pour ultra white resin mix on the clear resin.
So this is where the fun of creating epoxy ocean water begins. And this is what makes the ocean water look so real.
Set your hair dryer to a low setting. Begin by slowly moving the hair dryer back and forth on the first thin white layer – the one between the beach and the ocean.
Tip: Keep the hair dryer moving back and forth. Keeping it in one place for longer can lead to a crumpled looking sticky spot on your epoxy resin.
As you gently blow the white resin it spreads out and makes the waves crash. You might also see some white resin flow towards the beach. Let it flow as it will give a natural beach effect.
Now move the hair dryer to the second white line. And repeat the same process as you did to create the first wave. You can always change the settings from low to high for a wider spread.
If you find the white line disappear, you can add another thin white line and create waves.
When you spread the waves by blowing it gives the lacy effect similar to sea foam.
Tip: Don’t overdo the blowing. You may lose the desired effect if you don’t know when to stop.
It is spellbinding and a treat for the eyes.
Time to Wait and Let The Epoxy Ocean Water Cure Itself
Cover the art work with a cardboard or a plastic box. Let it sit for the next 24 hours and cure.
I know it’s hard to wait to see the final outcome. But it’s time to be patient. For some pieces to cure it might also take 24 to 72 hours. So let the art piece sit for as long as it takes to cure.
Fully Cured Epoxy Ocean Water On a Canvas
Isn’t this beautiful! I already feel like I am sitting at the beach. I can hear the calming sound of the waves and feel the cool breeze on my skin.
When your art piece is fully cured you might sometimes find it a little different from when you left it to cure.
I really enjoyed making the epoxy ocean water on a canvas.
The epoxy ocean water wall piece is also a very thoughtful and a beautiful gifting idea indeed. And a special one too, because it is handmade.
If you have any questions in mind regarding the usage, mixing or curing of epoxy resin for making various projects, you can check my blog ‘Top Resin Art Questions’ that will answer all your queries.
2 Pretty Gifting Ideas Using Ocean Art
Epoxy Ocean Art gives an enchanted effect to whatever base you use to create it on. Just looking at it can make you feel that you are at a beach enjoying the sound of the waves.
And so it excels as a great gifting idea. So here are 2 things that you can create epoxy ocean water on, and it makes them a creative and useful gifting idea.
Epoxy Ocean Water On a Coaster
I got so hooked to epoxy ocean water that I finally decided to do a few sets of coasters for gifting to my family and friends.
There is a lot of silicon coaster casting molds available online. Silicon coaster molds are available in different shapes, in a set of 3, a set of 4 and a set of 5.
You can buy the one that suits your requirement.
The only difference between creating epoxy ocean water on a wood panel or canvas and casting in a mold is that in a mold you don’t have to worry about spilling the epoxy resin from the sides.
So the silicon mold makes it easier to create epoxy ocean water. But remember, the epoxy resin has to be of honey-like consistency when you pour.
Using thin consistency of different pigment epoxy resin can ruin the effect you are trying to create. As the colours will tend to flow into each other making it difficult to differentiate between the water and the beach.
Follow the above mentioned steps: first create the beach, then pour the ocean water, make the waves and finally blow the waves using the hair dryer.
Believe me, epoxy resin artwork is so unique and enchanting that the thought of flaunting it would not leave you until you have made quite a few to show off.
Check out my blog ‘Which Resin is Best for Making Coasters?‘ If you are planning to create coasters for your next epoxy resin project.
Epoxy Ocean Water On a Bookmark
So, here’s another epoxy ocean water art piece you can use for gifting, bookmarks. What could I do, looking at the calming waves was so peaceful that I could not stop myself after creating one such piece.
Creating epoxy ocean water on the bookmarks is even simpler. There is not much variety of molds available for the bookmarks. It is usually a rectangular shape silicon mold that is used to make resin bookmarks. Only the size will vary.
Start by creating a beach on the side closer to you (steps as mentioned above). Try utilizing one-fourth of the mold area for creating beach. This is not a rule but I use it for my reference so that I can divide the beach, water and waves equally in the mold.
And this method has always worked for me. Hope it works for you too.
Again, remember for resin casting of ocean water the consistency should always be honey-like to avoid merging of different colours.
Next, create the oceans and waves as we did on the canvas. And finally crash the waves by blowing it with a straw or a hair dryer.
Now cover it with a plastic box or a cardboard and leave it for 24 hours to let it cure.
For more information on how to choose the best epoxy resin for making bookmarks, read my blog ‘Which Resin is Best for Making Bookmarks?’
I hope you will be as happy creating your epoxy ocean water as I have been!
Working with resin for the last few months I have come to realize that you can never fall out of love for resin. But, as an artist, you will keep falling in love with the epoxy ocean water effect every single time you make it.
And the best part is, no two epoxy ocean water pours will ever look alike.
Was I able to help you kick start your epoxy ocean water project?
If yes, I will be eager to see your wonderful epoxy ocean water pictures. Do share the picture in the comments.