How to Make Ocean Resin Art | Step-by-step Guide

Creating beautiful and unique resin seascapes is the perfect DIY project for beach lovers and resin artists of all levels! There’s nothing like captivating resin waves to bring a genuine tropical feel to your space. So, if you're looking for a step-by-step guide to resin ocean art, don’t look any further. In this article, we'll walk you through the fascinating process of making your own wavy masterpiece.

What is Resin Ocean Art?

It is basically a work of art depicting the ocean made of Epoxy Resin colored with pigment powders and pastes, producing a feeling of motion and depth. Most artists consider Resin ocean art a fun and straightforward project for beginners and seasoned artists alike. But others agree that some practice is needed to master this style and the required tools.

Ocean Resin Art Supplies:

• Blue resin pigments
• White Pigment Paste (you can make your DIY pigment paste by mixing a 1:3 ratio of Resin Part A and White Pearl Mica Powder)
• Epoxy Resin
• Heat Gun (to create the foam effects for the waves)
• Heat Torch (to help develop the wave “cells”)
• Pouring Surface (this can be almost anything from coasters, pieces of furniture, and mirrors to wooden trays and cheeseboards)

Recreating a realistic seascape picture with epoxy resin is a mesmerizing technique, making it a trendy style among resin enthusiasts. Also, other elements like sand or shells can be added to make your beach-inspired artwork more memorable. That’s what people love about this particular style: the possibilities are endless.

Another option is to play around with uncommon cool or warm color combos to create a gradient that makes your work stand out. But the most popular color combo among ocean artists is our Blue Resin Pigments: MEYSPRING Pacific Blue, Tropical Blue, and Turquoise Blue. Beginner resin artists find these 3 tones especially easy to work with in order to obtain the most lifelike sea vibes in their artwork.

Experimenting on several surfaces with this technique is also fun. From cheeseboards, resin coasters, pieces of furniture to hairbrushes, beach-inspired scenery can make an everyday object look refreshing and unique.

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A post shared by Amy & Kegan | Resin Art & Woodworking (@coral_way_designs)

How to make Resin Ocean Waves?

As mentioned above, creating resin ocean art pieces is one of the top trending DIY projects right now! So, if you want to make your own, this step-by-step resin ocean art guide has you covered. 

Important PPE for your Beach Resin Art  Projects

On top of the supplies listed above, you'll need some essential PPE and other supplies to work with epoxy resin to make a stunning beachscape:

• Silicone mat, plastic sheeting, or Baking paper to protect your working table
• Goggles and Respirator Mask
• Nitrile gloves 
• Mixing cups and craft sticks
• Rubbing/Isopropyl Alcohol

Tips on how to make resin art for beginners:

• Ensure your workspace is at the right temperature. A warm working space is critical when creating with resin to ensure it cures appropriately and you get the desired results and finish. The best temperature for your epoxy resin and workspace is slightly warmer than standard room temperature: 75-85°F or 24-30°C. Check this article to learn more about ensuring your resin cures properly.
• Use high-quality resin. If you use poor-quality resins, making waves might become a real challenge. Cheap resins usually are too liquid and thin, so they run off your surface and sometimes flash cure (which can ruin your artwork). So here is a Resin Brand most Ocean Resin Artists love to work with due to the perfect viscosity and water-like finish.

Resin Ocean Art Tutorial

You can follow different methods to get that beautiful polished finish of resin beach art. But we have chosen a straightforward one to show you the most common process. Once you master the basics, you can explore other techniques to decide which method you like best!

See below a process video by resin ocean artist @carrozza.artco for your reference. 

Step 1: Prepare your surface for the resin ocean painting

Make sure your base is clean and dry. If you’re using a wooden board, you may want to apply one or two coats of primer, like acrylic paint, to seal the wood and prevent trapped air bubbles that can ruin your piece. Once these coats have dried completely, it is time to move on to Step 2!

Step 2: Level your Resin Curing Surface

Double-check that your surface is level, so your waves stay in place. Since epoxy resin is a self-leveling medium, your artwork may turn out differently than expected if the surface is not level.

Step 3: Mix Resin and Hardener

Mix your resin (Part A) and hardener (Part B) (according to manufacturer recommendations). Depending on the size of your pouring surface(s), you’ll need to mix more or less resin and hardener.

Step 4: Divide the Resin into smaller Cups

Once thoroughly mixed, divide your resin into smaller cups: one per “ocean” color and one for the pigment paste meant to create the foam effect. Also, set aside a small amount of clear resin. The number of cups needed will depend on the colors used in your ocean gradient.

Step 5: Mix the Pigment Powders into your Resin

Mix the desired Pigment colors into each cup. Depending on your resin’s working time and viscosity level, you might want to wait a few minutes until it thickens. For best results, the resin should be about the thickness of honey before pouring.

Step 6: Mix the White Pigment Paste into Epoxy Resin

To create the foam effect in your waves, only a tiny amount of pigment paste is needed. For a visual: about a fingernail depth on a stir stick per 1oz of epoxy resin should be enough. You can adjust as needed for more dense or lacy waves.

Pro Tip: Ensure your pigment paste is stored at room temperature to keep it from over-hardening. If it is hard, place the container in warm water to soften enough to get some on a stir stick.

Step 7: Pour your Resin Seascape

1. Start pouring your “ocean” colors next to each other to create a gradient! Then, gently spread them with a stir stick or gloved finger/hand to blend them. This part can get messy, so have extra gloves ready to go!

2. Quickly pop any air bubbles with a heat gun or torch. 

3. Pour a line of the clear resin where your waves will go. Follow this with a line of your epoxy paste/resin mix next to it.

4. Time for the fun part! With your heat gun, gently move back and forth along your waves in small sections to warm the paste (a few seconds max). Then, slowly move your heat gun forward with a light wiggling motion (for a more natural effect). STOP when your waves reach the spot where you want them, and turn your heat gun off. 

5. Next, lightly and carefully go over your waves with a heat torch until you see microcells appear, and STOP right there. It’s very tempting to keep going, but patience is vital with waves - too much heat will cause the white parts to turn yellow or feather out and lose definition. 

6. Once your waves are in place, you can pour another layer of the pigment paste/resin mix at the bottom of the original base to create a more defined or thicker wave “crest.”  Check this technique by ocean artist @coral_way_designs in the video below.

Step 8: Protect your piece from dust particles

Finally, carefully cover your work until completely dry to avoid getting dust particles stuck in it. When your first layer is fully cured, you can repeat the steps above to create as many layers as you desire!

Final Thoughts

Now that you've learned how to make resin ocean art, it's time to show off your masterpiece! You can proudly display it on any wall or shelf in your home, gift it to a loved one, and even start your own Etsy store! We also love seeing your creations made with MEYSPRING Pigments! So make sure to tag us @meyspring on Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, or Facebook for a chance to be featured!

Once you get the hang of it, ocean art becomes second nature! Don't give up if you don’t get it on the first, second, or fifth try! Practice IS progress with this medium and style! 

We hope you found this guide helpful and that you will give it a try. Ocean art is a great way to add movement, color, and life to your home or office. The best part about this craft is that your piece will always be unique, as no resin pour is the same!

Want to learn more about resin art? Check out our complete Beginner’s Guide to Resin Art and get ready to master this medium.