Hello all, Amanda here aka @shenoteditall from the Archer and Olive Ambassador team.  Today I’m sharing with you a slightly different craft project, how to create fun resin pen art using Acyrlographs!

For those of you who may be new to the world of Archer and Olive, Acrylographs are acrylic paint pens that come in a large selection of colors.  Using these paint pens does take some getting to used to but once you’ve figured them out you can create some incredible art, like I am today!

Now, first things first, a list of supplies you’ll need for this project:

1. Small, plain wooden craft boards.  I have found these at craft stores, the Dollar Tree, and even Walmart. (Note, if for some reason you cant find a wooden board a regular canvas could also work)
2. Liquid resin and hardener (plus pouring supplies). I purchased mine off of amazon, but any craft store should sell them.
3. Newspaper, cardboard, or some other item to keep the resin from making a big mess.
4. Some way to color the background/bottom layer. This could be markers, paint, watercolors, etc.
5. Acyrlographs! Here are some of my favorites from Archer and Olive:

•                Acrylograph Pen Set Of 2: 0.7mm Tip
•                Acrylograph Pens Tropical Collection 0.7mm Tip
•                Acrylograph Pens Botanical Stroll Collection: 0.7 Mm Tip

 Ok, on to the creating!  Today I’m actually going to show you two different approaches to the project.  The first will be for those who want to use lots of layers and colors of Acrylographs, and the second will be my easy, quick, on color doodle art version.

*Quick note before you start:  This is not a fast craft.  Each layer of Resin typically takes at least 24 hours to properly dry.  The end result is worth it though!*

Colorful Version

For this piece I took my wooden craft board and pre painted it with White Acrylic paint as the base before starting the project.

1. When I was ready to get crafting I first used a pencil to doodle my design directly on the board. I’m a sucker for flowers so of course my design for today is going to be flowers.
2. Next comes the fun part, coloring! This piece is done over several layers of resin so it should have a semi 3D look when I’m done.

This first layer I’m doing directly on the wood itself, coloring the basic outlines of the flowers and leaves but adding no details.  Note, if your wooden craft board is grainy it can catch the nib of your Acrylograph causing small drips of paint to splatter, so, if you would prefer to do your base layer of colors after your first resin pour that’s totally acceptable!

3. After you’re done coloring your base layer you’re ready to pour your first layer of resin. I am sadly not a resin expert so if you’re unfamiliar with how to use/pour resin I highly recommend searching instructions online.  Also, before you pour make sure you have an object underneath the board to keep it elevated.  If you don’t your board will stick to whatever item you had it on (ie. Newspaper, cardboard, etc.) and we definitely don’t want that!
4. Now you wait a day(ish). Go watch some Netflix, run some errands, sleep… All while you wait for the resin to dry.  It’s really tempting to continue the project before the resin is fully dry but you’ll end up leaving fingerprints in the resin or catching the nib of your pen.  Trust me, it’s not worth it, just wait until you know it’s good and hard.
5. Once you’re sure the resin is dry it’s time to add details to your flowers and leaves! In my example I did the details in a single layer (because I was running out of resin), but you can do it in multiple if you wish.  Luckily, using Acrylographs on hardened resin is MUCH easier than on wood grain.  The flow of your pen should be smooth so your details should be clean.
6. Once you’re done adding these details it’s time to add another layer of resin to seal in your artwork. There are no fancy steps for this part, simply repeat what you did with the first layer of resin.

After waiting another 24 hrs for the resin to harden you’ve been left with an incredible piece of art!

One Color Version

OK, now for version 2 aka my personal favorite.

In this version instead of using paint on my wooden craft board I used water based paint markers to color it (in this example I used Tombow dual brush).  To achieve the desired watercolor effect I colored the wood using markers and then immediately ran water over it in my sink to cause the colors to lighten and blend.  I repeated this several times until the colors were exactly how I wanted them.

1. After my board had fully dried I then poured my first layer of resin over the wood. This is different from the first example because I am not drawing/coloring directly on the wood board. As stated in the above example, once the resin is dry it leaves a smooth surface to draw on, which is what I was seeking.
2. After 24 hours passed and the resin had dried I then used a single, white Acrylograph, to freehand doodle a design (If you’re more comfortable sketching a design before the first resin pour that’s totally ok too). There is something about the monotone on top of the colorful base that makes the art pop so much more!
3. Then, after I was happy with my design I poured a second layer of Resin on top, like the first example, to protect my work, and after 24 hours I was left with an awesome piece of art!

And that’s it!  While a bit time consuming, simply because you have to wait for the resin to dry, it’s actually a very simple craft with an awesome final product!

If you would like to see a little more of my creative process in making these pieces check out the Youtube video I made below.

And if you would like to create a similar piece of art but have trouble with your flower doodles I made a printable with step by steps on how I make some of my easy flower doodles.

I hope you all found this post fun and useful.  Sometimes just thinking a little out of the box can yield some fun results!  If you end up creating your own Acyrlograph resin art feel free to tag me on Instagram @shenoteitall, I would love to see what you create!

And if you like the idea of creating fun, out of the box art with acrylographs here are some other posts you can find on the Archer and Olive Blog to inspire you:

•  Aesthetic Decoration Tutorial With Wood Slices | Craft Ideas by Kate
• 10 Easy Nail Art Designs And Tips Using Acrylic Paint Pens by Erin
• 15+ Fun Ways To Use Acrylographs (AKA Acrylographs In The Wild) by Sarah