The Art Of Resin

Resin had been used by humans for long time ago, Pine pitch is a type of natural resin that has been used to seal boats, mummies, food containers, and an assortment of other things. Resin is a natural or synthetic compound which begins in a highly viscous state and hardens with catalyst treatment. Resin will not soluble in water, but will soluble in alcohol. There are a number of different classes of resin, depending on exact chemical composition and potential uses. There are numerous applications for resins, ranging from art to polymer production, and many consumers interact with products which contain resin on a daily basis. Above is a vase made of stone that covered with resin design by us in 2006 for Modern Malaysian Handicraft. The vase's base is from acrylic sheet and the surface is covered with black pebbles hold by resin and layering the outer surface of the pebbles.This resin products idea was started by Mr. Warwick Purser from Out Of Asia, He is the one who introduced to us. During our visit to p.t. Out of Asia in Tembi village down in the state of Yogyakarta, that was in 2006 before the big earthquake of Indonesia that vanish most of Tembi. We take the chance to sit down and learn a lot of handicraft productions, developing products, skills and techniques in fabricating craft products, and one of the most exiting for us to learn is resin.Above is Nazrin one of our designer team. He is studying the texture of one of Warwick Purser's collections. As what I have been through, this material (resin) is unlimited in designing and developing, it can be used in any combination of other natural or even another synthetic materials. It can be combine with coconut shell, pearl, bamboo, tamarind, and also herbs like cinnamon. And the results will be different with different materials, that's makes this resin more interesting. Below is some collections of resin products from Mr. Warwick's shelf. Above picture is a sample of photo frame that made of cinnamon collection from Bali wood art culture.

Pak Fajar Harsana is one of Mr. Warwick's craft maker, Pak Fajar Harsana is an expert in resin craft making. He teach us a lot in skills and techniques in handling resin to fabricate resin products. Above is the picture of Pak Fajar Harsana teaching me to make a product that combining resin with pandanus leaf. The first square shows him cutting the fibreglass matt into pieces then the next picture showing him going to swipe the first layer of resin.When i came to Pak Fajar Harsana resin workshop, i see the students of Pak Fajar Harsana filling the first layer of resin on to the silicon mould of a 'resin leaf' product. Below is a picture of a Tembi's youth that really focus in filling the resin at the silicon mould. The resin had been colored red to outcome the effect of reddish light from this transparency leaf. Above picture shows one of Pak Fajar Harsana students cutting the fibreglass. Fibreglass is used as the structure of the product, without fibreglass the resin leaf will not strong enough and can be easily crack or broke. The fibreglass only can be attach to the leaf after the first layer of resin almost hardened as you can see the picture below, after done attaching the fibreglass, another layer of resin will be fill on to the leaf to resolve the fibreglass. Now the leaf is ready for the next step for the finishing after it is really dry and hardened. The process of hardening will take about 45 minutes to 1 hour depends on the catalyst drops (hardener), the more drops of the catalyst in the resin will shorten the period of hardening. Above is the semi finished resin leaf tray that had been done by Pak Fajar Harsana and his crew at only 4 days. Below is the picture of Pak Fajar Harsana, Hafiz Razak (the designer team), and me, discussing on how to produce an instant product by using resin.

This is a made in China bangle, it is made of resin and around it dots of Checz stones. It is a simple product that produce by China manufacture and it has been sold all around the globe. Below is an Environmental Installation Art by John Dahlsen, he is an environmental artist and a contemporary painter. The item below is a public art work materials sample, made from plastic found objects that embedded in yellowing resin.


Back to Malaysia we further the research and developing products from resin and combining with all kind of natural and synthetic materials and surrounding our country. After a year of developing, we invented a resin toiletries set using resin combine with rubber leaf and silver threads. This product is produced in Felda Jengka Pahang by a production team that we had developed there. In order to fulfill the high end market this product was design as a premium item.

Below is a close up of the slices of palm oil friut that had been resin, The r&d leads by Hafiz Razak at about 5 months, and a lot of problems had occurred as to prevent the oil contacting with the resin chemical, and the products finally done in 2007.

But another problem after the product exist, the color of the palm oil fruit faded from time to time. Below is the picture of the ready 'Palm Oil Fruit Resin Toiletries Set'.