Create your own glitter resin art!
Ever wondered how to make glitter art? In this blog, we'll guide you through the simple steps, including a finishing touch of ArtResin for an unbeatable sparkle!
Toronto-based glitter artist Trilli has developed a technique using glue and glitter to create realistic paintings. Her process is so fascinating that many of her videos have gone viral.
Trilli begins every piece as a sketch on a wood panel, applying glue with a fine nozzle tip before adding glitter and sealing with ArtResin. She says, "Applying resin to my glitter pieces enhances the sparkle so much, and it's essential for protecting the piece long-term, so no glitter sheds off. I apply it as standard practice to all my portrait work since it really gives it the professional finish and makes the results so much more dynamic and vibrant."
We're sharing Trilli's techniques for creating a sparkly piece of glitter art, inspired by the ArtResin logo and adorned with Swarovski crystals and an ArtResin finish.
The best part? You can use Trilli's techniques to create any design you want!
Let's get started!
What You’ll Need:
- A wood panel of your choice (Trilli used a 5 x 5” gallery panel)
- Ultra-fine flake glitter in a variety of rainbow colors, as well as black, silver, and clear, iridescent white
- Mod Podge, or use a clear-drying white glue mixed with an acrylic medium for better consistency
- Plastic squeeze application bottle with a fine tip nozzle
- Gold paint (Trilli used Treasured Gold by Folk Art)
- An angled paint brush
- ArtResin
- Plastic liner to cover your work surface
- Gloves, mixing cup and stir stick
- Spreader
- Artist's Torch or heat gun
- Dust cover
- Swarovski crystals
- Tweezers
1. Prepare Your Materials
Sketch the design onto the wood panel using a pencil. You can draw it freehand or use transfer paper to trace it. Pour the Mod Podge (or glue and acrylic medium mixture) into the application bottle.
2. Create The Outline
Beginning with the heart outline, apply the glue directly onto the wood panel, following the design pattern. Don’t worry about it being perfect at this stage—you'll have an opportunity to go over it later.
While the glue is still wet, sprinkle black ultra-fine glitter on top.
💡 TIP: Sprinkle the glitter over a piece of paper for easy cleanup—collect any runoff glitter and return it to the bottle. 
Gently tap the board's edge with your hand or the bottle to evenly spread the glitter. Let it dry for about 30-60 minutes.
3. Create The Heart
Next, apply the glue to the inside of the heart, following the black outline. Slightly overlap the black line to achieve a clean, perfect edge. You'll be applying two coats of red glitter, so be generous with the amount of glue you use.
While the glue is still wet, sprinkle red ultra-fine glitter, using the tapping technique to spread it evenly across the surface.
Since you've applied a generous amount of glue, you can follow up with a second coat of red glitter immediately after the first. This two-step process ensures a thick, even coating of glitter. Allow the layer to dry.
Apply glue to the center of the heart.
Sprinkle clear, iridescent glitter to the center using the tapping technique to spread it evenly. As the glue dries clear, the wood panel will become visible, creating a white appearance for the glitter.
3. Create The Rainbow Background
Next, apply glue to the background. This is where we will create the rainbow pattern with a splashy, watercolor inspired effect.
Sprinkle clear iridescent glitter around the edges.
Apply the rainbow colors onto the wet glue one by one, creating a gradient effect. Shake off excess glitter as you go. Ensure the coverage is thick and even: you may need to go over areas that have thinned out from the glitter sinking down into the glue.
Go over the outer edge once more with the clear, iridescent glitter. This will sit on some of the rainbow colors and produce a diffused effect.
Continue layering with more colored glitter until you achieve a nice, thick coat. Trust your eye and keep layering on the color until you're happy with how it looks.
While the glue is still wet, use the fine-tip nozzle on the applicator bottle to create scratches in the glitter, breaking up the color. Simultaneously, apply a minimal amount of fresh glue to the exposed spots you've scratched out.
Afterward, cover the freshly scratched and glued areas with silver glitter to achieve a paint splash appearance. Tap off the excess silver glitter.
Top it off with some iridescent glitter. The combination of silver and iridescent glitter will produce a beautiful, diffused effect. Shake off any excess glitter and let it fully dry for 30-60 minutes. You'll know it's dry when the glue becomes transparent.
4. Create A Splatter Effect
After the glue has dried, check your artwork for any areas that may need touching up or where glitter may be clinging to undesired areas. To remove excess glitter, use a soft brush, like a dustpan brush, on the fully dried piece, and the glitter will easily come off.
The next step is to redo the black outline, paying close attention to the outside edge to achieve a clean and perfect outline. Apply a small amount of glue over the black outline and sprinkle glitter again, allowing it to fully dry.
The next step is to further enhance the paint splatter effect. Apply glue on top of the rainbow pattern to create various shapes, including dots, streaks and splats.
Apply more glitter over the wet glue to create contrast and make the colors pop. You can layer darker shades on top of lighter shades of the same color or combine complementary colors, such as pinks and purples, yellows and greens, blues and greens, etc.
Feel free to add more silver glitter if desired. 
Keep working on the rainbow gradient of the splatter pattern until you achieve the exact look you want. Shake off the excess and allow it to dry.
5. Paint the edges
Once the glue has completely dried, use gold acrylic paint to paint the edges of the wood panel. Trilli used Treasure Gold by Folk Art. Using an angled paintbrush makes for easier application. Apply two coats for a rich look, applying a small amount to the top edges of the panel for a framing effect.
6. Apply ArtResin
Now, it's time to apply the resin topcoat. The resin will provide a permanent, glossy seal to protect the artwork and enhance its sparkle.
To begin, prepare the panel by applying tape to the sides to keep them clean and to the bottom edges to catch any drips.
On a plastic lined surface, prop the panel up using plastic stands, ensuring it is perfectly level.
Refer to ArtResin's Resin Calculator to determine the required amounts of resin and hardener based on the panel's size. Wearing gloves, accurately measure equal parts of resin and hardener by volume in a plastic, graduated measuring cup. Using a mixing stick with a flat edge, thoroughly mix for 3 minutes, ensuring you scrape the bottom and sides of the container as you mix. 
Pour the resin onto the center and use a flat-edged tool to spread it evenly over the artwork. Don't worry if the resin flows over the sides - the tape will keep the edges clean. 
Use a heat gun or torch to eliminate surface bubbles.
7. Apply The Crystals
Using tweezers, apply the crystals directly into the wet resin, carefully placing them where you want them. Cover the artwork and let it dry for 24 hours.
There you have it!
You now have your own, brilliantly glittery resin art to hang on your wall!
To see more of Trilli's work:
Visit her website: www.trilli.shop
Follow her on Instagram: www.instagram.com/trillilife
Watch her videos on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@Trilli
Please leave any questions or comments below!
ArtResin: Made For Artists, By Artists.
