What Is Doming Resin?

A doming resin has enough viscosity and surface tension to sit neatly in a dome on top of your artwork without running down the sides. In other words, a doming resin needs to be thick enough to let you bring it right to the edge of your piece without spilling over.  

Doming your resin is a simple and clean way to finish edges and gives your piece a beautiful, professional looking finish!


What is the best resin for doming?


Not all resin products are suitable for doming. A good doming resin needs to have the perfect combination of surface tension and viscosity


Let's take a closer look ...

How Surface Tension Affects Resin?

Surface tension refers to the strength of the liquid's surface. Think of surface tension as the resin's skin. If you don't break it, the resin will hold its shape. A resin with good surface tension holds the dome shape. As long as you don't exert too much force, the resin will stay in a dome until it cures and hardens.

 Read how to prepare surface before applying resin!

How Viscosity Affects Resin?

Whereas surface tension is more about the strength of the resin's surface, viscosity is all about the movement. Viscosity refers to the thickness (or flow resistance) of epoxy resin. Some resins have a low viscosity (thin) and some have a high viscosity (thick). The best resins for doming are those that have a higher viscosity. High viscosity resins are thicker, easier to control and will stay where you put them. The viscosity of a resin helps to keep the resin's surface tension intact.

 

Is ArtResin A Doming Resin? 

YES - ArtResin is a perfect doming resin.  It has great surface tension so domes up beautifully at the edge of wherever it's applied, creating a soft curve between the surface of the artwork up to the height of the resin. ArtResin has a beautiful, thick, viscosity and sits exactly where you guide it, allowing you to nudge it out to the very edge of the artwork without going over. Doming gives your work a pro looking finish and is our favourite way to do edges here at the studio!




How Do I Dome Resin?

Doming is an easy technique to achieve - all it takes is a bit of patience and a steady hand. Doming works best on a wooden panel with a 90 degree edge. 
Start by pouring the ArtResin in the centre of your piece and working slowly outward. 
💡TIP: ArtResin is self levelling so make sure your artwork is perfectly level before you pour.  If the surface is not level, gravity will pull it over the edges of your piece, breaking the surface tension, causing the dome to break and the resin to spill down the sides.
 

Using a spreader, a plastic knife or a popsicle stick, gently nudge the resin to the edges of your piece, one edge at a time.  
Tips: You can tape off the sides as an extra insurance policy when you first start doming, but once you get the hang of it, you don't need to tape at all. ArtResin's thick texture allows it to sit where you want it to. 







And there you have it!
Doming gives a sleek, professional looking finish to your artwork, and since doming leaves your sides clean, you can feel free to paint the edges as you wish!


Now that you know how to dome your Resin, learn more information How to Selectively Embellish your Artwork with Epoxy Resin.

 

Do you want to learn more about resin art? Read our guides below:

About the author: Joanne Wright

I'm Joanne, the Marketing Content Writer at ArtResin. Originally from Canada, my home is now Indianapolis, Indiana. My love of all things creative and my entrepreneurial heart means I’ve worn many hats over the years including fashion producer & stylist, retail store owner, t-shirt designer, and even vegan baker! I...