Getting Started with Resin Trinket Boxes

A resin trinket box is a satisfying step on from simple cast shapes. You are still working with a mould, colour and decorative materials, but now two parts need to work together as one finished piece. The base matters, the lid matters, and the relationship between them is what makes the project feel considered.

There is plenty of room to experiment. Trinket boxes can be simple and understated, heavily decorated, made around a particular colour palette or designed as part of a matching collection. The Trinket Boxes collection is a useful place to compare shapes and lid styles before deciding where to begin.

Choose the box shape before planning the decoration

It is tempting to start with pigments, flakes and glitter because they are the colourful part. For a trinket box, though, start with the mould.

The overall shape affects the character of the finished piece. Round and square boxes can provide a fairly neutral starting point, while hearts, bows and more decorative forms immediately give the project a stronger theme.

Think about what you want the finished box to be rather than simply which mould looks interesting on its own.

• Is it a decorative piece or something intended for regular use?
• Are you making a one-off design or several coordinated boxes?
• Do you want the shape or the resin effect to provide most of the decoration?
• Will the base and lid match closely or deliberately contrast?
• Does the design need to fit alongside other pieces you already make?

Simple shapes give colour more room to work

A straightforward box shape can be a good starting point when you want pigments and inclusions to provide most of the visual interest.

The Round Storage Box Silicone Mould is one example. A round form does not dictate a particular theme, so you can take the design in quite different directions simply by changing the colour palette and decorative treatment.

This can be particularly useful when experimenting. Instead of changing the mould every time, keep the shape consistent and explore different colour combinations. You get a much clearer idea of what the materials themselves are contributing.

Treat the lid and base as one design

One of the main differences between making a trinket box and casting a simple decorative shape is that you have more than one visible component to consider.

The easiest approach is often to plan both parts before mixing anything.

You could make the base and lid closely matched, use related colours with slightly different decorative details, or deliberately create contrast between them. What tends to look less convincing is a base and lid that appear to have been designed independently without much thought about how they will look together.

Matching does not have to mean identical

A teal base and teal lid are an obvious combination, but you could also use a darker shade on one component, repeat a metallic detail across both pieces or use an inclusion on the lid that picks up a colour from the base.

Repeating one element is often enough to connect the two visually.

Decorative box shapes can do some of the work for you

If the mould itself already has plenty of character, you may not need an elaborate resin effect as well.

The Heart-Shaped Lidded Box Silicone Mould, for example, immediately gives the finished project a recognisable theme. That leaves you free to keep the colour treatment fairly simple or build on the shape with a more decorative design.

Heart-shaped boxes could suit gifts, coordinated sets or seasonal projects, but they do not have to be limited to the obvious reds and pinks. Neutral colours, deeper shades, metallic details and other palettes can completely change the feel of a familiar shape.

Plan the project before preparing the resin

A trinket box can involve more decisions than a single casting, especially when the base and lid contain different colours or decorative materials.

A little preparation keeps the project manageable:

1. Choose the mould and identify the separate parts of the box.
2. Decide how the base and lid will relate visually.
3. Choose your main colour or colour palette.
4. Select any suitable decorative inclusions you intend to use.
5. Prepare enough mixing containers for separate colours.
6. Arrange the tools and materials you will need before beginning.
7. Prepare and use your resin according to the instructions for that particular product.

If you are trying a new resin, pigment or decorative material, follow its supplied guidance rather than assuming that instructions from another product will apply.

Consider how much decoration the shape actually needs

Resin makes it very easy to keep adding things. Another colour. A few metallic flakes. Some glitter. Perhaps one more pigment because the pot is already sitting there.

With a trinket box, restraint can work surprisingly well.

If the mould has strong ribbing, a decorative lid or an unusual outline, consider letting that provide some of the interest. If the box itself is simple, there may be more room for the resin effect to become the main feature.

It can help to decide on one dominant idea before starting. Perhaps it is a particular metallic colour, a transparent section or a two-colour combination. Everything else can then support that idea rather than competing with it.

Think differently about gift-style boxes

Some moulds have a design that already suggests a gift or special occasion. The Round Gift Box Silicone Mould with Bow Lid is a good example, with the lid becoming a significant part of the overall appearance.

For a mould like this, think about whether the bow should blend into the overall colour scheme or provide the contrast. A coordinated design might keep everything within related shades, while a contrasting approach could make the lid the main visual feature.

This is also where making a quick sketch or colour plan can be useful. Nothing elaborate. A few coloured blocks on paper can be enough to see whether an idea feels balanced before any materials are used.

Creating trinket boxes as a small collection

If you sell resin work, trinket boxes lend themselves nicely to small coordinated ranges. The trick is creating enough variation to give customers a choice without making every box feel unrelated.

One approach is to choose a limited palette and carry it across several shapes. A round, square and heart-shaped box could all use the same two or three colours, for example. Another option is to keep the mould consistent and offer several colour variations.

The Square Storage Box Silicone Mould provides another straightforward shape to consider if you want to develop designs around colour and surface appearance rather than a strongly themed outline.

Keep notes if you intend to reproduce successful designs. Record the colours and decorative materials used and take a clear photograph of the finished box. Memory becomes surprisingly unreliable once you have made twenty similar variations.

Common pitfalls with resin trinket boxes

Planning the lid as an afterthought

The lid is part of the finished piece, not simply something that goes on top. Decide how it will look alongside the base before starting.

Using too many decorative ideas

A box gives you several surfaces to work with, but that does not mean every one needs a different effect. A restrained design can make the overall shape much clearer.

Starting with an unnecessarily complicated colour scheme

If this is your first box project, two colours may teach you more than six. Once you understand how you want the different components to relate, more involved designs become easier to plan.

Assuming all moulds require the same amount of material

Different box shapes and sizes will require different quantities. Do not rely on what you used for an unrelated mould. Plan according to the particular project and avoid preparing more material simply because that was the amount used last time.

Changing everything between attempts

If the first design is nearly right, resist changing the mould, colours and decoration simultaneously. Adjust one or two things and compare the result. You will learn much more from it.

Start with one box and build from there

A first trinket box does not need to be complicated. Choose a shape you like, settle on a small colour palette and think about the base and lid together. Prepare the workspace before mixing and follow the instructions for the resin and other materials you are using.

Once you have a combination that works, there are plenty of directions to take it. Change the colours, introduce a carefully chosen decorative detail or use the same palette with another box shape. Before long, one small project can quite naturally turn into a coordinated collection.