Resin

Resin is a usually transparent solid or semi-solid substance sometimes used by sculptors as a material for works and casts. A distinction is made between natural resins secreted by trees (such as amber or rosin) and modern synthetic resins — polyester, epoxy and polyurethane — which, as a liquid, are mixed with a hardener and poured into a mould, where they set into a strong, light and durable mass. Synthetic resins can be crystal-clear, tinted or filled with dyes and metal powder, giving a wide range of effects. Thanks to its transparency, lightness and ability to reproduce the fine details of a mould, resin became a popular material in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. It is used for reproduced sculptures, design objects and jewellery, and for unique works in whose depth the artist "embeds" objects or creates the effect of frozen water and light. The transparency of resin allows play with the interior space of an object, which opaque metal or stone cannot. At the same time, working with resins requires care because of the toxicity of the fumes, so artists observe safety precautions. Resin is also widely used in conservation and as an artist's varnish.