Have you ever pulled a casting from a mould and thought, “Okay…how do I make this look like genuine marble?” Imagine gifting something like that for Valentine’s Day...a handmade little treasure that feels timeless and so thoughtfully made.

In today’s tutorial, our lovely IOD Artisan Alena Lara shares her technique for creating a marble finish on resin castings from the Bibelots 2 Mould. This one is perfect for crafting ornaments, tags, or small embellishments for your Valentine gifts. She starts with 10-minute resin, then builds a soft base coat using glazing medium, giving you plenty of open time to blend and finesse.

From there, Alena shows how she mixes a secondary color and applies the veining with a light hand, dragging diagonally and letting the lines stay organic. She uses a softener brush to make everything look realistic, plus fine detail brushes that naturally “double” the veining by revealing the base coat underneath. It’s approachable, it’s so satisfying, and it’s brimming with tips you’ll want to keep in your repertoire for future projects. 

• Bibelots 2 Mould

• Black Chalk Type Paint*
• Grey Chalk Type Paint*
• Dark Olive Chalk Type Paint*
• White Chalk Type Paint*
• Glazing Medium
• Silver Gilding Paint
• 10-Minute Resin 

*we used a chalk-type paint in this tutorial, but there are many brands and types of paint, talk to your stockist to learn which one is right for you!

STEP ONE: CAST THE MOULD

Alena started by casting the Bibelots 2 Mould with 10-minute resin. Once the resin is fully set, she gently pops the casting out.

STEP TWO: APPLY THE BASE COAT

Next, mix a medium gray paint into your glazing medium. The glazing medium keeps the paint workable for longer—slowing the dry time so you have plenty of open time to blend, soften, and build a more gradual finish.

STEP THREE: APPLY THE SECONDARY COLOR 

Once the base coat is dry on both ornaments, move on to your secondary color and start adding the veining. Dip your brush into a bit of glazing medium, then pick up your paint—Alena mixes a dark olive with white right in the glaze so it stays soft and blendable.

Drag your brush diagonally across the ornament, gently rotating your wrist so the lines aren’t perfectly straight—more of a loose, subtle “squiggle.” Repeat and layer the veining until you reach the look you want.

STEP FOUR: PLAY AROUND WITH YOUR VEINING

Next, grab your softener brush. This one is a must-have for the technique because it’s what softens the lines and makes the veining look realistic.

You’ll also want a few other brushes on hand: a fine-point detail brush, a medium brush, and (if you have them) a couple of veining brushes. The fine-point brush is especially helpful—when you drag it through the wet paint, it naturally creates a little “void” down the center that reveals the base color underneath. That contrast gives you a layered veining effect without needing to add another color.

Repeat the process until you get the look you’re after.

If you're just kicking off your creative journey, have no fear — our Product 101 pages are packed with straightforward techniques to set you up for success. We're thrilled to accompany you as you explore and create. For more how-tos and creative inspo, make sure to browse through the rest of our blog.

Once you've crafted your final piece, share it with our Facebook Creative Tribe! This community is not just a showcase but also a supportive hub for when you hit those creative roadblocks. And remember, your local stockist is always ready to assist with IOD supplies and expert advice. We're excited to see what you'll bring to life!