How to Make Faux Stained Glass with Acrylic & Resin

Learn how to make faux stained glass art using acrylic and resin.

This fun geometric diamond is made with 2 layers of laser-cut acrylic, alcohol inks and clear epoxy resin.

It's a gorgeous statement piece for any room home decor, handmade gifts or as a small business seller, let's get started!

Learn how to make faux stained glass...or gorgeous resin art using a laser cutter, an acrylic panel or two, a custom design, and some clear resin for the perfect finishing touch!

This glassy flat surface with gorgeous mix colors with black acrylic outlines, is the perfect home decor piece.

Let's get started!

Supplies for Acrylic and Resin Faux Stained Glass:

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• xTool S1 Laser Cutting Machine
• White Acrylic with Black Core (for Diode Lasers)
• Black 3mm Acrylic
• Alcohol Inks
• Rubbing Alcohol
• Heat Pen or Hair Dryer
• Clear Casting Resin
• Mixing Cups, Stirring Sticks, disposable gloves
• Bearly Art Precision Glue
• Geometric Diamond Pattern (FREE Files solid shape and line art files--END OF POST!)

STEP 1: CUTTING ACRYLIC WITH LASER

Begin by loading the 2 images into xTool Creative Space (XCS).

Size them to the right size for your space--size both images at the same exact time so they remain the same size and therefore stackable, mine nearly uses the 12 inch acrylic surface.

Cut the entire solid shape out of the white acrylic (make sure it has a black core if you are using a diode laser, or it will not cut it.)

Then cut out the detailed geometric lines with black acrylic.

This will give the final piece the stained glass design, with the lines.

I leave the paper on during the cutting process but I don't think it makes a difference one way or the other.

STEP 2: ALCOHOL INKS

Peel off the paper from the white cutout acrylic shape.

You'll want alcohol inks in a variety of colors, including metallics.

You could use a bit of mica powder in a small amount of resin, so there are lots of options, but I am using alcohol inks.

You will also need some rubbing alcohol.

Do you ever keep an old bottle of something and just keep refilling it because it fits in its space so nicely? Yeah, that's the story on this old bottle of isopropyl rubbing alcohol.

Begin by pouring out a little puddle of rubbing alcohol on the white acrylic insert.

Then add a couple drops of colored alcohol ink of your choice--this is the fun part!

Add more colors, right into the puddle of alcohol, then use the heat gun to blow the color around and get the rubbing alcohol to begin evaporating and leaving behind waves of color.

Continue to add colors and layers, a drop at a time.

If you make a giant mess of colors...you can pour out some rubbing alcohol on it and wipe it off and start over.

Also, please note, this is very messy.

Have some baby wipes on hand!

The metallic alcohol ink has mica powder in the bottle, so shake it up...but also it has a different viscosity, so it will work a bit differently from the colors.

So save the metallic and holographic alcohol ink for the end of the process...then squeeze a bunch of shiny colors on the piece.

STEP 3: GLUING ACRYLIC TOGETHER

Peel off the paper backing from the acrylic sheets before adhering the acrylic pieces together.

Then pipe some Bearly Art Precision glue all over the black acrylic lines and set it right on top of the white/alcohol ink acrylic piece.

Then set something firm on top of the acrylic, so it is evenly pressed and can dry flat.

Gorgeous!

Now at this point, this faux stained glass crafts piece looks amazing and could be finished.

I decided that I wanted the gaps filled with a small amount of resin to make it glossy and smooth.

STEP 4: CLEAR CASTING RESIN

Get some cardboard to work on top of and some plastic cups to use as a riser for the acrylic piece and let's get some resin on it.

Place the cardboard down, then some plastic cup risers and place the acrylic on top.

Mix the clear casting resin according to package directions...there's a variety of resins.

I like the 1:1 ratio of resin and hardener, that you mix in a cup with a stir stick for 2 minutes.

Then pour the resin into a completely different mixing up and use a new popsicle stick to stir it again for about 1 more minute.

Then pour the resin into the open sections of the acrylic over the alcohol inks. 

Mine got a little over full and spilled over the edges, that's fine, but the important part is to make it level.

You could add glitter or mica powder in the resin, but I just wanted crystal clear resin coating the top layer of multi-colors on acrylic.

Let the resin dry at least 24 hours before touching it!

Now this beautiful rainbow of colors is trapped, encased in a layer of resin, framed by acrylic...so the depth is amazing.

The perfect home decor piece to hang on the wall or use as a tray on the coffee table or entry table.

That's it!

Make a gorgeous faux stained glass with acrylic and resin for the perfect home statement piece.

This beautiful resin creation is easy to make with a few supplies, and a laser cutter.

Make this fun stained glass in any pattern or style you like, this diamond pattern is just a starting point.

Download GEOMETRIC DIAMOND FILE for FREE here!

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