✨ The Art Beneath the Glass ✨

There is something so charming about the little round or square disks that sit quietly beneath our glasses. Coasters may seem like humble objects, but they carry both beauty and purpose. At home, whenever my partner and I settle in for a movie night with drinks in hand, he often worries about water rings scratching his beloved antique wooden desk. A coaster, then, is not just practical - it’s essential!

From blank coasters to vibrant creations - our DIY adventure kicks off here! 💖🎨✨

My dear friend, Andrada, a self-taught artist since 2020, she brings abstract visions to life through mixed media and bold color harmonies, has transformed this everyday object into a canvas of expression. She has created hundreds of coasters, each one a miniature artwork, infused with colors that dance, flow, and blend with such poetry. Watching her creations come alive inspired me to join one of her workshops - an experience known affectionately as “DIY Coasters with Acrylic Pouring”.

Curious about trying your own DIY adventure? Andrada’s workshops will spark your creativity - explore them online at andradamisca.com. 

The workshop unfolded in three acts, each separated by 48 hours of waiting and anticipation:

1. Acrylic Pouring ‘’Ring Pour’’ - the birth of color
2. Resin Glow-Up - sealing brilliance in glassy light
3. The Final Touch - softening the base with cork or velvet

The Materials

• Acrylic paints 
• Kitchen torch
• Paint brushes
• Pencils
• Pouring medium, to mix the acrylic paints
• Resin & Hardener
• Scissors
• Self-adhesive cork-/velvet paper
• Small plastic cups (4 – 6 cups)
• Small paper cups (4 – 6 cups)
• Sticks for mixing (paint, resin)
• Water
• Wooden coaster rings
• Wood primer

This is where the journey of art quietly begins - Remember to bring your drinks 🥂 as well! 

The calm before the colors: brushes, acrylics & wooden bases - all waiting to be transformed into tiny canvases 💕

The Process

1. Acrylic Pouring
We began by choosing four colors - mine were pink, green, silver, and gold. The outer ring demanded the boldest hue, while the inner rings whispered in softer tones. Each pigment was prepared in its own paper cup, mixed gently using a stick – one stick for one colour - with water and the pouring medium until it reached the smooth consistency of wet cement.

One by one, the colors were layered into small plastic cups, beginning with the innermost shade and ending with the outermost. 

🥤Little cups of color magic—green on the outside, gold hiding at the bottom... and voilà, coaster magic begins!🎨💕

Using a paint brush, applied evenly and in a tiny amount of the wood primer on the wooden coaster rings.

Then came the magic: with a gentle spiral pour, the paints spilled onto the wooden coaster, unfurling into patterns like galaxies or marbled stone. 

If the result displeased us, we could wash the slate clean and begin anew. 

2. Resin Glow-Up
Once dry, the coasters awaited their second skin: resin. We mixed carefully the resin with the hardener in a paper cup using a stick, then poured a thin, even layer across the surface. The resin magnified the colors, as if turning them into glass. 

The glow-up moment: sealing the swirls of color 🎨 beneath a glossy layer of resin

A kitchen torch skimmed away the tiny bubbles, leaving a flawless, mirror-like finish. Again, patience was required - 48 more hours of drying.

The coasters were left to rest under cover for 48 hours, drying slowly, like patience rewarded. Once the resin is poured, the coasters need a little cover-up - so no dust sneaks in to spoil the shine.

3. The Final Touch
At last, it was time to give the coasters their soft foundation. A self-adhesive cork or velvet paper was traced, cut, and glued onto the base, ensuring each piece sat gently on the table. A small detail, but one that made the artwork whole.

Learning the tricks of the trade with a help from a the expert ✂️✨

Sealed with cork, sealed with love 💕✨

And there they were - our coasters. Tiny masterpieces, radiant and useful, ready to cradle a glass and guard a table.

Corked & crowned 👑✨🌸

👑🎨 Coaster queens' masterpieces - ready to shine 🎨👑

A Reflection

In many ways, the coaster workshop was more than just crafting. It was a meditation on life itself: how colors can flow freely yet still form harmony, how beauty must be balanced with practicality, and how patience transforms raw beginnings into lasting treasures. A coaster may be small, but beneath every glass it reminds us that the simplest objects can carry both meaning and art.

Tip: Don’t forget to wear something you don’t mind getting a little colorful - acrylics have a cheeky way of leaving their mark!