KOCHI: Old hobbies die hard. Afrin Jahangeer, a fashion design student at the National Institute of Fashion Technology, Kannur, believes deeply in this. As a kid, she was interested in art and craft, and that transformed into her interest in resin art two years ago. The lockdown helped her explore it further, creating handmade resin cast wedding cards, journal covers, bookmarks and dress buttons, that she features on her Instagram page Kaivela.
Before she started working with resin, Afrin used to preserve flowers in notebooks. “I used to make hand-made greeting cards for my close friends and family. Later, I started uploading my crafts on social media. I love vintage hues more. It took a lot of patience to learn how to mix resin liquid to create multiple items,” she says.
According to Afrin, finding the right brand of resin that is less toxic and skin-friendly is the first task. “The resin must be crystal clear and the mould should look like clear glass. It holds a visual aesthetic. I use pressed dried flowers to create bookmarks, which is an excellent gifting item. Jute threads are used for embellishments,” she says.
Her vintage journal covers are made with dried petals of bougainvillaea flowers and country roses are a hit. “Handmade gifts always come with a certain sentimental value. The packaging is done using cloth covers with handprinted designs I draw,” she says. Afrin is also looking into the application of resin art in fashion designing. She is currently awaiting her final year results. “Resin art can be used in home decor and textile design too,” she says.
Check her @k.a.i.v.e.l.a