Resin pours have exploded recently. Instagram, Pinterest, even local craft shops seem packed with glittery river tables and swirling pendants. One of the best parts is turning a simple clear pour into something far more personal. A lot of new crafters ask about adding colour. The big question sounds simple: can acrylic paint go into resin? It can, but it’s never quite as straightforward as TikTok might make it look.
Most of us have half-empty bottles of acrylic stashed in drawers. The appeal? It’s cheap and almost every shade sits at arm's reach. Mix a bit in, the thinking goes, and you open up a rainbow of design options. The truth is, this shortcut works for small art pieces and one-off projects. I’ve made bold coasters and trinket trays that way. They held together fine. I still use a navy-blue set for my keys, no cracks or chalky bits after months.
Problems pop up with bigger pours and projects that need to look professional. Acrylics are water-based. Epoxy resin likes staying clear and hard, and it’s not a fan of moisture. Add too much paint, and the resin cures soft, sometimes sticky, or full of tiny bubbles. Some finished pieces can end up cloudy, brittle, or never cure fully. This isn’t just a waste of supplies—some failures don’t reveal themselves until days later, when a table has warped or a pendant feels tacky to touch.
Keeping paint to a minimum matters. Resins vary, of course, but most advice from pros says no more than 10% paint to resin, and many stay closer to 5%. This keeps chemical reactions predictable. It’s tempting to squeeze in more to achieve an opaque look. The trick I’ve found? Add a tiny amount, stir well, pour a test piece, and wait a day or two. This test helps dodge disaster for bigger batches.
Pigments specifically made for resin always win for reliability—powdered mica, alcohol inks, liquid dyes. These stay suspended longer, don’t mess as much with curing, and pump out vibrant colour. I’ve used pigment powders for detail work, and the finish looks consistently sharp and professional. Most crafters I meet at maker markets say the same.
Safety isn’t optional. Mixing acrylics with resin creates a chemical stew you might not expect. Some brands add ingredients to acrylic paint that don’t play well with curing. In a badly ventilated room, fumes linger. Gloves and masks shouldn’t sit unused on the bench. Clean-up gets trickier too, since dried acrylic in resin sticks to mixing cups and tools like glue.
Durability matters, especially for items that see sunlight, water, or daily use. Resin holds up well once cured, but unwanted reactions from paint can undercut that toughness. That seems trivial until a gift or sale item looks fine out of the mold, then scuffs or peels a month later.
Sharing tips with other artists helps. Swapping disaster stories means fewer repeat mistakes. My hands-down advice for those trying resin for the first time: experiment in small doses, reach out to resin artist communities, and check labels for compatibility. For serious makers, investing in resin pigments often pays off. The finished product speaks for itself.
