Artists get curious when they see that cup of clear epoxy sitting on the bench. Colouring can make a piece pop. Plenty of options show up at the craft store: powders, specialty inks, liquid dyes. Acrylic paint ends up in the mix pretty often, mostly because it’s cheap and easy to find. You squeeze a little from a tube and—voila—instant colour. Or so it seems.
Acrylic paint contains pigments held together by a plastic binder suspended in water. Epoxy resin, meanwhile, turns rock solid due to a chemical reaction between two liquids. Water belongs in a glass, not mixed into resin. Tossing water-based paint into epoxy can cause more problems than bright colour. Thin resin, streaks, or even cloudiness start to show up. Sometimes, the chemical reaction doesn’t finish like it should. The end result: a sticky mess, not a shiny finish.
I’ve jumped into projects where I added a bit of acrylic paint just to see if it could work. A few drops don't seem to hurt, but pour in a dollop and the resin starts looking cloudy. Friends in the resin community talk about yellowing or soft spots over time. Epoxy cures best in the right chemical environment. Straying from the recipe introduces surprises—usually not the good kind.
Makers trust that their finished resin is solid, safe, and will hold up over the years. Some paints use additives or pigments that react badly with epoxy. That reaction can produce fumes, or create surfaces that don’t cure all the way. Safety data from major manufacturers suggests sticking with approved colorants, especially if kids end up touching that artwork or jewelry.
Acrylic paints almost always contain surfactants and other fillers alongside water. Each batch is a little different. You could get lucky one day and end up with a flawless finish, then get a ruined piece next time. This inconsistency frustrates anybody valuing time or materials.
Anyone hoping for deep, rich colour in resin pours can pick up resin-specific pigments or tints. Companies design these products for epoxy’s unique chemistry. They come in powders or concentrated liquids. Some even offer metallic or translucent options. Mixing them into resin is simple, and the result stays bright and stable.
Some artists experiment with alcohol inks for dreamy, swirling effects. These inks rarely cloud resin, thanks to their evaporating base and super-fine pigments. Quality epoxy pigment pastes are another favorite, creating intense shades without sending the resin formula haywire.
Recycling leftover acrylic paint for resin crafts sounds appealing, especially with tight budgets. Risking a project’s clarity or durability isn’t worth the gamble. Consistent, high-quality results emerge by using the right material for the job. Any piece you pour deserves to last—without strange textures or surfaces that never quite set.
Adding acrylic paint into epoxy resin might seem like a shortcut to colour, but it often raises more trouble than success. For the best results, and safer finished projects, try out pigment powders, tints, dyes, or alcohol inks created for resin work. The right tools and techniques always pay off in the final piece—a lesson learned through trial, error, and a few failed pours.
