Artists often search for new ways to expand their creative toolkit. Acrylic paint lines almost every studio shelf for good reason. It’s affordable, easy to use, and delivers high-impact color on nearly any surface. For resin art, the question always pops up: can you just mix in a squirt of acrylic and call it a day?
Acrylic paint contains water and sometimes fillers. Resin, whether epoxy or polyurethane, stays very picky about moisture. Even small amounts of water in the mix can ruin a resin pour. You’ll see unwanted cloudiness, bubbles, or sometimes it just cures tacky and never reaches a solid finish. That sticky mess is enough to drive makers up the wall.
I tried adding a few drops of acrylic into my own resin batches during practice runs back in art school. At first the color looked bold, but within half an hour, bubbles and white streaks rose to the surface. I soon realized that most professional resin artists recommend using colorants made specifically for resin, like resin pigments or alcohol inks.
That said, some folks do use small amounts of acrylic in resin and pull off good-looking pieces—usually for jewelry or tiny decor, where resin layers stay thin. They stir in just enough to tint the resin lightly and avoid pooling color. If the acrylic goes in thick, or if the painting sits buried deep, failures become almost guaranteed.
The biggest key lies in water content. Thick-bodied acrylics make things worse, while craft paint straight out of the bottle spells disaster for bigger pours. Mixing the paint and letting it “air out” unscientifically for a few minutes sometimes helps, but there’s always risk. Everything changes with the brand of resin, humidity in the room, even how old the paint is.
One safety note: mixing chemicals that weren’t designed to go together gets risky. Curing off-gasses can interact in ways that aren’t visible in the final piece, especially if you’re sanding or polishing. Off-brand mixes might release more fumes, and some types of paint may hide ingredients that react badly with hardened resin.
A quick search in artist forums or trusted YouTube channels will bring up plenty of stories where folks end up tossing a whole batch because it never cured right. Some even report ruined molds or tools, which cost money and time to replace.
Artists who want reliability tend to reach for resin-safe colorants. High-quality pigments don’t mess with the chemistry. Alcohol inks provide strong, glossy color for resin without introducing extra moisture. Liquid resin dyes dissolve fully, giving even color with almost zero clouding. Translucent effects, metallic swirls, or layered pours rarely go sideways with these options.
If you’re looking for heavy color like what acrylic paint brings to a canvas painting, try coating a finished resin piece with acrylics after it cures. It gives lots of control and, for high-gloss shine, cover the dried painting with a fresh clear resin layer, sealing colors safely without any bubbles or curing problems.
Artists work hard to turn visions into solid pieces, and every material choice counts. Mixing acrylic paint into resin might work in a pinch or for certain effects, but plenty of evidence points toward using dedicated resin colorants for best results. Less heartbreak, better finish, a stronger piece. Skilled resin artists share their wins and failures online, helping others learn what works before pouring their next batch.
