Artists love to experiment. I’ve dipped my brush in everything from household glue to metallic powders, always looking for that sweet new effect. Lately, the idea of adding pouring medium acrylic paint to resin keeps surfacing in online forums and workshops. Since resin art absolutely pops with bold colors and swirling effects, it’s tempting to toss in trendy pouring paints as a shortcut to stunning results.
Resin, most often made from a two-part epoxy, sets through a chemical reaction that locks everything in place. The base and hardener come together and, after some waiting, form a finish that rivals glass. Pouring medium acrylic paint, on the other hand, is built for flow. Formulated to keep colors bright and help create marbled, abstract forms, the pouring medium keeps acrylic paint from cracking and allows it to move on canvas.
Combining these two promises bold colors and smooth blends, but there’s a real risk. Acrylic pouring mediums are water-based and resin is oil-based. Mixing them without care often leads to unexpected results—cloudiness, separation, brittleness, or streaking. The interaction between the water in acrylics and the chemical reaction in resin doesn't always go as artists hope. Based on my experience, even professional-grade pouring mediums can cloud or even stop the resin from setting properly.
Artists have gotten around some of these problems by adding only a small percentage of acrylic paint—usually under 10% by volume. This way, the resin’s chemical process can still run as intended, and color shines through without haziness or sticky spots. That said, low percentages limit the vibrancy and opacity you might get from acrylic on canvas.
Some craft stores now offer resin-specific pigments and dyes. Mica powders, pastes, and specially-formulated alcohol inks regularly achieve bold effects without clashing with epoxy’s ingredients. Brands producing art resin design their tints to blend seamlessly, provide good lightfastness, and avoid soft or cloudy finishes. That reliability makes a difference if the piece will be sold or displayed.
Resin art sells at craft fairs and galleries; collectors expect pieces to last and look polished. Mixing the wrong paint into a resin batch can ruin hours of work. I’ve seen well-intentioned artists forced to toss warped panels covered in sticky residue, which cuts into both morale and budget. Fading, yellowing, or peeling can surface months after sale, hurting trust between maker and buyer.
Safety adds another layer. Resin fumes require good ventilation and gloves. When throwing new ingredients into the mix, artists never quite know how those chemicals will interact. Material safety data sheets help, but not every pouring medium or pigment details its behavior with resins. Keeping the process safe often means sticking to tried-and-true combinations.
Artists will always tinker with their materials—that drive for new effects fuels growth in every medium. Staying informed by reading labels, watching demonstrations, and starting with test batches helps avoid heartbreak on ambitious pieces. Making connections with experienced resin artists, real-world product testers, and trusted brands goes further than any manual.
Art supplies remain expensive. A little research—the kind that mixes shared knowledge with hands-on play—saves money and time, lets creativity lead, and produces results that last.
