Can You Use Regular Pigments in Clear Resin?

Pigments and dyes are a wonderful way to personalise clear resin projects, but not every pigment is suitable for use. The right choice keeps your resin artwork vibrant and clear.

Pigments and dyes: What works best in clear resin?

For best results, use pigments and colourants formulated specifically for resin. These are designed to blend evenly without affecting the clarity, hardness, or curing process of your project. Ordinary acrylic paints, ink, or generic dyes can interfere with curing, sometimes leaving your resin tacky or cloudy.

Resin-specific transparent colours, such as “Magic Crystal” – Transparent Resin Colour 45ml, offer brilliant glass-like effects and maintain clarity after curing. They come in liquid form, making them easy to measure and mix for consistent transparent shades.

How to add colour to clear resin

Begin by selecting the suitable resin dye or pigment according to your desired effect—transparent dyes for see-through finishes or opaque pigments for solid colour. Add a little at a time, mixing thoroughly until you reach your preferred depth of shade. Always follow the manufacturer’s ratio guidelines to avoid overloading, which can affect curing.

For a glass-like artistic finish, pair a transparent dye with a high-clarity resin such as “Art Pro” – Clear Epoxy Resin for Artists. This combination preserves the resin’s clarity while delivering rich, vivid colours.

When this matters

Choosing purpose-made pigments is especially important for jewellery, ornaments, and any clear-cast project where you want to avoid cloudiness or curing issues. If you need your resin to stay see-through, stick to products marked as compatible with transparent resin.

Related guides

How Do You Paint Resin

For anyone wanting to achieve beautiful, crystal-clear resin effects, using the correct pigments is essential. Explore the full guide to painting and colouring resin on our main page: How do you paint resin?