How To Color Epoxy Resin: 13 Steps (with Pictures) - WikiHow

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Terms of Use wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Learn why people trust wikiHow Coloring Epoxy: A DIY Guide PDF download Download Article Brighten up your epoxy resin with a variety of colorants Co-authored by Shelley Williams

Last Updated: May 1, 2025 Approved

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This article was co-authored by Shelley Williams. Shelley Williams is an Arts & Crafts Expert based in Long Beach, California. After a 20-year career as an educator, Shelley brought her love of education to the world of crafting and creating things. Shelley opened CRAFT + LIGHT, a creative arts studio, in 2019. Since then, Shelley has taught over 1000 people to make soap, wood signs, alcohol inks, candlemaking, bath bombs, and more. In addition to being a craft store, CRAFT + LIGHT hosts private parties, family birthday events, open studio events, and other types of craft demonstrations. Shelley partners with city governments to curate creative care packages for at-risk residents and is a partner of the Long Beach Black Health Collaborative funded out of the City of Long Beach. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 157,428 times.

Epoxy resin without any added colorants tends to end up with a slightly yellow hue that leaves much to be desired for most people. However, by adding liquid or powdered colorant to epoxy, you can create an aesthetically pleasing resin that can be used to enhance your do-it-yourself projects or add color to tabletops, chairs, and other furniture items around the house. You can use traditional colorants, such as paints and inks, or experiment with various household items to make your resin more colorful and artistic.

Things You Should Know

  • Pour your mixed resin into a small cup and add enough paint, ink, or tint to make up 2-6% of the mixture's weight. Stir for 1 minute, and adjust the coloring as needed.
  • Repeat the same coloring process with the rest of your epoxy resin once you're happy with the color you've created.
  • Alternatively, use household items like chalk or toner powder to color your resin, or use a liquid colorant like watercolor paint for a smoother finish.
  • With homemade colors, make sure the colorant is less than 6% of the resin's total weight. Color a small portion of the resin before coloring the rest of the batch.

Steps

Method 1 Method 1 of 2:

Paint, Ink, or Tint

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  1. Step 1 Mix the resin if you haven’t already. 1 Mix the resin if you haven’t already. You’ll need to mix your epoxy resin with a hardening agent before adding your colorant to it. Follow the instructions on your resin container to determine what is the proper ratio of resin to hardener you should use.[1]
    • While there are plenty of paints, inks, and tints available on the market, most are not specifically intended to be used to color resin. For best results, purchase a paint or tint designed to bond with resin and bring out particularly saturated colors. [2] You can buy resin tints online or at nearly any crafting store.
    • Be sure to wear eye protection (e.g., goggles) and rubber gloves to protect your eyes and skin during this procedure.[3]
    • If you’ve already mixed your resin and would like to color your leftover resin, you can skip this step.
  2. Step 2 Pour a small amount of resin into a 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) mixing cup. 2 Pour a small amount of resin into a 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) mixing cup. Before adding your colorant to all of your resin, you’ll want to test it with a small amount of resin to make sure it produces a color that you like. Use a mixing container that includes volume measurements on the side for easier measuring.[4]
    • For example, a small measuring cup used for dispensing cough syrup would work very well for testing resin colorants.
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  3. Step 3 Add your colorant so that it makes up 2%-6% of the mixture’s weight. 3 Add your colorant so that it makes up 2%-6% of the mixture’s weight. Slowly add the paint, ink, or resin tint to the mixing container, using a toothpick or other small stick to stir the mixture as you go. You can roughly estimate how much to add to make up 2%-6% of the mixture’s weight, or use a digital scale to precisely weigh your colorant and mixture.[5]
    • Avoid going over the 6% weight limit, as adding this much colorant might disrupt the delicate chemical process that takes place in resin and that is necessary for it to be properly used.
    • There is no harm in adding so little colorant that it amounts to less than 2% of the mixture’s weight. However, this may not be enough colorant to produce a different color in your resin.
    • If you’re not sure how much colorant to add, err on the side of adding less than you think you might want. If it isn’t enough, you can always add more.
  4. Step 4 Stir for about 1 minute and make sure there are no bubbles. 4 Stir for about 1 minute and make sure there are no bubbles. You’ll want to ensure that your colorant is completely mixed into your resin and that the new color is applied throughout the mixture. Stir the resin until your resin is smooth and without air bubbles to ensure a smooth finish when applied.[6]
  5. Step 5 Adjust the amount of colorant you use to achieve your desired look. 5 Adjust the amount of colorant you use to achieve your desired look. If your newly colored mixture is not as colored as you wanted, add more colorant to the mixture and re-stir. If the color is more than you want, restart the process and add less colorant to the mixing container until you achieve the effect you want.[7]
    • If changing the amount of colorant you use doesn’t produce results to your satisfaction, consider using a different type of liquid colorant or a non-liquid colorant from around the house.
  6. Step 6 Repeat this process for the rest of your epoxy resin. 6 Repeat this process for the rest of your epoxy resin. Once you’ve achieved the results you wanted in the small mixing container, you can now repeat the process to safely color the rest of your resin. Make sure you use the same proportion of colorant as you did with the 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) mixture.[8]
    • For example, if you used .25 fluid ounces (7.4 mL) of resin in your mixing cup to test the colorant and your overall amount of resin is 2 fluid ounces (59 mL), then you should multiply the amount of colorant you added to the mixing cup by 8 to determine the amount you should use in the rest of the resin.
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Method 2 Method 2 of 2:

Household Items

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  1. Step 1 Make sure your epoxy resin is mixed. 1 Make sure your epoxy resin is mixed. If you haven’t already mixed your resin with a hardening agent, you’ll need to do so before proceeding. Follow the instructions that came with your resin to determine the proper ratio of resin to hardener you need to achieve.[9]
    • Protect your eyes and skin by wearing safety goggles and rubber gloves as you carry out this process.[10]
  2. Step 2 Pour some of the resin into a 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) container. 2 Pour some of the resin into a 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) container. You’ll want to test your colorant in a separate mixing container to see how it affects your resin before adding it to the whole mixture. For best results, use a mixing container that includes volume measurements on the side.[11]
    • For example, a good container to use would be a small measuring cup that comes with cough syrup.
  3. Step 3 Use powdered pigments to leave tiny particles in the finished mixture. 3 Use powdered pigments to leave tiny particles in the finished mixture. Powdered colorants like chalk, toner powder, and even herbs and spices will not only color your resin, but will also produce a grainy finish that might enhance your project.[12]
    • You should definitely avoid using powdered pigments if you want your colored resin to have a smooth finish.
    • Paprika is perhaps the most commonly used spice for coloring resin, but feel free to experiment with other granular spices in your kitchen to see which one works best for you and your project.
  4. Step 4 Color with liquid pigments for a smoother, more consistent finish. 4 Color with liquid pigments for a smoother, more consistent finish. Colorants such as children’s watercolor paint or dyes for home use can also be used to color epoxy resin. These produce a much smoother finish in your resin and are arguably easier for amateurs to mix with epoxy resin.[13]
    • Nail polish and alcohol inks are also commonly used to color epoxy resin.
  5. Step 5 Stir in the colorant so that it is less than 6% of the mixture’s weight. 5 Stir in the colorant so that it is less than 6% of the mixture’s weight. Whichever colorant you use, you’ll want to make sure you don’t add so much that it disrupts the chemical reaction that naturally takes place in resin. Aim to add an amount of colorant that would make up 2%-6% of the finished mixture, stirring as you add it to the resin.[14]
    • If you’re not sure how much colorant to add, start out by adding a very small amount and continually increase the amount you use until it produces a satisfying color.
    • Stir the mixture for about 1 minute, making sure there are no bubbles in the end result.
  6. Step 6 Repeat this process for the rest of your resin. 6 Repeat this process for the rest of your resin. Add more colorant to the resin until it produces the color effect that you’re looking for. Then, once you're satisfied with the color of the resin in the mixing cup, add that colorant to the rest of your resin, making sure to use the same proportion of colorant as you did with the 1 fluid ounce (30 mL) mixture.[15]
    • If you’re unable to achieve the effect you were hoping for, consider using a different type of colorant instead of a different amount.
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Community Q&A

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  • Question Can I use India inks to color resin? Community Answer Community Answer Alcohol is a solvent and is used for resin cleanup, so use alcohol inks sparingly with resin. Acrylic inks, on the other hand, have vibrant colors and are really the thinnest form of acrylic paint. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 11 Helpful 12
  • Question Can I use eyeshadow to color resin? Bhumika Bhumika Community Answer Yes, since eyeshadow is a type of pigment, you can scrape the eyeshadow and add the powder to the resin. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 2 Helpful 15
  • Question How about food coloring? Priyamvada Shekhar Priyamvada Shekhar Community Answer You can create an opaque colored resin with just a little bit of white pigment. You can use Market Pantry brand food color from Target as well as McCormick food color. They both work well. Thanks! We're glad this was helpful. Thank you for your feedback. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. We’re committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Support wikiHow Yes No Not Helpful 1 Helpful 15
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Tips

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Things You’ll Need

  • Resin tint or paint
  • Hardening agent
  • Safety goggles
  • Rubber gloves
  • Mixing cup
  • Toothpick
  • Digital scale
  • Powdered pigments
  • Liquid pigments

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Expert Interview

Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about crafts and jewelry making, check out our in-depth interview with Shelley Williams.

References

  1. ↑ https://swellcomposites.com/blogs/news/step-by-step-guide-measuring-and-mixing-epoxy-resins
  2. ↑ https://www.artresin.com/blogs/artresin/what-can-you-use-to-color-clear-resin
  3. ↑ Shelley Williams. Arts & Crafts Expert. Expert Interview
  4. ↑ https://www.resinobsession.com/resin-resin-resin/experimenting-with-resin-colors
  5. ↑ https://epoxycountertopdiy.com/how-to-color-epoxy-resin/
  6. ↑ https://www.resinobsession.com/resin-resin-resin/experimenting-with-resin-colors
  7. ↑ https://epoxycountertopdiy.com/how-to-color-epoxy-resin/
  8. ↑ https://epoxycountertopdiy.com/how-to-color-epoxy-resin/
  9. ↑ https://swellcomposites.com/blogs/news/step-by-step-guide-measuring-and-mixing-epoxy-resins
More References (6)
  1. ↑ Shelley Williams. Arts & Crafts Expert. Expert Interview
  2. ↑ https://www.resinobsession.com/resin-resin-resin/experimenting-with-resin-colors
  3. ↑ https://www.resinobsession.com/resin-resin-resin/experimenting-with-resin-colors
  4. ↑ http://www.woodworkersjournal.com/can-mix-oil-based-stain-epoxy/
  5. ↑ https://epoxycountertopdiy.com/how-to-color-epoxy-resin/
  6. ↑ https://epoxycountertopdiy.com/how-to-color-epoxy-resin/

About This Article

Shelley Williams Co-authored by: Shelley Williams Arts & Crafts Expert This article was co-authored by Shelley Williams. Shelley Williams is an Arts & Crafts Expert based in Long Beach, California. After a 20-year career as an educator, Shelley brought her love of education to the world of crafting and creating things. Shelley opened CRAFT + LIGHT, a creative arts studio, in 2019. Since then, Shelley has taught over 1000 people to make soap, wood signs, alcohol inks, candlemaking, bath bombs, and more. In addition to being a craft store, CRAFT + LIGHT hosts private parties, family birthday events, open studio events, and other types of craft demonstrations. Shelley partners with city governments to curate creative care packages for at-risk residents and is a partner of the Long Beach Black Health Collaborative funded out of the City of Long Beach. This article has been viewed 157,428 times. 5 votes - 100% Co-authors: 11 Updated: May 1, 2025 Views: 157,428 Categories: DIY Article SummaryX

To color your epoxy resin, try using paint or ink. First, add your resin to a measuring cup and add a small amount of paint or ink, which shouldn’t make up more than 6 percent of the mixture. Then, simply stir the resin for 1 minute with a toothpick or similar item, making sure there’s no bubbles left in the mixture, and you're done! If you don't have paint or ink, you can even use nail polish or paprika to color your resin. Follow the same process, making sure that your colorant doesn’t make up more than 6 percent of the mixture. For tips on how to make your resin grainy, read on! Did this summary help you?YesNo

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Reader Success Stories

  • William Watt

    William Watt

    Dec 4, 2019

    "Good to know before I begin that the resin may acquire a yellow tint of its own accord that I'd want to..." more
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Did this article help you?

Yes No Advertisement Cookies make wikiHow better. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Shelley Williams Co-authored by: Shelley Williams Arts & Crafts Expert Co-authors: 11 Updated: May 1, 2025 Views: 157,428 100% of readers found this article helpful. 5 votes - 100% Click a star to add your vote William Watt

William Watt

Dec 4, 2019

"Good to know before I begin that the resin may acquire a yellow tint of its own accord that I'd want to..." more Subrata Mukherjee

Subrata Mukherjee

May 7, 2019

"After going through these notes, I have gained lot of knowledge about resin. It has boosted my confidence to go..." more Susan Barrientos

Susan Barrientos

Feb 28, 2020

"I'm new at this. I have my bubbles under control, and now I want to add color. This has helped greatly. Thank..." more Share yours! More success stories Hide success stories

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Tag » How To Color Epoxy Resin