Color is one of the biggest considerations in epoxy resin art, and for good reason. It shapes mood, depth, and overall impression, transforming clear resin into a bold, living medium. Getting to know your pigment is your first step to making more intentional, professional resin pieces.
How Resin Responds to Color
Resin starts clear and colorless, meaning that the way colors manifest in resin will be a bit different than painting on a traditional surface. Color that passes through clear layers may appear differently once it has cured.
There are pigments that are clear and those that are more opaque. That allows you to make more transparent or transparent-looking layers as well as solid, rich, and bold colors in your work. Being able to control the way your color is transparent or opaque allows you more control over the finished piece.
Types of Pigment
There are several kinds of colorants that can be used with resin. Alcohol inks create fluid, organic colors. Dye creates more controlled, even color. Mica powders are used for creating a more shimmering, metallic effect. Acrylic-based pigments can give more solid, solid-colored, opaque effects. You’ll want to choose the type of colorant that helps you create the style or effect you have in mind when you start with the design or composition.
Color Harmony
If you choose multiple colors, you will want to make sure that the colors you’ve chosen work together and don’t clash with each other. Sometimes too many colors in one piece may seem more chaotic. Using a color scheme that has a good balance or that uses complementary colors (colors on opposite sides of the color wheel) can make the colors flow better visually. There are even simple, complementary color schemes that can have an even better effect. Color harmony is what makes an artwork complete.
Transparency and Layers
A unique advantage in using resin is the ability to layer colors while keeping them transparent, allowing color to pass through multiple layers. You’ll be able to control the transparency of the pigment by choosing pigments that have different transparency levels and mixing them with different colors of resin. That may mean you can create more gradients in a finished piece or even add more shadows to the finished piece. Layering different colors creates more visual depth in the work. Transparent color is what will really help the finished piece stand out in 3 dimensions.
Mistakes to Avoid with Pigment
When a beginner begins mixing their color, they may accidentally mix too much pigment into their resin. That may not just change the look of the resin. It may also have a negative effect on the clarity of your finished product. Over-saturating your resin with too much pigment may lead to a bumpy surface or not allow it to cure properly. Another mistake to avoid is using a colorant that does not work well with resin to create reactions that may not be intentional. Before you add more color to your project, test the colorant in a sample before you add the pigment to a larger amount of resin. Test pigments until you get the result you are looking for.
Create a Mood with Color
Color in resin does more than just give it color. It also creates a certain mood in the piece. Using warm colors like red, orange, and yellow will create an exciting and energetic feeling. Cool colors like blues and green will make you feel calmer and have more depth. You can use colors to evoke emotion in your piece. Using color intentionally and in a way to create a specific mood is the best way to use color to make resin more expressive.
In closing, choosing and mixing different pigments in epoxy resin art is not only a technical process, but it is also a creative process as well. If you know what kind of pigments you’re working with and you keep in mind how to control transparency with your colors as well as how to work with color theory in art, you’re on your way to creating a colorful, visually interesting and balanced piece of art. Once you master mixing color, it will be a tool you can use in your most exciting and expressive resin art.
