How To Resin Acrylic Paint

Covering your acrylic painting in a coating of ArtResin is easy - in fact, epoxy resin takes acrylic paintings next level, giving them a professional looking finish with a glossy sheen that makes colour pop!

We love using wooden art panels here at ArtResin - you can mount your artwork and pour your resin directly on the panel!  Some panels even have a raised lip specifically designed to contain resin - they make for a super easy pour with clean edges.

Measure, mix, pour, spread, cover and wait, and in 24 hours your acrylic painting will go from good to gorgeous!

Let's get started .... 


Supplies:

Browse our Resin Art Accessories & Tools!

 

 

1. Prepare your Acrylic Painting

To coat a painting, your piece must first be completely dry.  Even if paint seems dry to the touch, this could simply be the initial skin that has formed over the surface. The paint in the center may still be evaporating and if it comes into contact with resin before it is sufficiently dried, the result could be a cloudy cure or eventual discoloration/yellowing. 

If the paint gives under pressure, feels tacky, soft, or cool to the touch, this can be an indication that the paint has not dried all the way through. Dry time can be longer than one might think: depending on the temperature, humidity, and how thick the paint has been applied, it can take weeks to completely dry.  
  

You may choose to mount an acrylic painting onto the panel using an adhesive, or you can paint directly onto the wooden panel as we did. Sealing your acrylic painting is not required before applying ArtResin ... in fact, ArtResin is a sealant!  It is, however, imperative to make sure your painting is completely dry before you apply your resin coat. 

💡 TIP: being an organic material, wood may contain trapped air which can release into the resin in the form of bubbles. There are many variables that can affect gas bubbles: the type of wood, how dry the wood is, humidity etc. Sealing wood with a spray or brush-on sealant is an option to help to prevent bubbles. We always recommend testing so you know exactly what results to expect before you resin your final project. If in doubt, however, you can never go wrong by erring on the side of caution and sealing first.




Resin Acrylic Paint - Prepare your Acrylic Painting





2. Calculate how much Resin you need

Using our Resin Calculator, simply enter the length and width of your piece to determine how much ArtResin you’ll need.
💡 TIP: a standard 1/8" or 3 mm coating for a 12" x 12" panel requires 5 oz resin (2.5 oz resin and 2.5 oz hardener). Measure the lip on your panel as they can vary. The panel in our video, for example, has a 1/4" lip. In order to fill it to the top, you'd use double the amount: 10 oz total resin (5 oz resin and 5 oz hardener).


Resin Acrylic Paint - Calculate how much Resin you need




3. Stir Thoroughly

Wearing gloves, measure accurately ( by volume ) precisely equal amounts of resin and hardener. Stir thoroughly for 3 minutes total, ensuring you scrape the bottom and sides of your mixing container as you go.
💡 TIP: for our very best measuring and mixing tips, read the blog How To Measure And Mix Resin And Hardener.

Resin Acrylic Paint - precisely equal amounts of resin and hardener
Resin Acrylic Paint - Stir thoroughly for 3 minutes total

4. Pour the Resin

Pour the ArtResin onto the centre of your piece and spread it out to the edges using a plastic spreader or a popsicle stick. You'll have about 45 minutes of working time before the resin gets too thick to work with.
💡 TIP: Read our blog How To Pour And Spread Epoxy Resin for more resin tips and techniques!


Resin Acrylic Paint - Pour the ArtResin onto the centre of your piece



5. Use your Torch

Using your Artist’s Torch, hold the flame a couple of inches above the resin surface just long enough to pop the bubbles, keeping the torch moving from side to side at all times.

💡 TIP: if you're nervous about using a torch, don't be! Read our blog with all you need to know about How To Use A Torch On Epoxy Resin.

Resin Acrylic Paint - Use your Torch


 

6. Final Check of your Resin Art

 

Once the piece has been torched, look at the resin in the light for any missed bubbles, tiny hairs or bits of dust, using a toothpick to fish them out. 

Resin Acrylic Paint - look at the resin in the light for any missed bubbles


7. Cover your Resin Art

With a plastic tote or a cardboard box ( with the flaps cut off ) cover your piece and let it sit for 24 hrs until it’s dry to the touch.

Resin Acrylic Paint - your piece and let it sit for 24 hrs until it’s dry to the touch



8. Wait 24 Hours

After 24hrs has passed, reveal your piece! 
💡 TIP: the resin will be dry to the touch at the 24hr mark.  At this point, you're free to hang and admire your artwork on the wall, absolutely, but if you're planning on packing and shipping your artwork, please wait at least 72hrs until the resin has fully cured.

Resin Acrylic Paint - After 24hrs has passed, reveal your piece


We hope you found this informative and helpful!

Do you want to learn more about using resin with different mediums and on different surfaces? Check out our how-to tutorials: 


    ArtResin:  Made For Artists, By Artists.

    About the author: Joanne Wright

    I'm Joanne, the Content Manager at ArtResin. Originally from Canada, my home is now Indianapolis, Indiana. My love of all things creative and my entrepreneurial heart means I’ve worn many hats over the years including fashion producer & stylist, retail store owner, t-shirt designer, and even vegan baker! I am...