9 Best Epoxy Resins For Paintings & Art
Here are the best epoxy resins for art and to pour over paintings. Choosing the best epoxy resin for paintings gives your artwork that clear, glossy finish that makes colors glow. A quality art resin creates a smooth glass like coating that enhances acrylic paintings, mixed media art, and canvas pieces. The right epoxy resin for art self levels beautifully, adds depth, and brings out rich color detail. When you use a resin top coat designed for paintings, your piece looks brighter, shinier, and full of dimension.
Before I started using resin myself, I remember seeing a painting at an art gallery that had the most beautiful, shiny finish. I stood there wondering how they got it to look so smooth and vibrant. It turns out, it was resin! I love how resin can transform a painting. You can also use these epoxy resins for creating 3D artwork which is when you paint on resin with acrylic paint.
The first time I tried epoxy resin over one of my own paintings, I could not stop staring at the way the colors instantly looked deeper and more vibrant. It felt like my artwork had a whole new layer of life added to it. It made all the little details stand out in such a beautiful way. Before going ahead with your pour, you might have to seal paper for resin especially for watercolor paintings.
Best Epoxy Resin For Paintings
If you are ready to give your artwork that glossy, glass like finish, you are going to love this list. I have rounded up my favorite epoxy resin picks that work beautifully over paintings. Here is the list of the best epoxy resin for paintings to help you choose the right one for your next piece.
1. Let’s Resin For Art
Let’s Resin is a great brand to check out if you’re looking to give your paintings that glossy finish. I have used this brand a ton over the years, and it has never disappointed me. I love that their shop is fully stocked with everything you need, not just epoxy resin but all the supplies that make working with resin easier. Their epoxy self levels beautifully, cures clear, and gives paintings a smooth, glossy finish every time.
2. Dr. Resin Epoxy
Dr Resin is great for covering paintings because it spreads smoothly and cures crystal clear. A tip I’ve learned over the years is to pour slowly from the center and let it naturally flow toward the edges to get an even, glossy coat. It will really help you with the bubbles. This epoxy resin really makes colors pop and adds that beautiful glass like finish to your artwork. This brand has many different sets so if you need to practice on small pieces, you can order their 16oz bottle sizes.
3. Promise Epoxy Resin For Paintings
Promise Epoxy is a good brand to look at when you want to give your paintings the hard covering. It goes on smooth and levels nicely, so you get fewer streaks or bubbles. A lot of artists love how it brings out the depth and brightness of the colors. This one is a two part and you mix it at a 1:1 ratio.
4. Counter Culture DIY For Art Pouring
Counter Culture is a brand I’ve been using for years, especially when I’m making resin geodes. Their resin gives a beautiful glossy coat that really makes colors pop. It also has a nice working time, so it’s easier to get details just right. It’s a good choice if you want your paintings to have that bold, high end finish.
5. Art N Glow Resin For Artwork
Art ‘N Glow resin is a good choice if you want your paintings to have that shiny finish. It mixes up smoothly and levels out on its own, which really helps keep your piece looking clean and even. Artists find that it keeps colors looking deep and bright. It’s also pretty forgiving to work with, so it’s great if you’re still learning how to coat your artwork with resin.
Read up on this review on Art N Glow epoxy resin.
6. Craft Resin For Paintings
Craft Resin is an excellent choice for artists and crafters who want to give their artwork a glossy, finish. This brand is one of the top sellers for crafts. It self levels nicely and gives paintings a clear, glossy finish that really makes colors stand out. It comes in many sizes so you can use it on smaller projects or huge pieces.
7. ArtResin For Acrylic Paintings
I have used this many times for artwork and like that the aroma is not too bad. ArtResin is one of those epoxies that is really great for paintings. A helpful tip is to pour in thin layers and let each one level completely before adding the next if you are building up sections. This resin works especially well on canvases with multiple layers or mixed media elements. For more info, check out this full ArtResin review.
8. Superclear Liquid Glass Epoxy
Superclear resin, is another popular choice for artists and crafters who need a top notch resin that pours over the artwork perfectly. Their resin can be used for a wide range of creative things, from jewelry making to artwork glassy. What I love about this one is that if you have a thicker pour, you can get the thick pour epoxy.
9. KHDD Resin
KHKD resin is great because it comes in smaller bottles as well as large gallon sizes, which is so helpful when you are covering big artwork. If you create oversized canvas pieces or pour over multiple paintings at once, having that larger size on hand makes the process much easier. It spreads evenly across the surface and leaves a beautiful, glossy coat that really enhances your colors.
Tips for Using Resin On Paintings
Pouring resin over acrylic paintings is something that many artists are doing right now. There are some things that can happen if it is not done right, like damaging your artwork. The type of resin used should be compatible for your acrylic and resin painting. Some resins may react with certain art mediums or materials, and can cause damage or discoloration of your painting.
Before pouring resin over the painting, prepare the artwork properly. The surface should be clean, dust-free, and fully dry. For oil paintings, you should wait until the paint is entirely cured, which can take several months. I’ve used resin on my watercolor paintings without a coating, but you really need to test on a small piece to make sure the colors won’t run.
Pouring clear resin over artwork requires practice. Stir the resin slowly and pop any bubbles that rise to the surface with a heat gun. I have some helpful articles all about bubbles.
Some types of resin may yellow over time due to exposure to UV light. This can alter the appearance of the artwork, especially if it’s meant to be displayed in sunlight. Check out this article that talks about epoxy resin yellowing over time.
Resin on paintings and artwork is not reversible. If you decide later that you want to remove the resin, it’s just not going to happen without ruining the art. Epoxy resin attracts dust and debris, and it can be difficult to fix after it has cured. A clean work space is important during the application process. So do cover your artwork after pouring so that dust or hair doesn’t get into it. And if you are an artist who wants to use resin for paintings, then practice and do lots of testing before pouring resin onto an original.
Thanks so much for stopping by to read about the best resin for paintings. I hope this helps you choose the right resin for your own artwork. Feel free to share this with other artists who might be curious about resin finishes. And come back anytime for more resin tips, ideas, and inspiration.
Next, check out this tutorial on how to resin a small painting with UV doming resin.
