colouring resin with paint?

[YANOULI]

Not sure if this has been asked before, i did a search but found nothing.

Anyone tried to tint resin using paint ( acrylics or enamels)?
If so, how did it turn out?

[Cmonster]

It doesn't work. Moisture is not good for resins. Depending on the resin you're using and what company you're getting it from, you can get it to set up, but it bubbles and becomes super brittle and does all kinds of other weird stuff.

Not recommended.

SC

[livnxxxl]

Agreed ^^^^^^

I been there and done that to with no success in my many experimentation's. The best solution to dye resin is to buy the appropriate resin dye pigment. This can be found/purchased online OR if you happen to have a Hobby Lobby near by you can purchase it there. HL is where I get mine and it works great.

A little drop can go a long way so use sparingly when you got to dye your resin.

[TrueDave]

Ive tried paint AND food dye!!!!

the food dye was to give clear resin a slight tint.

Too much and it bubbles over ???

Paints? I have tried it but I think I had to use do much paint it weaked the casting. Made the mold goopy too I think.

I wish someone would sell premixed skin tones for resins !!!!

[Type3Toys]

Smooth-On So Strong Tint.

[ctc]

>Too much and it bubbles over ???

It's the resin reacting to the moisture in the dye.

DOn C.

[The Kryptonite Kid]

it usually cracks

[livnxxxl]

Ive tried paint AND food dye!!!!

the food dye was to give clear resin a slight tint.

Too much and it bubbles over ???

Paints? I have tried it but I think I had to use do much paint it weaked the casting. Made the mold goopy too I think.

I wish someone would sell premixed skin tones for resins !!!!

I tried food dye as well. I pretty much got the same results with the bubbling, brittle effect that CMonster spoke of earlier. I even tried Kool Aid packages with red 40 dye color in them. Still the same results.

I just don't think that you can get past using any other type of dyes besides the color pigmentation that is made strictly for dying the resin. At least I have not found anything yet in all of my experimentations.

[TrueDave]

Interesting thread!!!! :-D
Moisture in the food additive. Check. I'll remember that.

I checked some of my notes from Austin's demo at the 2011 M.Meet and I wrote down:

"Alcohol based dye, Enamel based dye, no acrylic" Maybe Testors paints?

I also wrote down " Alumalite Dyes" might be a company.( I found plastic trade show displays and cosmetic barrel shrouds for modern frirearms at Alumialite USA ???)

I DO remember Austin making a Metalic and A glow in the dark head. He used a powdered dye he brushed inside the molds first.
Before you try: Silicone wont accept dyes made for resin. Just thought I'd tell you ahead of time. Kind of like Oil and water . . very much like actually

[ThatBatmanGuy]

Use any oil based enamel paint and it will work just fine. I've been doing it for years and never had any problems. A couple drops is all you need. Too much paint and the parts don't want to cure. I like to use Testors Enamel paints. I mix up my own flesh colors for heads and body parts. I use Smooth-On resin 325. It does take some experimenting, but not much. Acrylic paints are water based and will not work.

One of the hardest things to do when you color cast resin is to build a perfect mold. And I mean it has to be perfect. Otherwise any imperfection will show up in the cast part. Then it has to be sanded and cleaned up. Then you may have to paint it to cover up the repair. That defeats the whole process.
Bob

[BATIMAN]

I tried a few different paints, as a previous post mentioned it turns out weird. I tried it with white resin adding some black acrylic paint. First off the resin started bubbling and popping. Then It had a strange marble effect from it. And never completely set. You could actually rip it apart like wet cardboard. Now I just stick with black resin makes it easier


Cheers

Alex

[YANOULI]

Thanks.

I may just have to paint the head and find some hard wearing varnish or something to protect it.
I'm making a figure for my god son and kids can be pretty rough. I'd hate for it to chip off.

It's just one head so i don't want to shell out for resin dye which will never get used again.
I'm not even sure if they make it for brown skin tones and if it's possible to pick up over here anyway.

[YANOULI]

Use any oil based enamel paint and it will work just fine. I've been doing it for years and never had any problems. A couple drops is all you need.

I use a 2 part resin, do you mix up the resin first then add the paint or do you add it to one half of the resin then mix the other half in with it.

[ThatBatmanGuy]

^^ I add the paint to either A or B before mixing them together. The paint just colors 1 of the parts. Then mix A & B together like normal. This does make the set-up time longer. Some of the fast kicking resin sets in 3 minutes. A few drops of paint will give you another minute or 2.
Bob

[reevefan78]

Paint the inside of the mold first, let dry thoroughly then backfill with resin.

I've also heard of people painting the inside of their mold(s) either with a brush in several layers or slush casting the paint. Pour a small amount of paint into the (silicone) mold....roll the paint around inside the mold by rotating the mold so that the paint reaches the entire inside surface of the mold and allow excess to drain out. Allow paint to dry thoroughly between "coats". Repeat this several times or as necessary to make sure the paint makes a thick enough film on the inside of the mold...use in silicone molds only to ensure part will be easy to remove though. This is how latex masks are made although the latex is poured into a plaster mold generally. Allow the paint "film" to dry thoroughly each time and especially prior to back filling with resin. This would allow a person to use acrylic paint. Once the paint has dried there is no more water or moisture that will come into contact with the resin causing it to bubble. You can speed up the drying time of the paint layer by gently (on low) using a hair dryer or heat gun to dry the paint quicker.....just make sure it's not on high or it could push the paint around and off some of the surfaces of the interior of your mold. Once you are satisfied with the thickness of the paint layer and it has thoroughly dried you should be able to back fill it (pour) with the resin. This way you have a painted surface that bonds with the resin. Just another alternative I've discovered. Hope this helps my fellow customizers out there by adding this bit of info to your arsenal of "tricks".