Resin, Polymer Clay and Plastisol

Pigment powders are the easiest way to colour resin, clay and plastisol: a small pinch goes a long way, the colour does not fade the way liquid dyes can, and effect pigments give you shifts and sparkle that no dye can. Coasters, river tables, tumblers, jewellery, soft plastic fishing lures: this is how we use ours.

Epoxy and UV resin

  • How much: start at about 1% by weight, so 1 g of pigment per 100 g of mixed resin, and go up to 3% for a solid opaque colour. Do not go past 4%: more pigment than that can stop the resin curing properly. Multichromes and flakes want less, around 0.5 to 1%, or the shift disappears into a solid colour.
  • When to add: mix the pigment into Part A (the resin) before adding the hardener, or into the UV resin before pouring. Stir slowly to keep bubbles down.
  • Over what: colour-shift pigments need a dark background to show the travel. Pour a black base layer first, or add a touch of black to the resin, then the multichrome layer over it.
  • Settling: heavier pigments and flakes sink in thin resin. Wait until the resin starts to thicken before pouring a flake layer, or use them in the top coat.

Polymer clay

  • Mixed in: knead pigment into raw clay a pinch at a time. Translucent clay shows effect pigments best.
  • Surface finish: brush dry pigment onto raw clay before baking for a mica-shift or metallic surface. Seal after baking with a clay-safe varnish or UV resin.
  • Baking: polymer clays bake at 110 to 130 °C depending on the brand. Micas, shimmers and multichromes are mineral pigments and are not affected by those temperatures. Thermochromic pigments are the exception: they change colour with heat, so keep them for surface work after baking.

Plastisol (soft plastic fishing lures)

Plastisol is heated to about 165 to 180 °C to set, so the only real question for any pigment is heat. Most of our range handles it without a change.

  • Heat-safe: micas, aurora and iridescent shimmers, chameleon multichromes, flakes and chrome pigments are mineral or metal based and are unaffected at pouring temperature. They are the same family of pearl and flash powders the lure trade already uses.
  • Glitter: polyester glitter is fine at pouring temperature but dulls and curls if the plastic is overcooked or reheated many times. Stir it in at the end of the heat cycle, just before you pour.
  • Test first: thermochromic and neon (fluorescent) powders are organic pigments and can lose colour near setting temperature. Try a small pour at your usual temperature before committing a batch.
  • How much: for a pearl tint start around a quarter teaspoon of mica or shimmer per cup (250 ml) of plastic, about 0.5 g per 100 ml, and go up to double that for a solid pearl. Multichromes want half as much, around 0.25 g per 100 ml, or the shift flattens into one colour. A 5 g jar does 1 to 2 litres of plastic.
  • When to add: stir powders into the cold plastisol before heating so they disperse without clumps. Flakes and glitter go in hot, just before the pour. Heavier flakes settle in the pot between pours, so give it a stir every time.
  • Base colour: pearls look best in clear or lightly tinted plastic (the "ghost" look, or add a drop of liquid colourant for a tinted pearl). Multichromes flip hardest in a smoke or black plastic, the same dark-base rule as everywhere else.
  • Bleed: micas and multichromes are pigments, not dyes, so they do not migrate between colours in a laminate or two-tone pour.
  • Hard baits: for painted lures the pigment goes into the airbrush base or the clear top coat instead. See the custom paint and automotive page for ratios.

Which pigments

  • Micas for solid, even colour and pearl. The workhorse.
  • Aurora and iridescent shimmers for colour travel in a translucent piece.
  • Multichromes for the strongest shift, over a dark base.
  • Flakes for a suspended, glassy effect in clear resin.
  • Reflective glitter and chrome for flash in a lure or a coaster edge.
  • Glitters for sparkle. Holographic glitter is polyester and resin-safe.

Where to start

For a first go: a mica for solid pearl colour, a chameleon multichrome for the shift, and a flake for suspended sparkle. Jars start at $6.50 and a 5 g jar goes a long way. Browse the full range, or email us if you want a bag size rather than a jar.

Good to know

Effect pigments look strongest in a thin layer with light behind or below them. A deep pour dilutes the effect, so save the multichromes for a top layer or a thin casting. Colours on screen are a guide only; your resin, base colour and depth all change the result, so test a small batch first.