Alcohol Ink For Resin – The Ultimate Guide

Today I’m going to be talking about alcohol ink for resin. We are going to cover a lot of ground and I am going to just go ahead and proclaim this to be the ultimate guide to alcohol ink. In this post I plan to answer a lot of common questions, talk about some popular products, discuss techniques, and more. Let’s get started!

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What Is Alcohol Ink?

Alcohol ink is an alcohol-based liquid loaded with pigment. It can be used on a huge variety of porous and non-porous surfaces. The alcohol evaporates rapidly which only leaves behind the colorful dye.

Many artists use it to dye fabric or paint. In this instance we are talking about applying alcohol ink to resin for some very special effects!

That’s right! Alcohol ink can be mixed and manipulated to yield some gorgeous results. Tie-dye, marbling, polka dots, and more!

Facts About Alcohol Ink

One of the great things about alcohol ink is that it can be layered to create awesome patterns and effects!

Alcohol ink is actually waterproof and transparent.

It will dye and stain things that regular ink will not stick to like glass, metal, or plastic!

You can even make your own alcohol ink using rubbing alcohol, but we will get to that a little bit later!

Alcohol ink is toxic due to the alcohol that evaporates into the air. You should wear a respirator when working with it!

Alcohol ink is flammable as well. Use caution near heat sources or open flames. Safety first!

How Do I Use Alcohol Ink For Resin Art?

To use alcohol ink for resin you can try a variety of techniques. You can simply add a drop or two to mixed resin and stir it in if you like.

Also, you could use a dropper to put small drops into your resin art when it is already poured into the mold.

My favorite technique is to put alcohol ink droplets into my mold first and then pour the resin over the top of it.

In this short TikTok video you can see how I do it.

You can also try layering colors over top of each other. Make waves using a heat gun to blow the alcohol ink, or you can swirl it with a small pin as well.

Alcohol Ink For Resin – Tips

• Only add a drop at a time. Alcohol ink can easily over saturate the resin and cause curing issues.
• Mixing too many colors can cause the resin to look muddy and not very appealing.
• Use alcohol ink in a well ventilated area and/or wear a respirator to protect from toxic alcohol vapor.
• White alcohol ink is not transparent and can be used to create separation between colors. Try experimenting with it!
• Pouring resin over the alcohol ink will cause it to disperse differently and create unique effects.
• Dropping alcohol ink on top of resin will create surface and drop effects.

What Is The Best Brand Of Alcohol Ink To Use With Resin?

If you ask resin artists what alcohol ink they prefer to use for resin, many of them will say Piñata Color. Which of course there is no doubt that this is a reputable brand that does the job.

For me personally I prefer the basic Alcohol Ink Set from Amazon. It comes with 24 colors compared to Pinata brand which only comes with 9.

Not to mention it is cheaper and works perfectly fine for what I need.

The great thing about alcohol ink is that it lasts a really long time just because you only use a drop or two at a time.

I have been using the same alcohol ink set for resin for months and I don’t think I am anywhere near running out.

It does also depend on how large your resin art projects are and if you are regularly making and selling them.

How Do I Clean Up Alcohol Ink?

Alcohol ink can be quite messy. Spills, splashes, and accidents can happen. Even if you are very careful.

Prevention

The best way to keep this from happening is to wear nitrile gloves and cover any surface that you don’t want to get ruined with ink.

Definitely do not wear your best clothes to work with alcohol ink. I suggest keeping a set of clothes specifically to work with it.

You can also moisturize your skin with mineral oil or baby oil to keep the alcohol ink from staining your bare hands as badly.

How To Clean Alcohol Ink From Your Skin

Even if you are very careful you can still end up with alcohol ink stains. One of the best ways I’ve found to remove it is to simply use rubbing alcohol on a cotton ball. This typically will lift the majority of the ink from your skin.

You can also use a mixture of Dawn dish soap and baking soda. You can experiment with the consistency but you will want more liquid than powder.

Use this mixture to wash your hands under warm water. Typically this will take away any ink on your skin.

How To Clean Alcohol Ink From Fabric

This is not something you are going to want to have to do. Alcohol ink stains are quite complicated to remove considering they are intended to dye.

The best method I know of is to place a cloth or paper towel under the fabric you are trying to remove the stain from.

Dab the stain with rubbing alcohol using a cotton ball. The ink should begin to transfer to the cloth.

Note: Be sure to try the fabric with only a small amount of rubbing alcohol for a colorfast test.

Then you can try to scrub the remaining stain out using a stain pen.

Awesome Alcohol Ink Resin Craft Examples

Here are a few of my very favorite designs made by some talented creators! These are made using a variety of techniques.

Rainbow Splash Coasters

These are so absolutely stunning and colorful! I love how bright and beautiful these truly are.

Cloudy

This resin craft was made using an alcohol ink cloud technique. So gorgeous!

Petri Dish

Here’s a popular alcohol ink design that many people enjoy. It resembles a nice colorful petri dish!

How Can I Make My Own Alcohol Ink For Resin?

I have two DIY methods for making alcohol ink that work decently.

First Way: 1 cup 70% rubbing alcohol + 1 drop food coloring in a mason jar. You can add more rubbing alcohol for a lighter color.

Second Way: Remove the ink tube from a sharpie marker. Cut the ink tube in half. (This can take some work and can be messy.) Place the ink tube sideways into mason jar 1/3 full with 70% rubbing alcohol with the lid on for about 30 minutes.

You can put the ink into a different container or use a dropper directly from the jar.

Try Experimenting With Alcohol Ink

One of my best suggestions if you are considering working with alcohol ink is to simply try experimenting.

Try mixing different colors and creating different patterns yourself!

Some artists are able to create amazing designs and even flowers! The beauty of the design will ultimately come from you and your imagination.

I hope this post helps you understand alcohol ink a bit better! If you have questions or comments feel free to leave them down below!