SHIMR Metallic Pigment Powder
SHIMR pigment powder can be added to epoxy resin to add a shimmering, glittering colour to decorative resin floors, countertops, bartops, jewellery, castings for wood-turning or pen-blanks, river tables and more.
Powder is 100% compatible with GlassCast clear epoxy resin and can be added at a range of different concentrations to achieve different effects.
Adding tiny percentages will create a shimmering effect where it is still possible to see down through the resin, resulting in a casting that remains translucent but which is tinted by the colour of the SHIMR pigment powder and also shimmers in the light. Adding a higher percentage will produce a solid-colour appearance similar to metallic paint.
How to Use
It's really easy to get started with SHIMR pigment powders but there are lots of opportunities to develop your own creative techniques as you experiment with them. One of the most distinctive features of the powders is the way that that 'swirls' are produced when you pour or stir through resin that's been pigmented with them, allowing amazing patterns to be created. These swirling effects can be created when you first pour the resin or can be added a little later, as the resin starts to just slightly thicken as it cured.
For other creative effects try mixing different coloured SHIMR powders together or try carefully pouring resin tinted with different colours together to create 'marble' effects. SHIMR powders can also be combined with our CULR Epoxy Pigments to add some sparkle to tinted resin.
How much do I need?
The concentration of SHIMR powder you will need will depend on the thickness of your coating or casting and the type of appearance you want to create. To achieve a similar level of colouration, thinner coatings will need a higher percentage of pigment than thicker castings.
Use the table below as a rough guide.
| Amount of Resin | 1kg Resin | 5kg Resin | 32kg Resin |
|---|---|---|---|
| Amount of SHIMR | 7g | 35g | 224g |
Mixing into your resin
It's generally best to mix SHIMR powders into your GlassCast resin before you add the hardener, this gives you all the time you need to ensure the powder is properly dispersed.
Adding SHIMR to the resin before adding the hardener also means that you can pigment a whole batch of resin and then use it on multiple occasions but remember that the colour intensity will be reduced slightly when you add the hardener.
Combining with other pigments
There is no limit to the creative effects that you can achieve with GlassCast resin and SHIMR powders:
- Make your own unique colours by mixing any number of different SHIMR powders together.
- Add a small amount of SHIMR powder into resin that's been tinted using our Resin Tinting Pigments to add some sparkle to translucent castings
- Mix up separate pots of GlassCast coloured with different SHIMR powders and then carefully combine them to produce a 'marbled' effect.