What epoxy resin art is, and why it is on every shelf

Decorative figurine studio · Madrid · September 12, 2025

Materials & process By Chromara Studio · September 12, 2025 · ⏱ 5 min read

If you have spent any time on social media or in decor groups, you have seen this kind of object: a clear figurine with colors that look alive from inside and a finish that is neither plastic nor glass but something in between. It is almost certainly epoxy resin art. This article explains exactly what it is, why it looks the way it does and how it is made by hand.

What is epoxy resin?

Epoxy resin starts out liquid and ends up a hard, clear solid. That is the part worth knowing. The rest happens in the workshop and changes nothing about what you get at home.

What you notice holding one is the weight and the light. It weighs more than it looks, and it lets light through without being fully see-through.

How it differs from plastic: plastic looks the same from every side. A resin piece changes depending on where you stand, because the light gets inside it. That is where the sense that it glows from within comes from.

Giant gummy bear in pink epoxy resin — Chromara Studio — A pink epoxy resin gummy bear from Chromara Studio. The color is not a surface layer that can be scratched off: it is inside the material.

Why the translucent finish is special

It is not see-through like a glass: you cannot look through the piece. It is not opaque either. It sits in between, and that is why the colour shifts with the light.

It shows up much better in strong colours. A blue bear is not simply blue: it has lighter and darker areas depending on the light, and against the light it throws a halo of colour.

It is that behavior with light that makes people stop, look and ask what it is made of.

Gummy bear in blue resin — translucent effect — Translucent blue — light goes right through the resin

Gummy bear in yellow resin — Chromara Studio — Yellow, with that giant-candy effect

How you can tell a piece was made by hand

A resin figurine made one at a time never comes out identical to the next, and that is the whole point: the one on your shelf is not exactly the same as anyone else’s. Against an industrial molded piece, which comes out by the thousand and always the same, here each unit is finished and checked separately in the studio before it leaves.

How to care for your epoxy resin figurines

Cured epoxy resin is a very tough material for everyday decorative use, but it helps to know its limits so your figurine lasts for years:

Cleaning: a soft cloth with water and mild soap. No solvents, no acetone and no scouring pads: they take the gloss off and it does not come back.
Direct sunlight: prolonged sun exposure can yellow the resin over time. Put your figurine somewhere with indirect or artificial light.
Heat: keep it away from the radiator and from a window that gets full sun in summer. Strong, sustained heat can warp the piece.
Knocks: although it handles everyday impact well, a fall from height onto a hard floor can chip it. Keep it on a stable surface.

What is epoxy resin art used for?

The applications are broad, but in home decor it stands out especially in:

Decorative figurines: gummy bears, candy, donuts, animals, pop art objects — any shape that can be molded.
Handmade jewelry: earrings, pendants and bracelets with flowers, leaves or pigments encapsulated inside.
Fluid art: panels and decorative surfaces with a marble effect or cells of color.
Personalized items: objects with photos, names or keepsakes set inside the resin.

At Chromara we make childhood sweets in a big size: gummy bears, donuts and PEZ candy, in five colours and made to order. They are home decor, not collector’s items.

Resin gummy bears on a shelf — pop art decor — They draw the eye on any shelf. The trick is the light: they change with how it hits them.

Want a handmade epoxy resin figurine in your home?

See the Chromara collections →