Wallace Seymour acrylic paints: an independent art shop review
Most acrylic painters are familiar with the big names — Winsor & Newton, Daler-Rowney, Golden, Liquitex. Wallace Seymour is not one of those names. It does not advertise heavily, it does not sell through supermarkets or national chains, and it does not make products aimed at the mass market. It is a small British company, run by two artists, making paint in small batches with an almost obsessive commitment to pigment quality — and it is, in our view, one of the most interesting and underrated acrylic paint ranges available anywhere.
We stock Wallace Seymour acrylics at Craft and Canvas because we believe they represent something genuinely different in a market that can sometimes feel homogenised.
Who are Wallace Seymour?
Wallace Seymour was founded in 2011 by Rebecca Wallace and Pip Seymour — both practising artists with over twenty years of experience in the art materials industry. From the outset it had a clear and unusual mission: to create the highest quality painting and drawing materials possible, with no compromise on pigment, and to supply them exclusively through independent retailers rather than the mainstream trade.
That last point matters. Wallace Seymour does not sell direct to artists and does not supply to large chains. When you buy Wallace Seymour at Craft and Canvas, you are buying from exactly the kind of stockist the company was designed to supply.
Wallace Seymour acrylic paints: what are they?
The Wallace Seymour acrylic range is called Acrylic Colours Extra Fine. It currently includes over 100 colours, available at Craft and Canvas in 60ml tubes.
The paint is formulated using a special acrylic resin designed to capture the maximum tinting strength of each pigment. The pigment load is noticeably higher than most standard acrylic ranges, which means colour is richer, coverage is stronger, and a smaller amount of paint goes further.
The consistency is a soft gel — thicker than many fluid acrylics, with a buttery quality that holds brushmarks well. The drying time is slightly longer than most standard acrylics — typically 30 to 40 minutes for a thin film — which gives a little more working time for blending and adjustment.
What makes Wallace Seymour acrylics different?
Pigment integrity. Wallace Seymour are meticulous about single-pigment colours wherever possible. In a market where many manufacturers blend multiple cheaper pigments to approximate a colour, Wallace Seymour's commitment to using the correct pigment produces noticeably cleaner, more vibrant, and more predictable mixes.
Unusual and historic colours. The range includes colours you simply cannot buy elsewhere — pigments sourced from specific quarries, historic earth colours, and shades that were common in historical painting but have largely disappeared from modern commercial ranges.
Small batch production. Because Wallace Seymour make paint in small batches and test each one before it goes to retailers, quality control is exceptionally high.
Made in the UK. In an art materials market dominated by large European and American manufacturers, Wallace Seymour are a genuinely independent British producer.
A full mediums range. Alongside the paints, Wallace Seymour produce a comprehensive range of acrylic mediums including impasto gel, fluid medium, retarder, varnishes, gesso, acrylic primer, and acrylic size.
Which Wallace Seymour acrylic colours should you start with?
The Series 1 and Series 2 colours are the natural starting point — these cover the essential working palette at the most accessible price points. A good introductory palette would include a warm and cool yellow, a warm and cool red, a warm and cool blue, a Burnt Sienna or Raw Umber, and Titanium White. From those eight to ten colours you can mix almost anything.
Once you are comfortable with the range, the Series 3 and 4 colours — the genuine cadmiums, cobalts, and some of the more unusual historic pigments — are where Wallace Seymour's point of difference really becomes apparent.
Frequently asked questions about Wallace Seymour acrylics
Where are Wallace Seymour paints made? Wallace Seymour are a British company. Their paints and materials are produced in the UK in small batches, with many pigments sourced from original quarries.
Are Wallace Seymour acrylics suitable for beginners? The paints themselves are straightforward to use — they behave like a high quality heavy body acrylic. The main consideration for beginners is that the range is unusual and some colours are unfamiliar. Starting with a small selection of core colours alongside a more familiar brand is a good approach.
Can you mix Wallace Seymour acrylics with other brands? Yes. Wallace Seymour acrylics are compatible with other acrylic paints and most acrylic mediums.
Are the cadmium colours genuine cadmiums? Yes. Wallace Seymour offer both genuine cadmium colours (in Series 3 and 4) and cadmium hues. The genuine cadmiums produce a vibrancy and opacity that hues cannot fully replicate.
Browse the full Wallace Seymour range and our complete acrylic paint collection at Craft and Canvas, Hebden Bridge. Come in and talk to us — we know this range well and are happy to help you get the most from it.