Wallace Seymour Artist Acrylics Series 3 is where the range moves into genuinely unusual territory. This tier covers metallic colours, dioxazines, and a selection of pigments that are significantly more expensive to produce or source than those in Series 1 and 2 — including colours that are, in some cases, simply not available anywhere else in an acrylic formulation.
The additional cost of Series 3 reflects the raw materials, not the formulation standard. The same specially developed acrylic resin and the same small-batch production process applies throughout the range. What changes is the pigment itself — rarer, more complex, or more expensive to produce — and the resulting colour qualities that come with it.
Nickel Titanium Yellow is one of the standout Series 3 colours: a warm, slightly earthy yellow with beautiful transparency and a character entirely distinct from cadmium yellows or standard synthetic yellows. It is a colour that rewards exploring and that painters who discover it tend to keep on their palette permanently. The Dioxazine Violet in the range offers a deep, rich purple of exceptional intensity. And where Series 3 touches the mineral and earth pigments not available in the lower series, the results can be extraordinary — colours with genuine physical character that reflects the geology and history of their origin.
At £12.40 per 60ml tube, Series 3 is still competitive with mid-range commercial artist grade acrylics, while offering something those ranges simply cannot match in terms of pigment originality and quality.
Frequently asked questions
What makes Series 3 different from Series 1 and 2? The pigments. Series 3 uses more expensive, rarer, or more complex pigments — including metallics, dioxazines, and unusual mineral and synthetic colours — that cost significantly more to source or produce than the standard synthetics and earth colours in the lower series. The formulation, consistency, and quality standard are identical across all three series.
What is Nickel Titanium Yellow and why is it in Series 3? Nickel Titanium Yellow (PY53) is a warm, slightly earthy yellow with exceptional transparency and lightfastness. It has a different character from both cadmium yellows and standard synthetic yellows — subtler, more complex, and particularly beautiful in glazes and mixed neutrals. It is classified as Series 3 because the pigment is more expensive to produce than standard synthetic yellows. It is one of the most distinctive and versatile colours in the Wallace Seymour acrylic range.
Are there genuine cadmium colours in Series 3? The Wallace Seymour acrylic range includes both genuine cadmium colours and cadmium hues. Genuine cadmium colours sit at the higher series levels due to the cost of the pigment. Series 3 includes colours in the cadmium family — check the specific colour listings for pigment information. If you want to know the exact pigment composition of any colour before purchasing, contact us in store or by email and we will confirm.
Is Series 3 worth the extra cost over Series 1? That depends entirely on which colours you need. For colours that exist only in Series 3 — Nickel Titanium Yellow, the dioxazine purples, metallic colours, and certain unusual mineral pigments — there is no comparable alternative at any price. For colours that exist across multiple series, the choice comes down to the specific pigment quality on offer. Many painters work across all three series, using Series 1 for core workhorse colours and Series 3 for the specific colours where Wallace Seymour's point of difference is most pronounced.
Can I mix Series 3 colours with Series 1 and 2? Yes — all three series are fully compatible with each other and with all standard acrylic paints and mediums. You can mix freely across the range.
Are metallic colours included in Series 3? Yes. The Wallace Seymour acrylic range includes metallic colours in Series 3. These use metallic pigments in the same high-quality acrylic resin as the rest of the range, producing a consistent metallic sheen that holds across the dried paint film.
Is the consistency the same as Series 1 and 2? Yes. The paint has the same soft gel consistency throughout all three series — the same viscous paste with maximum pigmentation, the same satin-gloss finish when dry, and the same drying time of 30 to 40 minutes for a thin film. Series designation reflects pigment cost only, not any difference in handling characteristics.
What mediums work best with Series 3 colours? All Wallace Seymour acrylic mediums are compatible with Series 3, including Impasto Gel (Gloss and Matt), Fluid Medium, Retarder, and the Gesso and primer range. Standard acrylic mediums from other manufacturers also work well. For metallic colours in particular, applying a coat of Gloss Varnish once the painting is complete helps preserve the metallic sheen.
