That depends on how much this one covers, and Metallic Yellow is opaque. A metallic that lets light through is at the mercy of its ground: over black or a deep gold underpainting it flares properly, and over white or raw canvas it goes pale and chalky. One that covers in its own right is far less fussy and will shimmer straight over a light surface, though a darker ground still deepens it. Either way, let the ground dry completely before laying the metallic over it in one or two even coats.

Yes, all Amsterdam acrylics are intermixable, but adding an opaque colour to a metallic buries the mica flakes in solid pigment and reduces the shimmer. If you want a metallic version of another colour, glaze a thin layer of Metallic Yellow over the opaque colour once it is dry rather than mixing the two on the palette. Mixing metallic into metallic works fine and is a good way to shift the tone.

Yes, more than it affects a plain colour. Gloss varnish deepens the flare and makes Metallic Yellow look richer. Matte varnish scatters the reflected light and will noticeably mute the metallic, sometimes to the point of losing the effect. Satin sits in between. Always test on a painted sample board before varnishing the finished piece, because this is not a change you can undo.

Yes. The question that matters for selling work is permanence, and Amsterdam Standard Series is rated ++ or +++ for lightfastness with a 100% acrylic resin binder that cures water resistant. Where professionals tend to reach for a higher grade is when they need maximum pigment strength in a small area, or very specific single-pigment mixing behaviour. For large canvases, underpainting, murals and blocking in, Standard Series is a sensible professional choice.

Tell us within 7 business days of receiving it. Email customerservice@artshedonline.com.au with your order number and photos of the damage and the packaging, and our team will sort it out. Paint jars are packed to survive the trip, but couriers are couriers. Reporting it quickly with photos is what lets us make a claim and get a replacement moving.

Yes, mixed with a pouring medium. Do not try to thin acrylic to pouring consistency with water alone, because you will break the binder and get a weak, crazed film. A pouring medium keeps the resin content intact while dropping the viscosity, and a few drops of silicone oil will open cells if that is the look you want. The 500ml size is the sensible one for pouring, because a pour uses far more paint than you think it will.

Yes, for feature walls, murals and children's rooms. Artist acrylic is far more pigmented than house paint, so it covers in fewer coats and goes further per litre than you would expect, which is why people usually use it for the artwork itself and standard wall paint for the surrounding field. Make sure the wall is clean and free of grease, and keep in mind that artist acrylic in a satin finish will not scrub like a washable interior paint unless you seal it.

Do not tip liquid acrylic or heavily pigmented rinse water down the sink or a storm drain. Let leftover paint dry out fully in the container, then put the solid in general waste. For rinse water, let the solids settle in a bucket, decant the clear water, and dry out the sludge before binning it. For larger quantities, or if you are unsure, check with your local council, which will have a household chemical drop-off.

Upright, lid on tight, at stable room temperature, out of direct sunlight. Heat and freezing are the two things that ruin acrylic, so a hot car, a tin shed in summer or an unheated garage in a cold winter are all bad storage. Wipe the rim before you close the lid or dried paint will stop it sealing. Never tip used paint from the palette back into the jar, because you are introducing contamination and half-cured lumps.