Hazelnut is the neutral that does not go dull. It is a warm brown with a metallic sheen running through it, the colour of an old bronze handle that somebody kept polished, and it sits under almost every other shade on the shelf without fighting them. Dry brush it over a casting and the detail reads as cast metal rather than painted resin.

Prima builds Metallique as a water based metallic acrylic, rich in colour and permanent after drying, made for decor, art and mixed media. It is the one to reach for on frames, trim, mould castings, small furniture details and anything meant to look older than it is. The jar holds 1.7 fl oz (50 ml), and on dry brushed work that is a very long run of pieces before you reach the bottom.

Heat it up, or soften it: