Cold Yellow vs Light Yellow

How close are they?

ΔE 14.0, fair: the same colour family, but not a straight swap. Light Yellow is a little darker, much more muted than Cold Yellow.

Can I use Light Yellow instead of Cold Yellow?

Only where an exact match doesn’t matter, such as a new unit or a highlight. Fair match (ΔE 14). Light Yellow is a little darker, much more muted than Cold Yellow.

Can I use Cold Yellow instead of Light Yellow?

The same difference applies the other way round: Cold Yellow is a little lighter, much more saturated.

ΔE is the colour difference between our two swatch estimates: under about 6 is close, over about 15 is loose. Real paints also differ in finish, coverage and how they thin, so test before you commit.