In the pot, Black reads as a neutral black, very dark and muted. Matching it is straightforward: Tamiya Semi Gloss Black lands at 91 percent in the same finish, and 7 brands in all carry a close same-finish swap. It builds a smooth gradient with Black Green underneath and Wwi French Green 2 on the highlights, all in the AK Interactive line. Bottom line: run out mid-project and another brand will get you within a shade.
Black equivalents, brand by brand
2 of the 11 brands with a mapped match get genuinely close to AK Interactive Black, though none is a clone. Brand by brand, the nearest colors are:
- Closest Tamiya equivalent: Tamiya Semi Gloss Black, a swap nobody spots at arm's length (delta E 1.7).
- Nearest in the Monument Pro Acryl catalog: Monument Pro Acryl Carbon Black, close enough that batch variation matters more (delta E 1.9).
- Best Humbrol option: Humbrol Coal Black, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 2.6).
- From P3 Paints: P3 Paints Greylord, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.3).
- Revell's closest color: Revell Tar Black (RAL 9021), close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 3.5).
- Nearest in the Vallejo catalog: Vallejo German Grey, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.8).
We checked the Lab numbers for a hidden catch and there is none: lightness and temperature both line up, so this swap is as safe as they come.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Tamiya
Monument Pro Acryl
Humbrol
P3 Paints
Revell
Vallejo
The Army Painter
Citadel
Green Stuff World
Scale75
Two Thin Coats
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Match difficulty
Found in 7 other brands with a same-finish match.
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to AK Interactive Black?
The closest same-finish match is Tamiya Semi Gloss Black at 91% color similarity.
Is there a Vallejo equivalent of Black?
Yes. The closest Vallejo option is German Grey at 81%, a same-finish match.
What color is Black?
Black is a very dark muted black with a neutral cast (hex #212322).
What do I highlight and shade Black with?
Highlight Black toward Wwi French Green 2 and shade it down into Black Green, both AK Interactive paints in the same finish family.