Color-wise this is a vivid, dark red leaning warm. It builds a smooth gradient with Brick Red underneath and Medium Rust on the highlights, all in the AK Interactive line. Substitutes are thinner on the ground; Scale75 Kalahari Orange is the nearest same-finish option at 83 percent, with 2 brands in strong-match range. Any substitute is a mixing base rather than a drop-in, so tune it on the model.
Carmine equivalents and near misses
Fair warning: nothing matches AK Interactive Carmine cleanly. The options below are the least bad, and every one of them drifts.
Closest Scale75 equivalent: Scale75 Kalahari Orange, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 3.3).
From Revell: Revell Brown/Braun (RAL 8023), a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.6).
The P3 Paints pick: P3 Paints Khador Red, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 4.3).
Nearest in the Humbrol catalog: Humbrol Red Leather, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 4.3).
Worth knowing before you swap: Scale75 Kalahari Orange runs slightly lighter, which shows most where the paint thins over raised detail.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Scale75
Revell
P3 Paints
Humbrol
The Army Painter
Vallejo
Monument Pro Acryl
Tamiya
Citadel
Green Stuff World
Two Thin Coats
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
Try any paint in the scheme toolMatch difficulty
Found in 2 other brands with a same-finish match.
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to AK Interactive Carmine?
The closest same-finish match is Scale75 Kalahari Orange at 83% color similarity.
Is there a The Army Painter equivalent of Carmine?
Yes. The closest The Army Painter option is Molten Lava at 78%, a same-finish match.
What color is Carmine?
Carmine is a dark vivid red with a warm undertone (hex #A6381F).
What do I highlight and shade Carmine with?
Highlight Carmine toward Medium Rust and shade it down into Brick Red, both AK Interactive paints in the same finish family.