Dark Aluminium is a mid-tone muted metallic silver with a warm undertone. For modelling, drop to Gun Metal in the recesses and step up to Oily Steel on the edges, both AK Interactive paints. This color is somewhat distinctive: 1 brand offers a strong same-finish match, P3 Paints Galvanised Steel closest at 81 percent. Cross-brand swaps are adjust-on-model territory here, useful as a starting point rather than an exact replacement.
Dark Aluminium equivalents in other ranges
Dark Aluminium is awkward to replace. Treat the matches below as starting points for a mix rather than straight swaps.
Closest P3 Paints equivalent: P3 Paints Galvanised Steel, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.7).
Tamiya's closest color: Tamiya Metallic Grey, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 7.7).
Nearest in the Two Thin Coats catalog: Two Thin Coats Mythril Blade, only a loose relative (delta E 8.4).
Best Monument Pro Acryl option: Monument Pro Acryl Metallic Medium, only a loose relative (delta E 8.4).
Check it on a spare model first, because P3 Paints Galvanised Steel sits slightly lighter than the original and the difference grows over large flat panels.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
P3 Paints
Tamiya
Two Thin Coats
Monument Pro Acryl
Vallejo
Revell
Scale75
Citadel
The Army Painter
Humbrol
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Match difficulty
Found in 1 other brand with a same-finish match.
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to AK Interactive Dark Aluminium?
The closest same-finish match is P3 Paints Galvanised Steel at 81% color similarity.
What finish is Dark Aluminium?
Dark Aluminium is a metallic paint with a silver tone and a reflective finish. Because the shine comes from metal flake, a flat paint can match the color and still be wrong for the job, which is why cross-finish matches here are references rather than swaps.
What do I highlight and shade Dark Aluminium with?
Highlight Dark Aluminium toward Oily Steel and shade it down into Gun Metal, both AK Interactive paints in the same finish family.