Tan Earth is a mid-tone moderate brown with a warm undertone. This is a common color; 3 other brands cover it, the nearest being Vallejo Desert Yellow at 91 percent. For modelling, drop to Raf Dark Earth in the recesses and step up to Rlm 62 on the edges, both AK Interactive paints. In practice you can substitute across brands here without anyone noticing at arm's length.
Tan Earth equivalents in other ranges
No brand clones Tan Earth outright, but 2 ranges come close enough to swap. The best candidate from each catalog:
- Closest Vallejo equivalent: Vallejo Desert Yellow, close enough that batch variation matters more (delta E 1.8).
- From Scale75: Scale75 Gobi Brown, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 2.3).
- Revell's closest color: Revell Dark Earth, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.1).
- Nearest in the Green Stuff World catalog: Green Stuff World Komodo Khaki, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 4.6).
- Best Humbrol option: Humbrol Red Brown, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 4.9).
- From Two Thin Coats: Two Thin Coats Noble Steed Brown, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 5.3).
Side by side the two agree in lightness and temperature; at delta E 1.8 the gap is smaller than the variation between two pots of the same paint.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Vallejo
Scale75
Revell
Green Stuff World
Humbrol
Two Thin Coats
The Army Painter
P3 Paints
Tamiya
Citadel
Monument Pro Acryl
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
Try any paint in the scheme toolMatch difficulty
Found in 3 other brands with a same-finish match.
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to AK Interactive Tan Earth?
The closest same-finish match is Vallejo Desert Yellow at 91% color similarity.
What color is Tan Earth?
Tan Earth is a mid-tone moderate brown with a warm undertone (hex #7C5B32).
What do I highlight and shade Tan Earth with?
Highlight Tan Earth toward Rlm 62 and shade it down into Raf Dark Earth, both AK Interactive paints in the same finish family.