In the pot, Carnelian Skin reads as a warm red, light and moderate. It builds a smooth gradient with Quartz Skin underneath and Gargoyle Grey on the highlights, all in the The Army Painter line. Carnelian Skin is a bit distinctive: no other brand carries a strong same-finish match, though AK Interactive Light Flesh comes nearest at 79 percent. Any substitute is a mixing base rather than a drop-in, so tune it on the model.
Carnelian Skin equivalents and near misses
Fair warning: nothing matches The Army Painter Carnelian Skin cleanly. The options below are the least bad, and every one of them drifts.
Closest AK Interactive equivalent: AK Interactive Light Flesh, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 4.2).
Monument Pro Acryl's closest color: Monument Pro Acryl Tan Flesh, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 5.7).
Nearest in the Vallejo catalog: Vallejo Pale Flesh, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 6.3).
Best Scale75 option: Scale75 Pink Of Desire, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 6.9).
Worth knowing before you swap: AK Interactive Light Flesh runs clearly warmer and more saturated, which shows most where the paint thins over raised detail.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
AK Interactive
Monument Pro Acryl
Vallejo
Scale75
Tamiya
Two Thin Coats
P3 Paints
Revell
Citadel
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
Try any paint in the scheme toolMatch difficulty
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to The Army Painter Carnelian Skin?
The closest same-finish match is AK Interactive Light Flesh at 79% color similarity.
What color is Carnelian Skin?
Carnelian Skin is a light moderate red with a warm undertone (hex #C49080).
What do I highlight and shade Carnelian Skin with?
Highlight Carnelian Skin toward Gargoyle Grey and shade it down into Quartz Skin, both The Army Painter paints in the same finish family.