Desert Yellow is a light moderate yellow with a warm undertone. Matching it is straightforward: Two Thin Coats Inferno Orange lands at 88 percent in the same finish, and 3 brands in all carry a close same-finish swap. For modelling, drop to Prairie Ochre in the recesses and step up to Grotesque Green on the edges, both The Army Painter paints. Treat it as an easy swap, just confirm the finish type matches before you commit.
Desert Yellow equivalents in other ranges
No brand clones Desert Yellow outright, but 1 range comes close enough to swap. The best candidate from each catalog:
- Closest Two Thin Coats equivalent: Two Thin Coats Inferno Orange, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 2.5).
- Nearest in the AK Interactive catalog: AK Interactive Ral 7028 Dunkelgelb (Initial), close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 3.5).
- Best Tamiya option: Tamiya Dark Yellow 2, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.5).
- From Revell: Revell Beige (RAL 1019), a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 4.5).
- Citadel's closest color: Citadel Zandri Dust, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 5.2).
- Nearest in the Scale75 catalog: Scale75 Tenere Yellow, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 5.6).
Check it on a spare model first, because Two Thin Coats Inferno Orange sits slightly warmer and more saturated than the original and the difference grows over large flat panels.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Two Thin Coats
AK Interactive
Tamiya
Revell
Citadel
Scale75
P3 Paints
Monument Pro Acryl
Vallejo
Green Stuff World
Humbrol
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 The Army Painter Desert Yellow?
The closest same-finish match is Two Thin Coats Inferno Orange at 88% color similarity.
What color is Desert Yellow?
Desert Yellow is a light moderate yellow with a warm undertone (hex #AA9450).
What do I highlight and shade Desert Yellow with?
Highlight Desert Yellow toward Grotesque Green and shade it down into Prairie Ochre, both The Army Painter paints in the same finish family.