Grim Black is genuinely hard to match: no other brand has a same-finish equivalent close enough to swap, and the nearest color anywhere, Monument Pro Acryl Black Wash at 92 percent, is a different finish. Color-wise this is a muted, very dark black leaning neutral. For highlights, the next step up in the The Army Painter range is Occultist Cloak. If you need this exact color, buy the pot, since no other line reproduces it in the same finish.
Grim Black equivalents, brand by brand
Several ranges orbit this color without landing on it. Here is the closest each brand manages, nearest first:
- Closest Monument Pro Acryl equivalent: Monument Pro Acryl Black Wash, a swap nobody spots at arm's length (delta E 1.6).
- Nearest in the Citadel catalog: Citadel Nuln Oil, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 2.7).
- Best AK Interactive option: AK Interactive Smoke Black, only a loose relative (delta E 9.0).
- From Green Stuff World: Green Stuff World Black Stallion, indistinguishable once dry (delta E 0.0), but it is an opaque acrylic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
- Revell's closest color: Revell Black/Schwarz (RAL 9005), the same color for practical purposes (delta E 0.0), but it is an opaque acrylic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
- Nearest in the Tamiya catalog: Tamiya Black, indistinguishable once dry (delta E 0.0), but it is an opaque acrylic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
Check it on a spare model first, because Monument Pro Acryl Black Wash sits slightly lighter than the original and the difference grows over large flat panels.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Monument Pro Acryl
Black Wash
Transparent Black
Brown Wash
Payne's Grey Wash
Petroleum Brown Wash
Brown Grey Wash
Transparent Brown
Matte Black Primer
Satin Black
Brush-On Black
Coal Black
Dark Burgundy
Dark Green Brown
Dark Navy Blue
Dark Sea Ben
Black Green
Dark Blue
Dark Purple
Citadel
AK Interactive
Green Stuff World
Revell
Tamiya
Vallejo
Humbrol
Scale75
P3 Paints
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Match difficulty
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to The Army Painter Grim Black?
The closest same-finish match is Monument Pro Acryl Black Wash at 92% color similarity.
Is there a Citadel equivalent of Grim Black?
Yes. The closest Citadel option is Nuln Oil at 86%, a same-finish match.
Is Grim Black a one-coat paint?
Grim Black is a contrast paint, made to basecoat and shade in a single pass over a light primer. One coat drops color into the recesses and leaves the raised areas brighter; a second coat deepens the tone if you want it richer.
What do I highlight and shade Grim Black with?
The next step up for highlighting Grim Black is Occultist Cloak in the The Army Painter range. Nothing sits directly below it in the same lane, so reach for a wash to shade.