In the pot, Howling Sand reads as a cool yellow, very light and moderate. Within the The Army Painter range it ladders cleanly, Battleship Grey for the shadows and Holy White for the highlights. Howling Sand is a bit distinctive: no other brand carries a strong same-finish match, though Citadel Plaguebearer Flesh comes nearest at 79 percent. Any substitute is a mixing base rather than a drop-in, so tune it on the model.
Howling Sand equivalents and near misses
Fair warning: nothing matches The Army Painter Howling Sand cleanly. The options below are the least bad, and every one of them drifts.
Closest Citadel equivalent: Citadel Plaguebearer Flesh, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 4.3).
From AK Interactive: AK Interactive Green-Grey, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 2.2), but it is an opaque acrylic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
Revell's closest color: Revell Sky (RAF), close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 3.2), but it is an opaque acrylic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
Nearest in the P3 Paints catalog: P3 Paints Devout White, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 5.4), but it is an opaque acrylic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
Worth knowing before you swap: Citadel Plaguebearer Flesh runs slightly more saturated and warmer, which shows most where the paint thins over raised detail.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Citadel
AK Interactive
Revell
P3 Paints
Monument Pro Acryl
Scale75
Vallejo
Tamiya
Two Thin Coats
Humbrol
Green Stuff World
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
Try any paint in the scheme toolMatch difficulty
Found in 0 other brands with a same-finish match.
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to The Army Painter Howling Sand?
The closest same-finish match is Citadel Plaguebearer Flesh at 79% color similarity.
Is Howling Sand a one-coat paint?
Howling Sand 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 Howling Sand with?
Highlight Howling Sand toward Holy White and shade it down into Battleship Grey, both The Army Painter paints in the same finish family.