Magic Blue is a mid-tone vivid blue with a cool undertone. For modelling, drop to Royal Robes in the recesses and step up to Pastel Indigo on the edges, both The Army Painter paints. This color is somewhat distinctive: 1 brand offers a strong same-finish match, Citadel Asurmen Blue closest at 80 percent. Cross-brand swaps are adjust-on-model territory here, useful as a starting point rather than an exact replacement.
Magic Blue equivalents in other ranges
Magic Blue is awkward to replace. Treat the matches below as starting points for a mix rather than straight swaps.
Closest Citadel equivalent: Citadel Asurmen Blue, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 4.1).
Tamiya's closest color: Tamiya Clear Blue, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 6.5).
Nearest in the Vallejo catalog: Vallejo Fluorescent Blue, close enough that batch variation matters more (delta E 1.4), but it is an opaque acrylic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
Best Two Thin Coats option: Two Thin Coats Enchantment Blue, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 2.6), but it is a metallic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
Worth knowing before you swap: Citadel Asurmen Blue runs slightly cooler and more saturated, which shows most where the paint thins over raised detail.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Citadel
Tamiya
Vallejo
Two Thin Coats
Humbrol
Monument Pro Acryl
Scale75
Revell
Green Stuff World
AK Interactive
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
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Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to The Army Painter Magic Blue?
The closest same-finish match is Citadel Asurmen Blue at 80% color similarity.
Is Magic Blue a one-coat paint?
Magic Blue 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 Magic Blue with?
Highlight Magic Blue toward Pastel Indigo and shade it down into Royal Robes, both The Army Painter paints in the same finish family.