Cross-brand swaps do not really exist for Rust Tone; the closest color anywhere, AK Interactive Deep Brown at 91 percent, sits in a different finish class, so it is a reference not a substitute. In the pot, Rust Tone reads as a warm brown, dark and moderate. Shade down into Dark Rust, the nearest darker paint in the The Army Painter line. If you need this exact color, buy the pot, since no other line reproduces it in the same finish.
Rust Tone equivalents and near misses
Fair warning: nothing matches The Army Painter Rust Tone cleanly. The options below are the least bad, and every one of them drifts.
Closest AK Interactive equivalent: AK Interactive Deep Brown, a swap nobody spots at arm's length (delta E 1.8), but it is an opaque acrylic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
From Tamiya: Tamiya Brown, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 2.6), but it is an opaque acrylic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
The P3 Paints pick: P3 Paints Molten Bronze, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 3.9), but it is a metallic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
Nearest in the Revell catalog: Revell Mud Brown (RAL 8003), a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 4.0), but it is an opaque acrylic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
We checked the Lab numbers for a hidden catch and there is none: lightness and temperature both line up, so this swap is as safe as they come.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
AK Interactive
Tamiya
P3 Paints
Revell
Green Stuff World
Monument Pro Acryl
Vallejo
Humbrol
Scale75
Two Thin Coats
Citadel
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 Rust Tone?
No same-finish equivalent is close enough to call a straight swap. The nearest color overall is AK Interactive Deep Brown at 91%, in a different finish class.
What color is Rust Tone?
Rust Tone is a dark moderate brown with a warm undertone (hex #7C4828).
What do I highlight and shade Rust Tone with?
Shade Rust Tone with Dark Rust in the same The Army Painter range. For highlights, mix in a lighter tone or move to a brighter paint in the lane.