In the pot, Tidal Blue reads as a cool blue, mid-tone and vivid. Within the The Army Painter range it ladders cleanly, Stratos Blue for the shadows and Crystal Blue for the highlights. Substitutes are thinner on the ground; Vallejo Light Turquoise is the nearest same-finish option at 86 percent, with 2 brands in strong-match range. Any substitute is a mixing base rather than a drop-in, so tune it on the model.
Tidal Blue equivalents and near misses
Fair warning: nothing matches The Army Painter Tidal Blue cleanly. The options below are the least bad, and every one of them drifts.
Closest Vallejo equivalent: Vallejo Light Turquoise, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 2.9).
Scale75's closest color: Scale75 Vanity Blue, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.9).
Nearest in the P3 Paints catalog: P3 Paints Runeshot, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 4.3).
Best Monument Pro Acryl option: Monument Pro Acryl Sky Blue, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 4.6).
Check it on a spare model first, because Vallejo Light Turquoise sits slightly warmer than the original and the difference grows over large flat panels.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Vallejo
Scale75
P3 Paints
Monument Pro Acryl
Humbrol
Citadel
Green Stuff World
Two Thin Coats
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
Try any paint in the scheme toolMatch difficulty
Found in 2 other brands with a same-finish match.
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to The Army Painter Tidal Blue?
The closest same-finish match is Vallejo Light Turquoise at 86% color similarity.
What color is Tidal Blue?
Tidal Blue is a mid-tone vivid blue with a cool undertone (hex #006C94).
What do I highlight and shade Tidal Blue with?
Highlight Tidal Blue toward Crystal Blue and shade it down into Stratos Blue, both The Army Painter paints in the same finish family.