Color-wise this is a vivid, very light yellow leaning warm. Shade down into Iyanden Yellow, the nearest darker paint in the Citadel line. This color is somewhat distinctive: 1 brand offers a strong same-finish match, Tamiya Clear Yellow closest at 94 percent. Expect a close but not identical result from a swap, so check it on the model before committing a whole unit.
Bad Moon Yellow equivalents, brand by brand
Several ranges orbit this color without landing on it. Here is the closest each brand manages, nearest first:
- Closest Tamiya equivalent: Tamiya Clear Yellow, a swap nobody spots at arm's length (delta E 1.1).
- Nearest in the The Army Painter catalog: The Army Painter Maize Yellow, close enough that batch variation matters more (delta E 1.6).
- Best Vallejo option: Vallejo Yellow Wash, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 5.2).
- From Two Thin Coats: Two Thin Coats Serpent Eye Yellow, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.3), but it is an opaque acrylic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
- AK Interactive's closest color: AK Interactive Radiant Yellow, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 3.5), but it is an opaque acrylic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
- Nearest in the Revell catalog: Revell Yellow (RAL 1018), workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 4.1), 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
Tamiya
The Army Painter
Vallejo
Two Thin Coats
AK Interactive
Revell
Green Stuff World
Humbrol
P3 Paints
Scale75
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
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Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to Citadel Bad Moon Yellow?
The closest same-finish match is Tamiya Clear Yellow at 94% color similarity.
Is there a The Army Painter equivalent of Bad Moon Yellow?
Yes. The closest The Army Painter option is Maize Yellow at 92%, a same-finish match.
Is Bad Moon Yellow a one-coat paint?
Bad Moon Yellow 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 Bad Moon Yellow with?
Shade Bad Moon Yellow with Iyanden Yellow in the same Citadel range. For highlights, mix in a lighter tone or move to a brighter paint in the lane.