This is a common color; 6 other brands cover it, the nearest being Monument Pro Acryl Burnt Umber at 87 percent. Brown Bess sits in the brown family: dark in tone, moderate in saturation, warm in cast. Within the Humbrol range it ladders cleanly, Matt US Dark Green for the shadows and Matt Tank Grey for the highlights. Bottom line: run out mid-project and another brand will get you within a shade.
Brown Bess equivalents in other ranges
Brown Bess is awkward to replace. Treat the matches below as starting points for a mix rather than straight swaps.
Closest Monument Pro Acryl equivalent: Monument Pro Acryl Burnt Umber, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 2.5).
From Vallejo: Vallejo Burnt Umber, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 2.6).
The Two Thin Coats pick: Two Thin Coats Druid Flesh, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 2.8).
Nearest in the AK Interactive catalog: AK Interactive Nato Brown, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 2.8).
The drift here is spread thinly across hue, lightness and saturation rather than leaning one way, so the mismatch reads as a general haze at delta E 2.5 rather than an obvious shift.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Monument Pro Acryl
Vallejo
Two Thin Coats
AK Interactive
The Army Painter
Tamiya
Citadel
Revell
Scale75
P3 Paints
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
Try any paint in the scheme toolMatch difficulty
Found in 6 other brands with a same-finish match.
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to Humbrol Brown Bess?
The closest same-finish match is Monument Pro Acryl Burnt Umber at 87% color similarity.
Is there a Vallejo equivalent of Brown Bess?
Yes. The closest Vallejo option is Burnt Umber at 87%, a same-finish match.
What color is Brown Bess?
Brown Bess is a dark moderate brown with a warm undertone (hex #513629).
What do I highlight and shade Brown Bess with?
Highlight Brown Bess toward Matt Tank Grey and shade it down into Matt US Dark Green, both Humbrol paints in the same finish family.