In the pot, Metalcote Matt Aluminium reads as a neutral metallic silver, light and muted. This is a common color; 3 other brands cover it, the nearest being Citadel Stormhost Silver at 92 percent. For modelling, drop to Steel Grey in the recesses and step up to Aluminium on the edges, both Humbrol paints. Treat it as an easy swap, just confirm the finish type matches before you commit.
Metalcote Matt Aluminium equivalents, brand by brand
2 of the 10 brands with a mapped match get genuinely close to Humbrol Metalcote Matt Aluminium, though none is a clone. Brand by brand, the nearest colors are:
- Closest Citadel equivalent: Citadel Stormhost Silver, a swap nobody spots at arm's length (delta E 1.6).
- Best Revell option: Revell Steel/Eisen, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 2.2).
- From The Army Painter: The Army Painter Broadsword Silver, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 3.0).
- AK Interactive's closest color: AK Interactive Natural Steel, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 4.6).
- Nearest in the Tamiya catalog: Tamiya Flat Aluminum 2, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 5.0).
- Best Vallejo option: Vallejo Dark Gunmetal, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 6.7).
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
Citadel
Revell
The Army Painter
AK Interactive
Tamiya
Vallejo
Two Thin Coats
Monument Pro Acryl
P3 Paints
Green Stuff World
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Match difficulty
Found in 3 other brands with a same-finish match.
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to Humbrol Metalcote Matt Aluminium?
The closest same-finish match is Citadel Stormhost Silver at 92% color similarity.
What finish is Metalcote Matt Aluminium?
Metalcote Matt Aluminium is a metallic paint with a silver tone and a reflective finish. Because the shine comes from metal flake, a flat paint can match the color and still be wrong for the job, which is why cross-finish matches here are references rather than swaps.
What do I highlight and shade Metalcote Matt Aluminium with?
Highlight Metalcote Matt Aluminium toward Aluminium and shade it down into Steel Grey, both Humbrol paints in the same finish family.