Color-wise this is a moderate, dark blue leaning cool. No shortage of substitutes here, Triumphant Navy from The Army Painter matches at 92 percent and 8 brands carry a strong same-finish near-match. For highlights, the next step up in the Tamiya range is Sea Blue. Bottom line: run out mid-project and another brand will get you within a shade.
Dark Blue equivalents, brand by brand
4 of the 10 brands with a mapped match get genuinely close to Tamiya Dark Blue, though none is a clone. Brand by brand, the nearest colors are:
- Closest The Army Painter equivalent: The Army Painter Triumphant Navy, a swap nobody spots at arm's length (delta E 1.5).
- From Revell: Revell Dark Blue (RAL 5013), a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 2.0).
- The P3 Paints pick: P3 Paints Caspian Blue, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 2.3).
- Nearest in the Humbrol catalog: Humbrol Sea Blue, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 2.3).
- Best Citadel option: Citadel Night Lords Blue, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 2.6).
- From Vallejo: Vallejo Dark Blue, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 2.9).
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
The Army Painter
Revell
P3 Paints
Humbrol
Citadel
Vallejo
Green Stuff World
AK Interactive
Monument Pro Acryl
Scale75
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
Try any paint in the scheme toolMatch difficulty
Found in 8 other brands with a same-finish match.
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to Tamiya Dark Blue?
The closest same-finish match is The Army Painter Triumphant Navy at 92% color similarity.
What color is Dark Blue?
Dark Blue is a dark moderate blue with a cool undertone (hex #18305A).
What do I highlight and shade Dark Blue with?
The next step up for highlighting Dark Blue is Sea Blue in the Tamiya range. Nothing sits directly below it in the same lane, so reach for a wash to shade.