This is a common color; 5 other brands cover it, the nearest being Scale75 Dubai Brown at 86 percent. Color-wise this is a moderate, dark brown leaning warm. For modelling, drop to JGSDF Brown in the recesses and step up to Dark Sea Grey on the edges, both Tamiya paints. Bottom line: run out mid-project and another brand will get you within a shade.
NATO Brown equivalents and near misses
Fair warning: nothing matches Tamiya NATO Brown cleanly. The options below are the least bad, and every one of them drifts.
Closest Scale75 equivalent: Scale75 Dubai Brown, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 2.8).
From Revell: Revell Brown/Braun (RAL 8025), a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 2.9).
The Two Thin Coats pick: Two Thin Coats Paladin Flesh, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 3.4).
Nearest in the The Army Painter catalog: The Army Painter Onyx Skin, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.8).
Check it on a spare model first, because Scale75 Dubai Brown sits slightly warmer and more saturated than the original and the difference grows over large flat panels.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Scale75
Revell
Two Thin Coats
The Army Painter
AK Interactive
Vallejo
Monument Pro Acryl
Citadel
Humbrol
Green Stuff World
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
Try any paint in the scheme toolMatch difficulty
Found in 5 other brands with a same-finish match.
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to Tamiya NATO Brown?
The closest same-finish match is Scale75 Dubai Brown at 86% color similarity.
Is there a The Army Painter equivalent of NATO Brown?
Yes. The closest The Army Painter option is Onyx Skin at 81%, a same-finish match.
What color is NATO Brown?
NATO Brown is a dark moderate brown with a warm undertone (hex #705040).
What do I highlight and shade NATO Brown with?
Highlight NATO Brown toward Dark Sea Grey and shade it down into JGSDF Brown, both Tamiya paints in the same finish family.