In the pot, Blue reads as a cool blue, dark and vivid. No shortage of substitutes here, Deep Blue from AK Interactive matches at 91 percent and 8 brands carry a strong same-finish near-match. For modelling, drop to Violet in the recesses and step up to Oxford Blue on the edges, both Vallejo paints. Bottom line: run out mid-project and another brand will get you within a shade.
Blue equivalents, brand by brand
4 of the 11 brands with a mapped match get genuinely close to Vallejo Blue, though none is a clone. Brand by brand, the nearest colors are:
- Closest AK Interactive equivalent: AK Interactive Deep Blue, a swap nobody spots at arm's length (delta E 1.7).
- Best P3 Paints option: P3 Paints Cygnar Blue, close enough that batch variation matters more (delta E 1.8).
- From Tamiya: Tamiya Sea Blue, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 2.2).
- The Army Painter's closest color: The Army Painter Imperial Navy, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 2.4).
- Nearest in the Revell catalog: Revell Ultramarine/Ultramarinblau (RAL 5002), close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 3.0).
- Best Citadel option: Citadel Macragge Blue, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.3).
Check it on a spare model first, because AK Interactive Deep Blue sits slightly more muted and warmer than the original and the difference grows over large flat panels.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
AK Interactive
P3 Paints
Tamiya
The Army Painter
Revell
Citadel
Green Stuff World
Humbrol
Monument Pro Acryl
Two Thin Coats
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 Vallejo Blue?
The closest same-finish match is AK Interactive Deep Blue at 91% color similarity.
Is there a The Army Painter equivalent of Blue?
Yes. The closest The Army Painter option is Imperial Navy at 88%, a same-finish match.
What color is Blue?
Blue is a dark vivid blue with a cool undertone (hex #153767).
What do I highlight and shade Blue with?
Highlight Blue toward Oxford Blue and shade it down into Violet, both Vallejo paints in the same finish family.