Color-wise this is a muted, very dark red leaning warm. Matching it is straightforward: AK Interactive Reddish Black lands at 88 percent in the same finish, and 3 brands in all carry a close same-finish swap. It builds a smooth gradient with Continental Blue underneath and Dark Grey on the highlights, all in the Vallejo line. Treat it as an easy swap, just confirm the finish type matches before you commit.
Dark Rust equivalents, brand by brand
1 of the 9 brands with a mapped match get genuinely close to Vallejo Dark Rust, though none is a clone. Brand by brand, the nearest colors are:
- Closest AK Interactive equivalent: AK Interactive Reddish Black, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 2.4).
- Citadel's closest color: Citadel Rhinox Hide, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.3).
- Nearest in the Monument Pro Acryl catalog: Monument Pro Acryl Red Grey, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 3.8).
- Best Scale75 option: Scale75 Brown Black Pudding, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 4.6).
- From Green Stuff World: Green Stuff World Dark Umber, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 4.9).
- Humbrol's closest color: Humbrol Service Brown, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 7.4).
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 2.4 rather than an obvious shift.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
AK Interactive
Citadel
Monument Pro Acryl
Scale75
Green Stuff World
Humbrol
Two Thin Coats
P3 Paints
The Army Painter
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
Try any paint in the scheme toolMatch difficulty
Found in 3 other brands with a same-finish match.
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to Vallejo Dark Rust?
The closest same-finish match is AK Interactive Reddish Black at 88% color similarity.
Is there a Citadel equivalent of Dark Rust?
Yes. The closest Citadel option is Rhinox Hide at 83%, a same-finish match.
What color is Dark Rust?
Dark Rust is a very dark muted red with a warm undertone (hex #3B2625).
What do I highlight and shade Dark Rust with?
Highlight Dark Rust toward Dark Grey and shade it down into Continental Blue, both Vallejo paints in the same finish family.