In the pot, Dark Yellow reads as a warm yellow, mid-tone and moderate. Within the Vallejo range it ladders cleanly, Bright Green for the shadows and Lime Green for the highlights. Dark Yellow is a little less common: the closest same-finish match, Tamiya Yellow Olive, reaches 87 percent, and 2 other brands carry a strong same-finish alternative. Any substitute is a mixing base rather than a drop-in, so tune it on the model.
Dark Yellow equivalents and near misses
Fair warning: nothing matches Vallejo Dark Yellow cleanly. The options below are the least bad, and every one of them drifts.
Closest Tamiya equivalent: Tamiya Yellow Olive, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 2.6).
Nearest in the Scale75 catalog: Scale75 Tenere Yellow, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.4).
Best AK Interactive option: AK Interactive Grey Green, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 5.0).
From Citadel: Citadel Zandri Dust, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 5.2).
The honest caveat: Tamiya Yellow Olive dries slightly cooler than Dark Yellow, so expect recess shading and edge highlights to shift with it.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Tamiya
Scale75
AK Interactive
Citadel
P3 Paints
Two Thin Coats
Green Stuff World
The Army Painter
Revell
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
Try any paint in the scheme toolMatch difficulty
Found in 2 other brands with a same-finish match.
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to Vallejo Dark Yellow?
The closest same-finish match is Tamiya Yellow Olive at 87% color similarity.
What color is Dark Yellow?
Dark Yellow is a mid-tone moderate yellow with a warm undertone (hex #908738).
What do I highlight and shade Dark Yellow with?
Highlight Dark Yellow toward Lime Green and shade it down into Bright Green, both Vallejo paints in the same finish family.