Imperial Blue sits in the blue family: very dark in tone, moderate in saturation, cool in cast. For modelling, drop to Charcoal in the recesses and step up to Continental Blue on the edges, both Vallejo paints. Substitutes are thinner on the ground; Scale75 Siesta Blue is the nearest same-finish option at 82 percent, with 1 brand in strong-match range. Cross-brand swaps are adjust-on-model territory here, useful as a starting point rather than an exact replacement.
Imperial Blue equivalents in other ranges
Imperial Blue is awkward to replace. Treat the matches below as starting points for a mix rather than straight swaps.
Closest Scale75 equivalent: Scale75 Siesta Blue, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.6).
Best Humbrol option: Humbrol Midnight Blue, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 4.4).
From AK Interactive: AK Interactive Russian Blue Base, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 4.5).
Monument Pro Acryl's closest color: Monument Pro Acryl Payne's Grey, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 4.9).
The honest caveat: Scale75 Siesta Blue dries slightly lighter than Imperial Blue, so expect recess shading and edge highlights to shift with it.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Scale75
Humbrol
AK Interactive
Monument Pro Acryl
Revell
P3 Paints
The Army Painter
Green Stuff World
Tamiya
Citadel
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
Try any paint in the scheme toolMatch difficulty
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to Vallejo Imperial Blue?
The closest same-finish match is Scale75 Siesta Blue at 82% color similarity.
What color is Imperial Blue?
Imperial Blue is a very dark moderate blue with a cool undertone (hex #132033).
What do I highlight and shade Imperial Blue with?
Highlight Imperial Blue toward Continental Blue and shade it down into Charcoal, both Vallejo paints in the same finish family.