French Blue: equivalents & matches

AK Interactive · 3rd Gen Acrylic · AK11166. The closest match in every major brand, plus highlight, shadow and complement picks, computed with the BrushForge color engine.

hex #545653 finish matte type color family Grey

Updated 17 July 2026

Closest equivalents in other brands

ΔE2000 color distance:0-2 nearly identical2-5 close match6-10 noticeable difference10+ different color

Screen preview: paint swatches on screen are approximate: finish, lighting, night-mode filters and display calibration all change what you see. Use them to compare relative differences, then confirm with the physical paint when finish and final appearance matter.

Vallejo

UK Bronze Green 28.004

Hobby Paint

ΔE 1.3 · nearly identical

ΔE 5.3 · noticeable difference

Army Painter

Hardened Carapace WP1430

Warpaints

ΔE 7.1 · noticeable difference

Kimera Kolors

Oxide Brown Medium

Expansion Set 1

ΔE 9.6 · noticeable difference

Similar paints

UK Bronze Green · 28.004

Vallejo · Hobby Paint

AK Interactive · 3rd Gen Acrylic

Very close

3 more similar paints, ranked live against your own collection.See them in the app →

Highlight & shadow paints

Real paints closest to the ideal first highlight and shadow for French Blue, using the layering model from the BrushForge app.

Highlight · step 1 of 2

Orc Skin

Army Painter · D&D Nolzur's Marvelous Pigments

target

Shadow · step 1 of 2

Basalt Grey / Black Uniform AK3003

AK Interactive · Figures Series

target

The app adds a second, stronger step, a wash & glaze mode, and can pick highlights from the paints you already own. Open in the app →

Complementary paints

Opposite-hue paints that make French Blue pop. Great for basing, freehand, or contrast details.

Beholder Purple

Army Painter · D&D Nolzur's Marvelous Pigments

Faded Plum

Pro Acryl · Pro Acryl Standard

The full harmony wheel with split-complementary, triadic, analogous, and warm/cool variants lives in the app. Explore it free →

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Frequently asked questions

What is the Vallejo equivalent of French Blue?

The closest Vallejo match for AK Interactive French Blue is UK Bronze Green (28.004, Hobby Paint) with a ΔE2000 distance of 1.3 (nearly identical).

What color is French Blue?

French Blue is a standard grey miniature paint from AK Interactive (3rd Gen Acrylic), code AK11166. Its screen color is approximately #545653 with a matte finish.