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Coat D'arms Paint 

I ended up with a paint comparison but check out http://colors.silicon-dragons.com/full_line.php for a paint conversion chart. 

I've adopted Coat D'arms as my paints of choice when I moved to the UK.  They are good acrylic paints in convenient little flip top bottles, and very similar to the paints I was using in NZ.   In fact Coat D'arms are the old Citadel range for those of you who are GW people.  

Coat D'arms are now produced by Black Hat Miniatures.  You can buy it on their Coat D'Arms Paints page. 

The downside of using Coat D'arms, for me anyway, is that painting guides on the BattleFront site refer to the Vallejo or the new Citadel ranges, but not Coat D'arms, so I've little idea what paints I should use.  The conversion chart below is intended to to address that, however, I soon found life was not so simple.  

CD denotes colour samples from Black Hat Miniatures: Coat D'Arms Paints

??? denotes those Coat D'arms paints for which I don't have a colour sample yet.  

Vallejo paints caused me considerably more grief.  I found three published colour guides for their Model Color range, but they all differed.  Here's a few examples to prove the point: 

 

Vallejo Paint  BattleFront Prince August Vallejo Paints
921 English Uniform      
923 Japanese Uniform      
928 Light Flesh      
947 Red      

The Vallejo colour guides on the BattleFront and the Vallejo Paints differ so enormously that it is like they are describing different ranges.  Without exception the colours given on the Vallejo Paints site are darker and greyer, and further more, they're wrong!  It is clear from photos of figures using Vallejo paints and comparing those photos to the recommendations on BattleFront  Painting Guides that the BattleFront colour charts are actually more accurate.  Quite disappointing really.   As it happens I ended up using colour samples from all three sites.  

BF denotes a Vallejo Model Color sample from BattleFront: Vallejo Paints Colour Guide.  Where possible I used the colour sample from this site. 

PA denotes a Vallejo Model Color sample from Prince August: Vallejo Vinyl Acrylic Paints.  This seems to be a better colour guide than the Vallejo Paints one, and is more comprehensive than BattleFront.  I don't trust it completely, for example, from the samples given above the 921 English Uniform, 923 Japanese Uniform, and 947 Red from BattleFront seem better.   

VP denotes a Vallejo Model Color sample from Vallejo Paints themselves.  Despite the fact their colour chart seems to be fatally flawed I have used it in places as the BattleFront chart is incomplete and the Prince August one seems to have problems in some places.  

I've only tried to match up Vallejo Model Color and Coat D'arms ranges.  For Citadel and Vallejo Game Colour I've relied on a couple of conversion charts I found on the web: 

And finally, sometimes the painting guides are puzzling themselves.  The following is a colour sample of Khaki Drill followed by the recommendations from three painting guides for which paint to use for it.  As you can see the colours vary quite a lot.  The Khaki suggestion of BF is obviously wrong, however, the lighter variations on sand would work.   

Historical Colour SHQ Suggestion Gladiator Suggestion BF Suggestion
Khaki Drill (KD) - from here VP847 Dark Sand   CD522 Pale sand VP988 Khaki 

Vallejo
Pos
Colour Sample Coat D'arms  Vallejo 
Model Color 
Vallejo 
Game Color 
Citadel 
1 CD 101 White 951 Flat White 001 Skull White Skull White
2 VP 919 Foundation White 002 White Primer Smelly Primer
5 VP   918 Ivory    
  CD 213 Flesh   003 Pale Flesh Pallid Flesh*
6 BF   928 Light Flesh    
  CD 112 Bone   034 Bone White Bleached Bone
7 PA   837 Pale Sand    
8 PA   917 Beige     
9 BF   916 Sand Yellow    
10 VP   949 Light Yellow    
  CD 146 Dusky Yellow   005 Bald Moon Yellow Bad Moon Yellow
  CD 103 Sun Yellow   006 Sun Blast Yellow Sunburst Yellow
11 VP   952 Lemon Yellow    
12 PA   806 Lazur / German Yellow    
13 VP   858 Ice Yellow    
14 BF   915 Deep Yellow    
15 VP   953 Flat Yellow    
  CD 215 Oriental Flesh      
16 BF   948 Golden Yellow    
  CD 159 Golden Yellow    007 Gold Yellow Golden Yellow
17 BF   815 Fleshtone       
  CD 123 Elven Flesh   004 Elf Skintone Elf Flesh
18 BF   955 Flat Flesh     
19 BF   927 Dark Flesh    
  CD 115 Tanned Flesh   036 Bronze Flesh Bronzed Flesh
20 BF   845 Sunny Skin tone    
  CD 214 Suntanned Flesh      
  CD 124 Dwarven Flesh   041 Dwarf Skin Dwarf Flesh
21 VP   860 Medium Flesh    
  CD 130 Bilious Brown   037 Filthy Brown Vomit Brown
  CD 105 Flame Orange   008 Orange Fire Fiery Orange
22 PA   911 Light Orange    
  CD

149 Angel Red

 

Blood Angel Red

23 PA   805 German Orange    
24 BF   851 Bright Orange    
  CD 238 British Scarlet      
25 PA   956 Clear Orange    
  CD 104 Blood Red   010 Bloody Red Blood Red
26 PA   817 Scarlet    
27 PA   910 Orange Red     
  CD 147 Burnt Orange   009 Hot Orange Blazing Orange
28 PA   909 Vermillion    
29 BF   947 Red    
30 PA   908 Carmine Red    
  CD 237 Russet Red      
31 PA   957 Flat Red    
  CD

129 Vampire Red

  011 Gory Red Red Gore
32 PA   946 Dark Red    
33 PA   926 Red 012 Scar Red Scab Red
34 PA   814 Cadmium Umber Red    
35 PA   859 Black Red    
36 PA   804 Red Beige     
37 PA   835 Salmon Rose    
38 PA   803 Brown Rose    
39 PA   944 Old Rose    
  CD 144 Shocking Pink   013 Squid Pink Tentacle Pink
40 PA   958 Pink     
  CD 210 Purple      
  CD 157 Warlock Purple    014 Warlord Purple Warlock Purple
41 PA   802 Red Sunset    
42 PA   945 Magenta    
44 PA   959 Purple    
  CD 118 Poison Purple   015 HeVAed Lichen Liche Purple
  CD 160 Amethest Purple   016 Royal Purple Imperial Purple*
45 BF   810 Royal Purple    
  CD 162 Nauseous Blue    017 Sick Blue Nauseating Blue*
  CD

127 Enchanted Blue

 

Polished Blue

46 PA   811 Violet Blue    
47 PA   960 Violet     
48 PA   898 Dark Sea Blue    
49 PA   807 OVAford Blue    
50 PA   899 Dark Prussian    
52 BF 925 Blue 018 Stormy Blue Storm Blue*
  CD 166 Fester Blue      
  CD 167 Hideous Blue       
53 PA   930 Dark Blue 019 Night Blue Midnight Blue
54 PA   809 Royal Blue    
  CD 206 Light Blue      
  CD 110 Royal Blue   020 Imperial Blue Regal Blue
  CD

117 High Elf Blue

 

Lightning Bolt Blue

55 PA

148 Marine Blue

839 Ultramarine 022 Ultra Marine Blue Ultramarines Blue
56 PA   962 Flat Blue    
57 PA   963 Medium Blue    
58 PA   964 Field Blue    
 

CD

518 Field blue

     
59 PA   900 French Mirage Blue    
60 PA   903 Intermediate Blue    
61 PA   934 Grey Blue    
62 PA   902 Azure    
  CD 207 Dark Blue      
63 BF   901 Pastel Blue    
64 BF   906 Pale Blue    
65 PA   841 Andrea Blue    
  CD 114 Wizard Blue   021 Magic Blue Enchanted Blue
  CD 239 Bavarian Blue      
66 PA   844 Deep Sky Blue 023 Electric Blue Ice Blue
67 BF   961 Sky Blue     
  CD

151 Lupin Grey

 

Space Wolf Grey

  CD 165 Hawk Turquoise   024 Falcon Turquoise Hawk Turquoise
  CD 158 Jade Green       
68 VP 840 Light Turquoise 026 Jade Green Jade Green*
69 BF   966 Turquoise     
  CD 132 Aquamarine      
  CD     027 Scurf Green Scaly Green
 

CD

507 Sea grey

     
70 PA 808 Blue Green (approVA.) 025 Foul Green Vile Green*
 

CD

514 Pale green

     
  CD

128 Enchanted Green

 

Glistening Green

  CD 164 Emerald Green      
71 VP 121 Bogey Green 838 Emerald 029 Sick Green Snot Green
72 BF   970 Deep Green    
  CD 155 Angel Green    028 Dark Green Dark Angels Green
73 PA 209 Dark Green 969 Park Green Flat     
 

CD

512 Tank green

     
74 PA   891 Intermediate Green    
 

CD

535 Jungle green

     
 

CD

536 Forest green

     
  CD 208 Grass Green      
75 VP 108 Goblin Green 942 Light Green 030 Goblin Green Goblin Green
76 PA   974 Green Sky    
77 PA   827 Lime Green    
  CD 152 Scorpion Green   032 Scorpy Green Scorpion Green
78 VP 954 Yellow Green 033 Livery Green Bilous Green*
  CD 230 Camouflage Green      
79 PA   857 Golden Olive    
80 PA   833 Germ. Cam. Bright Green    
81 BF   850 Medium Olive    
  CD 226 Olive      
 

CD

513 Faded olive

     
82 PA 967 Olive Green 031 Camouflage Green Camo Green
 

CD

527 Tank drab

     
 

CD

528 Russian brown

     
 

CD

530 Russian green

     
84 PA   922 US Uniform    
85 BF   920 German Uniform     
86 BF   823 Luftwaffe Camo    
 

CD

503 Military green

     
88 PA   895 Gunship Green    
  CD

111 Dark Elf Green

 

Dark Angel Green

90 BF   890 Reflective Green    
  CD 508 Olive drab      
  CD 161 Deadly Nightshade       
 

CD

521 Army green

     
 

CD

511 Tank blue grey

     
 

CD

523 US dark green

     
 

CD

505 Green grey

     
 

CD

516 Iron grey

     
 

CD

533 Slate grey

     
91

VP

 

889 Olive Drab     
92 BF   888 Olive Grey    
93 BF   887 Brown Violet    
94 BF   924 Russian Uniform WWII     
95 BF   893 US Dark Green    
  CD   894 Russian Green as it looks on the BattleFront Site    
96 BF   894 Russian Green    
97 BF   979 German Camo Dark Green    
98 BF   897 Bronze Green    
100 PA   980 Black Green    
 

CD

515 Black green

     
101 BF   886 Grey Green    
102 BF   830 German fieldgrey    
  CD 227 Field Grey      
103 BF   821 German Camo biege     
104 BF   884 Stone grey    
 

CD

537 Faded khaki

     
105 BF   816 Luftwaffe Uniform WW2    
106 PA   971 Green Grey    
107 PA   972 Light Green Blue    
108 PA   973 Light Sea Grey    
109 VP   885 Pastel Green    
110 BF   986 Deck Tan    
111 VP   987 Medium Grey    
112 BF   881 Yellow Green    
113 BF   880 Khaki Grey    
114 BF   879 Green-brown    
  CD 221 Horse tone - Dun      
115 BF   988 Khaki     
117 BF   923 Japanese Uniform    
 

CD

531 Japanese uniform

     
118 PA   882 Middlestone     
119 BF   914 Green Ochre    
120 BF   976 Buff    
  CD 225 Khaki      
  CD 229 Dark Sand      
  CD 125 Putrid Green   035 Dead Flesh Rotting Flesh
  CD 222 Horse tone - Roan      
  CD 240 Unbleached Wool    
  CD 233 Linen      
  CD 228 Buff      
121 BF   913 Yellow Ochre    
  CD 126 Festering Brown   039 Plague Brown Bubonic Brown
 

CD

510 Mid stone

     
  CD 116 Barbarian Leather   040 Cobra Leather Snakebite Leather
122 PA   912 Tan Yellow    
123 BF   847 Dark Sand    
 

CD

522 Pale sand

     
  CD 517 Dessert Yellow      
124 BF   819 Iraqi Sand    
125

BF

 

977 Desert Yellow    
126 PA   877 Gold Brown    
127 PA   856 Ochre Marron    
128 BF   824 German Camo Orange Ochre    
129 PA   929 Light Brown    
130 BF   829 Ammarranth Red    
 

CD

506 Desert Sand

     
  CD 156 Leprous Brown    038 Scrofulous Brown Leprous Brown*
  CD 224 Horse tone - Bay      
 

CD

532 Italian red earth

     
131 PA 981 Orange Brown 042 Parasite Brown Vermin Brown
132 PA   876 Brown Sand    
133 PA   843 Cork Brown    
  CD 217 Leather Brown      
  CD 120 Hairy Brown   043 Beasty Brown Bestial Brown
134 PA   874 USA tan-Earth    
135 BF   835 Beige Brown    
136 PA   818 Red Leather    
138 BF   940 Saddle Brown 044 Dark Fleshtone Dark Flesh
139 PA   846 Mahogany Brown    
140 PA   984 Flat Brown    
141 BF   921 English Uniform     
142 BF   873 US Field Drab     
143 BF   983 Flat Earth    
144 BF   825 German Camo Pale Brown    
145 BF   826 German Camo Medium Brown     
  CD 218 Wood Brown      
 

CD

529 Beige brown

     
  CD 219 Chestnut Brown      
  CD 216 Negro      
 

CD

534 Dark Leather

     
 

CD

519 Chocolate brown

     
  CD 234 Dark Earth      
  CD 235 Horse tone - Brown      
 

CD

501 British khaki

     
 

CD

524 Tan earth

     
 

CD

502 Field drab

     
147 BF   871 Leather Brown    
149 BF   872 Chocolate Brown    
  CD

119 Rat Brown

 

Vermin Fur

 

CD

509 Brick red

     
 

CD

520 Red Brown

     
  CD 223 Horse tone - Chestnut      
150 BF 822 German Camo Black Brown 045 Charred Brown Scorched Brown
  CD 211 Light Grey      
  CD 141 Grey Primer        
 

CD

526 Tank Light grey

     
151 PA 993 Flat Aluminum 046 Ghost Grey Ghostly Grey*
152 PA   Silvergrey    
  BF   870 Medium Sea Grey    
153 BF 907 Pale Greyblue 047 Wolf Grey Space Wolves Grey
  CD

122 Elven Grey

 

Elf Grey

154 BF   989 Sky grey    
  CD 150 Shadow Grey   048 Sombre Grey Shadow Grey
155 PA 990 Light Grey 049 Stone Wall Grey Fortress Grey
  CD 236 Horse tone - Grey      
156 PA   905 Bluegrey Pale    
157 PA   904 Dark Blue Grey    
158 PA   870 Medium Sea Grey    
159 PA   991 Dark Sea Grey    
160 PA 992 Neutral Grey 050 Cold Grey CodeVA Grey
161 BF   836 London Grey    
  CD 231 Mid Grey      
  CD 212 Dark Grey      
162 PA   869 Basalt Grey    
163 PA   868 Dark Sea Green    
164 PA   867 Dark Blue Grey    
165 BF   866 Green Grey    
 

CD

525 Uniform grey

     
166 PA   994 Dark Grey    
167 BF   995 German Grey    
 

CD

504 Panzer grey

     
169 CD 102 Black 950 Black 051 Chaos Black Chaos Black
171 BF   997 Silver    
  CD 220 Silver      
  CD 106 Enchanted Silver   052 Mithril Silver Mithril Silver
172 BF 996 Gold 055 Polished Gold Burnished Gold
173 VP 107 Bright Gold 878 Old Gold 056 Glorious Gold Shining Gold
174   131 Brass 801 Brass 058 Brassy Brass Brazen Brass
  CD 232 Bronze      
175 VP 143 Dwarven Bronze 998 Bronze 057 Bright Bronze Dwarf Bronze
176 VP 163 Beaten Copper 999 Copper 059 Hammered Copper Beaten Copper*
  CD 113 Magic Metal No Equivalent 060 Tinny Tin Tin Bitz
177 BF   865 Oily Steel     
178 VP 109 Chainmail 864 Natural Steel 053 Chain Mail Chainmail
197 BF   863 Gunmetal Grey    
  CD 142 Gun Metal   054 Gunmetal Boltgun Metal
  ???

133 Ink wash - Flesh

 

Flesh Wash

  ???

134 Ink wash - Green

Orc Flesh Wash

  ???

135 Ink wash - Blue

Blue Wash

  ???

136 Ink wash - Brown

Brown Wash

  ???

137 Ink wash - Chestnut

Chestnut Wash

  ???

138 Ink wash - Red

Red Wash

  ??? 153 Ink Wash - Armour      
  ??? 154 Ink Wash - Black       
  CD

139 Matt Varnish

 

  CD

140 Gloss Varnish

 

  ???

145 Ruby Red

Ruby Red

  ??? 241 Rust    

* Out of production 

Sources 

Black Hat Miniatures: Coat D'arms Paints  

BattleFront: Vallejo Colour Guide 

Doctor Faust's Painting Clinic: Coat D'arms to GW 

Katamaran Miniatures: Vallejo Paints vs. Citadel Color  

Prince August: Vallejo Vinyl Acrylic Paints 

Vallejo Paints

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