Are there paint references that give equivalent paint codes for different manufacturers?

Apps mentioned in the video above:

Android: HOBBY COLOR COVERTER APP: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.pulgadas.hobbycolorconverter&hl=en_GB&gl=US

iOS: MODEL PAINT 42 app https://apps.apple.com/gb/app/model-paint-42/id357012161

Welcome to another Quickie FAQ with Foxx and Sprue! If you're watching this on YouTube, you'll find tons more info and resources about today's question on our website's FAQ page for it - link in the description below this video!

Adam Taylor asks a VERY common question: are there paint references that give equivalent paint codes for different manufacturers? Basically, if you have an instruction sheet with paint callouts for a specific brand of paint you don't have - say, it lists Tamiya paints but all you have is Vallejo - is there a resource that can suggest equivalent colours from other paint brands?

Thankfully, in this modern day of AN INTERNETS, computermabobs and also iPhones (and Android nonsense, if you must) the answer is YES!

In the olden days, the dark beforetimes, you would've had to ask a grumpy man behind a shop counter and hoped that he knew (and wouldn't just tell you to buy Humbrol enamels in tin pots instead) or just looked at pot colours on shelves and made a best guess. But nowadays there are tons of paint comparison tools on the interwebs, some small, some large, some massively comprehensive. Too many to list here! However, as it's often the case that you need to check whilst at the bench and not at your computer, having a colour app to hand on your phone or tablet (or, for the truly heretical, a phablet) is a billion times more practical as you always have that with you.

For iOS devices, check out the MODEL PAINT 42 app on the iOS store, and for Android devices you might like to grab the HOBBY COLOR COVERTER APP. We'll put really long and unpronounceable links to both these in the description below this video on YouTube, and below the video on the FAQ page if you are watching on emodels.co.uk

There are tons of others of course, so don't be afraid to hunt around the intertubes and see which app or web-based one works best for you! So there you go! Remember to check out our other FAQ guides and if you have a quickie question, send it to [email protected] with the title "FAQ Question" or fill out the contact form on the website.

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