CARBON BLACK INK
3rd Generation
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As a standard basecoat paint, this colour is formulated for opaque coverage over primer in one to two controlled passes. Near-black tones create deep shadows, weapon bodies, and armour undercoats across every miniature project.
The closest Black Ink equivalent is CARBON BLACK INK (AK Interactive) (ΔE 2.6).
No close Vallejo equivalent found for Black Ink.
For Army Painter, the closest match to Black Ink is Dark Tone (Army Painter) (ΔE 9.0).
These 5 substitutes are ranked by Delta-E accuracy. Each entry includes a behaviour comment.
Ranked by Delta-E CIEDE2000 · All brands · Interactive
The closest cross-brand equivalent to Black Ink in the current local catalogue is CARBON BLACK INK from AK Interactive (Delta-E 2.59).
Matches are computed from the local paint catalogue with Delta-E CIEDE2000. Lower values mean a closer visual match on the miniature.
Finish, opacity, flow, and bottle format are not captured by Delta-E alone. Test the substitute if the recipe relies on a specific behaviour.
Before adopting a substitute, check these points specific to this base paint:
Black Ink is a base paint from Citadel (Games Workshop). Its specific pigment load, drying behaviour, and finish set it apart from other paints in the same category, which is why a direct substitute needs to match more than just the colour value.
No reliable Vallejo match appears in the current top equivalents.
Yes, Black Ink is currently part of the Citadel (Games Workshop) range. Check local stock or equivalent alternatives if the pot is hard to source.
Check Delta-E, finish type, coverage, opacity, and behaviour over your chosen primer. Run a full test with one shade and one highlight pass before applying the substitute to an entire unit.
As a standard basecoat paint, this colour is formulated for opaque coverage over primer in one to two controlled passes. Near-black tones create deep shadows, weapon bodies, and armour undercoats across every miniature project.
The closest Black Ink equivalent is CARBON BLACK INK (AK Interactive) (ΔE 2.6).
No close Vallejo equivalent found for Black Ink.
For Army Painter, the closest match to Black Ink is Dark Tone (Army Painter) (ΔE 9.0).
As a standard basecoat paint, this colour is formulated for opaque coverage over primer in one to two controlled passes. Near-black tones create deep shadows, weapon bodies, and armour undercoats across every miniature project.
The closest Black Ink equivalent is CARBON BLACK INK (AK Interactive) with Delta E 2.6. No close Vallejo equivalent found for Black Ink. For Army Painter, the closest match to Black Ink is Dark Tone (Army Painter) with Delta E 9.0.
No Vallejo equivalent within an acceptable colour distance was found for Black Ink.
The best Army Painter option is Dark Tone (Army Painter) with Delta E 9.0.
As a base paint, Black Ink requires specific handling that affects how any substitute performs. The colour sits in the near-black range, with reliable coverage and stable opacity over the primer already used in your recipe.
Black Ink is designed to cover primer evenly in one or two passes. Coverage is rated reliable, so a substitute that falls below this threshold will require extra coats to block the undercolour. Test the replacement over the same primer — a base that shifts tone with each coat can alter the entire highlight stack.
This base paint performs best over the primer already used in your recipe. A substitute that behaves well over a light primer may struggle over black or grey, especially if its opacity is lower. Apply two thin coats, letting each dry fully before the next.
The near-black mid-tone of Black Ink anchors the layers above it. A replacement that dries glossier or rougher will change how shade and layer paints adhere.
Base paints carry more pigment than other types, so even a near-black substitute with a close Delta-E can read warmer or cooler once shaded. Run a complete test: prime, base, shade, and highlight before committing.
The most useful partners for Black Ink are matching washes, mid-tones, and highlights. These supporting colours define how the base reads once the recipe is complete.
A base paint substitute only becomes trustworthy once it survives the same primer, shade, and highlight sequence as the original recipe.
Looking at the surrounding palette matters because a near match can still push the finished model warmer, colder, or flatter than expected.
That combination of colour distance, finish, and recipe context is what makes a base paint substitute reliable on an actual miniature.
That combination of colour distance, finish, and recipe context is what makes a substitute reliable on an actual miniature.
A paint substitute only becomes trustworthy once it survives the same primer, shade, and highlight sequence as the original recipe.
Looking at the surrounding palette matters too, because a near match can still push the finished model warmer, colder, flatter, or glossier than expected.
That is why the page keeps the recommendation anchored to painting workflow instead of treating Delta-E alone as the final decision.
A useful equivalent page should also reduce buying mistakes: the closer colour is not always the safer option if the bottle dries glossier, covers faster, or behaves differently on large armour panels.
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