Japanese Brown vs Yellow Ochre

How close are they?

ΔE 10.3, fair: the same colour family, but not a straight swap. Yellow Ochre is a little darker, more saturated than Japanese Brown.

Can I use Yellow Ochre instead of Japanese Brown?

Only where an exact match doesn’t matter, such as a new unit or a highlight. Fair match (ΔE 10). Yellow Ochre is a little darker, more saturated than Japanese Brown.

Can I use Japanese Brown instead of Yellow Ochre?

The same difference applies the other way round: Japanese Brown is a little lighter, more muted.

ΔE is the colour difference between our two swatch estimates: under about 6 is close, over about 15 is loose. Real paints also differ in finish, coverage and how they thin, so test before you commit.