Penetrating Red INK vs Rust

How close are they?

ΔE 8.3, close: similar, with a visible difference side by side. Rust is a little darker, more muted than Penetrating Red INK. They are different kinds of paint: AK Interactive Penetrating Red INK is an ink, glaze or transparent paint and Army Painter Rust is an opaque base/layer paint, so they won’t behave the same on the model even where the colour is close.

Can I use Rust instead of Penetrating Red INK?

Usually, if you are not matching paint already on the model. Close match (ΔE 8). Rust is a little darker, more muted than Penetrating Red INK. They are different kinds of paint.

Can I use Penetrating Red INK instead of Rust?

The same difference applies the other way round: Penetrating Red INK is a little lighter, more saturated.

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.