Dirt vs Onyx Skin

How close are they?

ΔE 9.5, close: similar, with a visible difference side by side. Onyx Skin is a little darker, cooler than Dirt. They are different kinds of paint: AMMO by Mig Dirt is an ink, glaze or transparent paint and Army Painter Onyx Skin 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 Onyx Skin instead of Dirt?

Usually, if you are not matching paint already on the model. Close match (ΔE 10). Onyx Skin is a little darker, cooler than Dirt. They are different kinds of paint.

Can I use Dirt instead of Onyx Skin?

The same difference applies the other way round: Dirt is a little lighter, warmer.

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.