Obsidian Skin vs Carbon Black

How close are they?

ΔE 5.7, very close: most people won’t see a difference side by side. Carbon Black is a little lighter than Obsidian Skin. They are different kinds of paint: Army Painter Obsidian Skin is an opaque base/layer paint and Golden Carbon Black is an ink, glaze or transparent paint, so they won’t behave the same on the model even where the colour is close.

Can I use Carbon Black instead of Obsidian Skin?

Yes, for most jobs. Very close match (ΔE 6). Carbon Black is a little lighter than Obsidian Skin. They are different kinds of paint.

Can I use Obsidian Skin instead of Carbon Black?

The same difference applies the other way round: Obsidian Skin is a little darker.

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.