Purple Tone vs Anthraquinone Blue

How close are they?

ΔE 12.6, fair: the same colour family, but not a straight swap. Anthraquinone Blue is a little darker, more saturated, cooler than Purple Tone. They are different kinds of paint: Army Painter Purple Tone is a wash/shade and Golden Anthraquinone Blue 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 Anthraquinone Blue instead of Purple Tone?

Only where an exact match doesn’t matter, such as a new unit or a highlight. Fair match (ΔE 13). Anthraquinone Blue is a little darker, more saturated, cooler than Purple Tone. They are different kinds of paint.

Can I use Purple Tone instead of Anthraquinone Blue?

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