What is the difference between Royal Blue and Mica Blue?

ΔE 11 (fair). Mica Blue is a little darker, warmer. Swatch colours are estimates.

Royal Blue vs Mica Blue

Royal Blue

Brand: Army Painter
Range: Warpaints Fanatic
Type: an opaque base/layer paint
Swatch: #0057a5 (estimate)

Mica Blue

Brand: Tamiya
Range: TS Spray
Code: TS-50
Type: an opaque base/layer paint
Swatch: #0a4191 (estimate)

How close are they?

ΔE 10.6, fair: the same colour family, but not a straight swap. Mica Blue is a little darker, warmer than Royal Blue.

Can I use Mica Blue instead of Royal Blue?

Only where an exact match doesn’t matter, such as a new unit or a highlight. Fair match (ΔE 11). Mica Blue is a little darker, warmer than Royal Blue.

Can I use Royal Blue instead of Mica Blue?

The same difference applies the other way round: Royal Blue is a little lighter, cooler.

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.

See Royal Blue on the colour wheel See Mica Blue on the colour wheel

Other Tamiya paints close to Royal Blue

Royal Blue vs Blue (X-4)X Gloss Acrylic · ΔE 1, very close · closer than Mica Blue
Royal Blue vs Blue (TS-15)TS Spray · ΔE 3, very close · closer than Mica Blue
Royal Blue vs Blue (PS-4)PS Spray (polycarbonate) · ΔE 5, very close · closer than Mica Blue

Other Army Painter paints close to Mica Blue

Mica Blue vs Ultramarine BlueWarpaints Air · ΔE 5, very close · closer than Royal Blue
Mica Blue vs Ultramarine BlueWarpaints Fanatic · ΔE 9, close · closer than Royal Blue
Mica Blue vs Viking BlueWarpaints Legacy · ΔE 11, fair

All matches: Royal Blue equivalents · Mica Blue equivalents