Abaddon Black vs Olive Ink

How close are they?

ΔE 12.3, fair: the same colour family, but not a straight swap. Olive Ink is much more saturated than Abaddon Black. They are different kinds of paint: Citadel Abaddon Black is an opaque base/layer paint and Nocturna Models Olive Ink 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 Olive Ink instead of Abaddon Black?

Only where an exact match doesn’t matter, such as a new unit or a highlight. Fair match (ΔE 12). Olive Ink is much more saturated than Abaddon Black. They are different kinds of paint.

Can I use Abaddon Black instead of Olive Ink?

The same difference applies the other way round: Abaddon Black is much more muted.

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.