Hoeth Blue vs Primary Cyan

How close are they?

ΔE 13.2, fair: the same colour family, but not a straight swap. Primary Cyan is a little lighter, more saturated than Hoeth Blue. They are different kinds of paint: Citadel Hoeth Blue is an opaque base/layer paint and Golden Primary Cyan 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 Primary Cyan instead of Hoeth Blue?

Only where an exact match doesn’t matter, such as a new unit or a highlight. Fair match (ΔE 13). Primary Cyan is a little lighter, more saturated than Hoeth Blue. They are different kinds of paint.

Can I use Hoeth Blue instead of Primary Cyan?

The same difference applies the other way round: Hoeth Blue is a little darker, 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.