A Citadel color chart is a table that maps each Citadel paint to its closest match in another brand, usually built by comparing measured color values rather than eyeballing bottles side by side. There is no single official Citadel conversion chart from Games Workshop itself. Every chart in circulation, including this site's, is a third party's best attempt at the match, which is why two different charts can disagree on the same paint.
Games Workshop does not publish a first-party app or chart for converting its colors to other brands, which is exactly why "citadel paint app" and "citadel color chart" are such common searches. Painters who own paints across brands need a working answer and there is not an official one.
How does a conversion chart actually get built?
The reliable way is color distance math: convert each paint's swatch color to a standardized color space and measure how far apart two colors are numerically, using a formula like CIEDE2000. A small distance means the colors are visually close. This site's charts are built exactly that way, computed from each brand's own catalog rather than copied from a single existing chart, then cross-checked against community consensus charts to catch outliers.
Example matches from the chart
| Citadel paint | Closest match | Similarity |
|---|---|---|
| Abaddon Black | Vallejo Black (72.051) | 100 percent |
| Macragge Blue | Vallejo Magic Blue | 97 percent |
| Mephiston Red | Vallejo Carmine Red | 79 percent |
| Mournfang Brown | Vallejo Gory Red | 73 percent |
| Ushabti Bone | Vallejo Pastel Green | 66 percent |
That last row is the important lesson in this table. Ushabti Bone and Vallejo Pastel Green are the closest numeric match in the catalog, at 66 percent, which is a meaningfully weaker match than the top rows. A low percentage is the chart telling you honestly that no great substitute exists, not a hidden error.
Why does percentage match go down for some colors?
Because catalogs are not built to mirror each other. Citadel and Vallejo were developed independently with different pigment sets, so some colors have a near-perfect twin in the other brand and others simply do not. A conversion chart should show you the honest distance, not force a match that isn't really there.
Does a color chart account for finish type?
A raw color chart, on its own, does not. Color distance math only compares hue, saturation, and lightness. It has no way of knowing that one paint is a flat opaque base and the other is a metallic, a wash, or a contrast paint, three finish types that behave completely differently on a model even when their measured colors are close. That is why a serious conversion chart groups matches by finish class and flags any cross-finish pairing rather than presenting every high percentage match as a safe swap. A wash matched to an opaque base coat might score well numerically and still be the wrong recommendation in practice.
Where to find the full interactive chart
The paint converter covers every brand pair in the catalog and lets you search by paint name instead of scanning a static table. The dedicated Citadel to Vallejo and Citadel to Army Painter pages lay out full brand-to-brand charts, and the companion guide on how conversion actually works explains why finish type matters as much as color.
FAQ
Is there an official Citadel paint conversion app?
No. Games Workshop does not publish an official cross-brand conversion app or chart. Third-party tools, including this site, fill that gap using independently computed color matching.
How accurate is a color-distance conversion chart?
It is accurate as a measure of visual color closeness, which is most of what matters for a substitute paint. It does not account for finish type, so a wash and an opaque base can score as a close color match while behaving completely differently on the model.
Can I convert Citadel paints to more than one brand at once?
Yes. Every brand pair in the catalog has its own conversion page, so you can look up Citadel to Vallejo, Citadel to Army Painter, or any other combination the site supports.
Why do some Citadel paints have a much weaker match than others?
Because the two catalogs were not designed to line up. Some colors happen to overlap closely, others do not have a real equivalent in the second brand, and a low percentage is the honest answer rather than a flaw in the chart.
Does a 100 percent match mean the paints are identical?
It means the two paints' measured colors are effectively the same. It does not guarantee identical opacity, drying time, or finish, since those depend on the paint's formula rather than its color.