NATO Olive vs Black RAL 9011: Which Matt Model Paint to Use
By Modellbau & Plastikmodellbau | Published: 2026-11-05
Category: Confronti
NATO Olive RAL 7013 and Matt Black RAL 9011 serve different jobs on military models. Compare coverage, contrast, and when to choose each Aqua Color shade.
Quick answer
Choose NATO Olive RAL 7013 as your base color for military vehicles and figures, and Matt Black RAL 9011 for shadows, tires, and fine details. If you can buy only one, match the dominant color of your subject; olive covers large areas naturally, while black is a detailing workhorse.
Why the two shades are not interchangeable
RAL 7013 NATO Olive is a muted green-brown designed for military camouflage schemes, while RAL 9011 Matt Black is a deep neutral black. On a model, olive reads as a surface color and black reads as a shadow or accent. Using black where olive belongs makes a tank or figure look toy-like; using olive for details loses contrast.
Both are matt acrylics from the same Aqua Color system, so they share handling properties: water dilution, mild odor, and non-flammability. That means your choice is about color role, not about different paint chemistry.
Coverage and contrast trade-offs
Olive tends to show uneven coverage over light plastic or primer because its mid-tone hides less. Build it in two or three thin layers rather than one thick coat. Black covers strongly and can look flat if applied heavily, so reserve it for areas that need to recede.
On multi-color camouflage, olive is usually the largest area and black the smallest. Plan your painting order from lightest to darkest so black details do not contaminate olive surfaces.
When a single pot is enough
If you are painting a small figure or a simple vehicle, one pot of olive plus a neutral grey for highlights may serve you better than buying both olive and black. Black is easy to substitute with a dark grey wash or a fine black primer for small parts, but olive is harder to mix accurately from other colors.
For aircraft or sci-fi subjects, black is often the more versatile choice because it works as a primer, shadow, and detail color. Olive is more specialized to military subjects.
Trade-offs at a glance
- Color role: Olive is a base and camouflage color; black is a shadow and detail color. Pick olive for the main body of a military model and black for tires, tools, and recesses.
- Coverage behavior: Olive needs two or three thin coats over light primer to look even; black covers in one or two coats but can obscure fine detail if applied too heavily. Thin both with water and build layers gradually.
- Mixing flexibility: Olive is difficult to mix from other colors accurately, so buy it if your subject calls for it. Black is easier to approximate with dark grey washes for small details.
Product facts
- Matt "Black" (RAL 9011) Aqua Color Acrylic - 18ml: Matt Black RAL 9011 comes in an 18 ml Aqua Color pot and can be diluted with water. Water thinning lets you brush it as a thin shadow glaze or airbrush it for soft panel shading without harsh edges.
Matt "Black" (RAL 9011) Aqua Color Acrylic - 18ml - Matt "NATO Olive" (RAL 7013)Aqua Color Acrylic18ml: Matt NATO Olive RAL 7013 is part of the 88-shade Aqua Color range and has a mild odor. The mild odor makes it comfortable for longer brush-painting sessions on large olive areas indoors.
Matt "NATO Olive" (RAL 7013)Aqua Color Acrylic18ml
Which matt paint fits your build
Best for
- Military vehicle and figure painters who need an accurate olive base color
- Modelers building NATO or Cold War-era subjects with large green areas
Not for
- Sci-fi or aircraft builders who rarely use olive green
- Anyone who only needs a dark shadow color and already owns a black wash
