CP

C2 Paint ApertureC2-981 · #3B3B3B · LRV 4

Aperture reads as a neutral with no strong undertone — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover the color's details, what C2 Paint C2-981 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.

C2 PAINT APERTURE
RGB 59, 59, 59LRV 4

Color spec

BrandC2 Paint
NameAperture
SKUC2-981
Hex#3B3B3B
RGB59, 59, 59
HSL0°, 0%, 23%
LRV4
Undertoneneutral with no strong undertone
FamilyBlack
See C2 Paint Aperture on your own walls — upload a room photo.SEE IT IN YOUR ROOM →

About C2 Paint Aperture

At LRV 4, Aperture is about as dark as paint gets — it reads near-black on a wall and reveals its character only in direct daylight or under warm bulbs. Because it carries almost no measurable hue, it stays a true neutral and pairs cleanly with nearly any trim or floor. In rooms with little natural light it can feel heavy, so reserve it for spaces you want to feel enveloping.

Aperture earns its keep as a statement: accent walls, a front door, cabinetry, a moody powder room, or exterior trim where you want sharp contrast. Near-blacks like this are best as contrast — doors, trim, cabinets, window frames.

Closest matches by brand

18 brands within ΔE 5

The closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Only colors within ΔE 5 (close enough to substitute on a wall) are shown — brands with no real match are left off. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all black from that brand.

Sherwin-Williams

1,947 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.95
All black at Sherwin-Williams →
SW 6994 · #373A3A · ΔE 1.95 · LRV 4
SW 9600 · #413D3C · ΔE 2.59 · LRV 5
SW 6988 · #3B373C · ΔE 4.56 · LRV 4

Behr

5,644 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.65
All black at Behr →
PPF-59 · #3D3D3D · ΔE 0.65 · LRV 5
MQ5-5 · #3C3C3D · ΔE 0.78 · LRV 5
QE-64 · #3C3D3D · ΔE 0.87 · LRV 5
MQ5-05 · #3B3C3B · ΔE 1.08 · LRV 4

Benjamin Moore

4,068 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.59
All black at Benjamin Moore →
2120-20 · #3A3C3E · ΔE 1.59 · LRV 6
2132-20 · #383A3C · ΔE 1.63 · LRV 6
2119-20 · #3A3B3F · ΔE 2.57 · LRV 6
2135-10 · #393D3C · ΔE 2.72 · LRV 6

Valspar

2,858 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.28
All black at Valspar →
V120-3 · #3A3C3D · ΔE 1.28 · LRV 4.5
8006-4G · #3C3E3C · ΔE 2.21 · LRV 5
V123-3 · #3C3E3C · ΔE 2.21 · LRV 4.8

PPG / Glidden

2,132 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.87
All black at PPG / Glidden →
PPG0995-7 · #3C3D3D · ΔE 0.87 · LRV 5
PPG1001-7 · #404040 · ΔE 1.64 · LRV 5

Glidden

3,101 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.87
All black at Glidden →
PPG0995-7 · #3C3D3D · ΔE 0.87 · LRV 5
00NN 05/000 · #3C3B3C · ΔE 1.06 · LRV 5
PPG1001-7 · #414040 · ΔE 1.83 · LRV 5

Dutch Boy

1,340 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.29
All black at Dutch Boy →
438-6DB · #413C39 · ΔE 3.29 · LRV 5
HGSW 6988 · #3B373C · ΔE 4.56 · LRV 4

Dunn-Edwards

2,298 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.33
All black at Dunn-Edwards →
DESS50 · #3C3C3C · ΔE 0.33 · LRV 5
DEA002 · #3B3A3A · ΔE 0.7 · LRV 4
DE6350 · #3E3F41 · ΔE 1.85 · LRV 5

Magnolia Home

160 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.5
All black at Magnolia Home →
JG-05 · #31343A · ΔE 4.5 · LRV 3

Farrow & Ball

302 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.33
All black at Farrow & Ball →
NO. G18 · #3C3C3C · ΔE 0.33 · LRV 5
NO. 256 · #3D3C3C · ΔE 0.76 · LRV 5
NO. 95 · #3E4245 · ΔE 3.36 · LRV 5

Diamond Vogel

1,386 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.89
All black at Diamond Vogel →
H101 · #393A3B · ΔE 0.89 · LRV 4
0515 · #3D3D3E · ΔE 0.97 · LRV 5
0529 · #464747 · ΔE 3.95 · LRV 6

Hirshfield's

1,469 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.65
All black at Hirshfield's →
0529 · #3A3B3B · ΔE 0.65 · LRV 6
H0101 · #383839 · ΔE 1.18 · LRV 4
0522 · #38393F · ΔE 3.84 · LRV 6

Rodda

357 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.3
All black at Rodda →
R018 · #424242 · ΔE 2.3 · LRV 6
CA213 · #443F3E · ΔE 3.41 · LRV 5
CA222 · #474140 · ΔE 4.27 · LRV 5

Clare

78 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.21
All black at Clare →
PNT100-DP-54 · #484745 · ΔE 4.21 · LRV 6

Backdrop

30 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.72
All black at Backdrop →
BD-AH · #3D423E · ΔE 4.72 · LRV 6

Rust-Oleum

16 colors in deck · best ΔE 3.08
All black at Rust-Oleum →
285144 · #363B3E · ΔE 3.08 · LRV 4

Kompozit

1,321 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.65
All black at Kompozit →
0529 · #3A3B3B · ΔE 0.65 · LRV 4
0543 · #423F3B · ΔE 3.14 · LRV 5
0522 · #38393F · ΔE 3.84 · LRV 4

Similar C2 Paint colors

closest in the C2 Paint deck

The nearest shades to Aperture within C2 Paint's own range, ranked by perceptual color distance — useful when you want the same look a touch lighter, darker, or warmer.

BD49 · LRV 4
C2-949 · LRV 5
C2-757 · LRV 5
C2-677 · LRV 5
C2-933 · LRV 5
C2-709 · LRV 5

Coordinated palette

Generated by hue-rotating #3B3B3B in HSL space. Pair Aperture with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#3B3B3B + #3B3B3B
TRIADIC
#3B3B3B · #3B3B3B · #3B3B3B
ANALOGOUS
#3B3B3B · #3B3B3B · #3B3B3B

Accessibility (WCAG contrast)

Sample text on white
11.2:1AAA
Sample text on black
1.87:1fail

WCAG 2.1: AA = 4.5:1 normal text · AA Large = 3:1 large text · AAA = 7:1 normal text.

C2 Paint Aperture Equivalents at Other Brands

Matching Aperture from a different paint counter? Below is the single closest color in each major US deck and how close it really is. Remember that any paint store can also custom-tint C2 Paint C2-981 directly — these equivalents are for when you'd rather stay inside one brand's own deck.

Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Aperture

Sherwin-Williams's nearest match is Greenblack (SW 6994), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.95). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Aperture without repainting risk. See the full Greenblack swatch →

Behr Equivalent of Aperture

Behr's nearest match is Limousine Leather (MQ5-05), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.08). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Aperture without repainting risk. See the full Limousine Leather swatch →

Benjamin Moore Equivalent of Aperture

Benjamin Moore's nearest match is Black Iron (2120-20), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.59). It runs slightly lighter (LRV 6 vs 4) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Aperture without repainting risk. See the full Black Iron swatch →

Valspar Equivalent of Aperture

Valspar's nearest match is Black Heron (V120-3), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.28). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4.5 vs 4) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Aperture without repainting risk. See the full Black Heron swatch →

PPG / Glidden Equivalent of Aperture

The closest PPG / Glidden equivalent of Aperture is Starless Sky (PPG0995-7). At ΔE 0.87 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 4). If PPG / Glidden is your counter, order Starless Sky and you'll get the same color. See the full Starless Sky swatch →

Glidden Equivalent of Aperture

Glidden's nearest match is Onyx Black (00NN 05/000), visually identical in normal room light (ΔE 1.06). It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 4) and carries a true neutral undertone, so it substitutes for Aperture without repainting risk. See the full Onyx Black swatch →

Dutch Boy Equivalent of Aperture

At Dutch Boy, the closest color to Aperture is Ebony Sky (438-6DB) — very close at ΔE 3.29, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 4) and carries a warm red-orange undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Ebony Sky swatch →

HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams Equivalent of Aperture

HGTV Home by Sherwin-Williams has no exact twin of Aperture. The nearest is Bohemian Black (HGSW 6988) at ΔE 4.56 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Bohemian Black swatch →

Dunn-Edwards Equivalent of Aperture

The closest Dunn-Edwards equivalent of Aperture is Black (DEA002). At ΔE 0.7 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4). If Dunn-Edwards is your counter, order Black and you'll get the same color. See the full Black swatch →

Farrow & Ball Equivalent of Aperture

The closest Farrow & Ball equivalent of Aperture is Smelt Black (NO. G18). At ΔE 0.33 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 5 vs 4). If Farrow & Ball is your counter, order Smelt Black and you'll get the same color. See the full Smelt Black swatch →

Diamond Vogel Equivalent of Aperture

The closest Diamond Vogel equivalent of Aperture is Grantsburg Gray (H101). At ΔE 0.89 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4). If Diamond Vogel is your counter, order Grantsburg Gray and you'll get the same color. See the full Grantsburg Gray swatch →

Hirshfield's Equivalent of Aperture

The closest Hirshfield's equivalent of Aperture is Black Licorice (0529). At ΔE 0.65 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and runs slightly lighter (LRV 6 vs 4). If Hirshfield's is your counter, order Black Licorice and you'll get the same color. See the full Black Licorice swatch →

Clare Equivalent of Aperture

Clare has no exact twin of Aperture. The nearest is Blackish (PNT100-DP-54) at ΔE 4.21 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 6 vs 4). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full Blackish swatch →

Backdrop Equivalent of Aperture

Backdrop has no exact twin of Aperture. The nearest is After Hours (BD-AH) at ΔE 4.72 — close, but the difference shows next to trim and in side light. It runs slightly lighter (LRV 6 vs 4). Compare large swatches before substituting. See the full After Hours swatch →

Rust-Oleum Equivalent of Aperture

At Rust-Oleum, the closest color to Aperture is Charcoal (285144) — very close at ΔE 3.08, though not an exact twin. It sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4) and carries a cool blue undertone; sample both side by side if the room gets strong natural light. See the full Charcoal swatch →

Kompozit Equivalent of Aperture

The closest Kompozit equivalent of Aperture is Black Licorice (0529). At ΔE 0.65 the two are indistinguishable on a wall — it carries the same true neutral undertone and sits at the same lightness (LRV 4 vs 4). If Kompozit is your counter, order Black Licorice and you'll get the same color. See the full Black Licorice swatch →

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