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VALSPAR · V120-3

Valspar Black Heron#3A3C3D · LRV 4.5

Black Heron reads as a true neutral (no measurable hue) — very dark — reads black in most rooms. The notes below cover the spec, what Valspar V120-3 actually looks like under different light, and the closest matches at competing US brands.

SEE IN A ROOM → CALCULATE PAINT NEEDED →
VALSPAR BLACK HERON
RGB 58, 60, 61 LRV 4.5

Color spec

Brand Valspar
Name Black Heron
SKU V120-3
Hex #3A3C3D
RGB 58, 60, 61
HSL 200°, 3%, 23%
LRV 4.5
Undertone true neutral (no measurable hue)
Family Black

About Valspar Black Heron

At LRV 4.5, Black Heron 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.

Black Heron 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.

Kompozit alternative

The closest hex in the Kompozit deck, ranked by ΔE2000 (perceptual color difference). ΔE under 2 is indistinguishable to most eyes; under 5 is a very close visual match.

KOMPOZIT
Black Licorice
SKU 0529 · #3A3B3B · LRV 4
ΔE 0.84 (imperceptible)
SHOP KOMPOZIT ON AMAZON →

Closest matches at every US brand

9 brands · top 5 each

5 closest matches per brand by ΔE2000, computed against each brand's full deck. Tap any swatch for its full single-color spec; tap the brand title to browse all black from that brand.

Benjamin Moore

3,934 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.68
All black at Benjamin Moore →
2120-20
#3A3C3E
Black Iron
ΔE 0.68 · LRV 6
2133-20
#3D3D3E
Black Jack
ΔE 1.35 · LRV
2135-10
#393D3C
Blacktop
ΔE 2.05 · LRV 6
2131-20
#373D3F
Midnight
ΔE 2.17 · LRV 6
2119-20
#3A3B3F
Black Berry
ΔE 2.29 · LRV 6

Behr

4,699 colors in deck · best ΔE 0.87
All black at Behr →
QE-64
#3C3D3D
Madison Avenue
ΔE 0.87 · LRV 5
MQ5-5
#3C3C3D
Limousine Leather
ΔE 1.28 · LRV 5
BLACK
#3D3D3E
Black
ΔE 1.35 · LRV 5
N530-7
#363F41
Private Black
ΔE 3.69 · LRV 5
780F-7
#353C39
Stealth Jet
ΔE 4.35 · LRV 4

Sherwin-Williams

1,526 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.29
All black at Sherwin-Williams →
SW 6994
#373A3A
Greenblack
ΔE 1.29 · LRV 4
SW 6988
#3B373C
Bohemian Black
ΔE 5.21 · LRV 4
SW 6216
#343B36
Jasper
ΔE 5.37 · LRV 4
SW 6279
#3A373E
Black Swan
ΔE 5.64 · LRV 4
SW 2809
#303B39
Rookwood Shutter Green
ΔE 5.73 · LRV 4

Dunn-Edwards

1,696 colors in deck · best ΔE 1.51
All black at Dunn-Edwards →
DE6350
#3E3F41
Dark Engine
ΔE 1.51 · LRV 5
DEA187
#3B3A3A
Black
ΔE 1.93 · LRV 4
DE6336
#414549
Stargazing
ΔE 3.48 · LRV 6
DEA181
#384543
Refined Green
ΔE 6.72 · LRV 6
DEA185
#343B4E
Old Mill
ΔE 9.54 · LRV 4

PPG / Glidden

2,088 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.39
All black at PPG / Glidden →
1001-7
#414040
Black Magic
ΔE 2.39 · LRV 5
1011-7
#464544
Onyx
ΔE 3.73 · LRV 6
1013-7
#404149
Napoleon
ΔE 4.98 · LRV 5
FLLW36
#404149
Wright Midnight
ΔE 4.98 · LRV 5
14-05
#3D4645
Dark As Night
ΔE 5.13 · LRV 6

Farrow & Ball

132 colors in deck · best ΔE 2.7
All black at Farrow & Ball →
NO. 256
#3B3938
Pitch Black
ΔE 2.7 · LRV 4
NO. 57
#444546
Off-Black
ΔE 3.11 · LRV 6
NO. 31
#45484B
Railings
ΔE 4.15 · LRV 6
NO. 294
#494248
Paean Black
ΔE 7.3 · LRV 6
NO. 254
#50414C
Pelt
ΔE 11.89 · LRV 6

Magnolia Home

160 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.08
All black at Magnolia Home →
JG-05
#31343A
Blackboard
ΔE 4.08 · LRV 3
JG-97
#40464B
Arches
ΔE 4.17 · LRV 6
JG-144
#48474C
Fine Black
ΔE 5.31 · LRV 6
JG-150
#3F3632
Moments
ΔE 6.99 · LRV 4
JG-102
#4B3C49
Plum Suede
ΔE 12.15 · LRV 5

Backdrop

30 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.36
All black at Backdrop →
BD-AH
#3D423E
After Hours
ΔE 4.36 · LRV 6
BD-LC
#3F4458
Last Call
ΔE 10.36 · LRV 6
BD-NE
#3D4D3F
North End
ΔE 12.14 · LRV 7
BD-WK
#3F546B
We Three Kings
ΔE 13.19 · LRV 8
BD-IT
#5C4435
It's a Date
ΔE 14.74 · LRV 7

Clare

78 colors in deck · best ΔE 4.47
All black at Clare →
PNT100-DP-54
#484745
Blackish
ΔE 4.47 · LRV 6
PNT100-DP-55
#515052
Blackest
ΔE 7.27 · LRV 8
PNT100-DP-42
#545E66
Goodnight Moon
ΔE 12.15 · LRV 11
PNT100-DP-77
#604B56
Night Groove
ΔE 15.08 · LRV 8
PNT100-MD-40
#41656D
Deep Dive
ΔE 16.94 · LRV 12

Similar Valspar colors

closest in the Valspar deck

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

8006-4G
Caviar
LRV 5
8004-1G
Black Currant
LRV 4
8005-1G
Magpie
LRV 5
4010-1
Chimney Smoke
LRV 5
5009-1
Black Evergreen
LRV 4.9
8006-11F
Arrowhead
LRV 5

Coordinated palette

Generated by hue-rotating #3A3C3D in HSL space. Pair Black Heron with one accent and one neutral — the swatches below are starting points, not final picks.

COMPLEMENTARY
#3A3C3D + #3D3B3A
TRIADIC
#3A3C3D · #3D3A3C · #3C3D3A
ANALOGOUS
#3A3D3D · #3A3C3D · #3A3B3D

Accessibility (WCAG contrast)

Sample text on white
11.09:1 AAA
Sample text on black
1.89:1 fail

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

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