Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hey guys,

This forum is awesome, so thanks to everyone willing to help a rather new member.

I've been trying to paint red with my Vallejo Model Color Paintings... got a wide range of painting some months ago. Very happy with the quality of the paintings. However it's been hard to obtain the shade of red that I want...

Here I present you my current procedure to paint red and (hopefully soon) my results (pictures!)

So, I want to achieve something close to this shade of red: (This are not mine I took them as inspiration from coolmini)

http://i.imgur.com/bBrELQE.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/jyq9PFH.png

At least this is the kind of "toned down" red that I aim to get...

Right now I'm using the following procedure for painting my red: (All in Vallejo model color, diluted 1:1 with water and glaze medium )

1. German Red-Brown primer
2. Hull Red. (if the primer was not enough)
3. Burnt Cadmium red.
4. Mixture between Burnt Cadmium Red and black (1:3) for dark armor parts ( spaces between armor pieces)
4. Burnt Cad Red + Vermillion 3:2
5. Vermillion Layering ( ~ 5 layers )
6. Amarantha red ( quite thinned ) on all the armor, painting to the highlights direction... trying to get it to build up there... ( ~ 2 layers or so )
7. Tan Yellow + Amarantha Red ( 1:2 ) thinned down on armor edges.

This produces a more "orangish" red ... which is nice (haven't even mastered this kind of red yet )

Before this I was basically doing the same but instead of using "Vermillion" which would be closest to GW Blood Red, I was using Flat Red... that gave a different result.

I'll post some pictures soon, but I was wondering if by looking at my current procedure you guys can give me some feedback

Cheers!

As promised,

Here I give you some pictures

Vermillion Red + Orange to the left , The center is mainly flat red , and the one in the right is flat red + orange



A shot to the one to the left ( it's the last one I'm working on )... it's a shame that my light is so yellowish :(

I was able to take much better pictures with some natural light and the flash...

Feedback is very welcome ( this is just the marine that I painted using vermillion )

That's pretty sweet right there!
I find it hard to make red and orange look subtle but have a big gradient difference. I think you've done a pretty good job, I like how the knees are looking.
Sure looking forward for more.

S.

Some people use flesh tones to highlight red instead of orange that can produce a more muted look like your example photos.

Also as much as I hate to recommend a GW product. Scab red is really beautiful colour when it's used for shadows. I don't know if it is exactly what you are looking for here, but I would recommend checking it out anyway. It has a kind of subtle maroon/purple tint that just looks so good with red. It's about the only thing I would still buy from GW if I run out.

Hey guys, thanks for your advice.

Will try to keep improving!

@Smacks :

Is there an equivalent for Scab red in the vallejo range?

Scarlet Red (012) and Carmine Red (908) are supposed to be equivalent Vallejo Colours, but they don't look quite the same to me. Scarlett Red looks too brown in the samples, and Carmine Red looks too light. I haven't tested them first hand though.

EDIT:

I found a tutorial here, that guys subs it out for Vallejo Gory Red.

You can see a bit here on the shoulder and stuff. The shadows are slightly more purple. I always thing this looks a lot nicer than the regular brown shadows.

The models look very nice man.. very clean. The Thunder Hammer blood spatter looks very good.

That's my tutorial actually. 8) .. I do use the Gory Red or (GW Scab Red) to give it more of a purple hue. But to each their own. 8)

Hey guys,

Decided to experiment a bit more with red... I'm sort of in the middle of highlighting a model (~50%) with a more "toned down" shade of red... I shaded the mini with a "purplish" dark ink to mate down the red... and I'm using Carmine red instead of Vermillion to keep it redish. I still have to highlight a lot but I like the shade quite a bit...

This is what I got so far (needs work, but I think it's in the right direction)

 SincaiN wrote:
That's my tutorial actually. 8) .. I do use the Gory Red or (GW Scab Red) to give it more of a purple hue.

Oh neat!!!

What colour did use for the gold wings on his shoulder pad? I really like that too.

Nicely done.

 Smacks wrote:

 SincaiN wrote:
That's my tutorial actually. 8) .. I do use the Gory Red or (GW Scab Red) to give it more of a purple hue.

Oh neat!!!

What colour did use for the gold wings on his shoulder pad? I really like that too.

I typically start with a bronze/brass/copper then layer a mid gold over it and then hit the high lights with a bright gold. If you want the exact colors I'll have to look when I get home. 8)

@SincaiN What are you using instead of Mechrite red these days ? ... I think Vallejo's Burnt Cadmium Red is great for priming and pretty toned down.

I would love to see a good tutorial about painting reds with Vallejo Model Color.

I typically spray mine with the Airbrush and use Iwata Com Art Maroon. (a link below to show the product)

http://www.dickblick.com/products/iwata-com-art-airbrush-colors/

Over black primer it gives me a very deep red which is great for the base color. Plus it's faster and smoother. If I don't use an airbrush I still just use Mech Red as I still have it.. I mainly use the Abrush so haven't had the need to find another color. Looking at the color matrix it seems

New GW Old GW VGC VMC
Mephiston Red Mechrite Red Heavy Red (141) Red (926)

Would be the compairison. Though I haven't tried them.

I personal brush with the Vallejo Air colors, if I can. The paints are pre thinned and smoother typically with a higher pigment count.

The Tut I made on my site showswhich one to use in either VGC or GW. Other then the base color as I use the Iwata.

Hope that helps.. 8)

I've had luck using Calthan Brown, Mephiston Red and Evil Sunz Red, followed up with an Earthshade wash
Here's some examples, sorry for the lighting..

T-

**plasmaguns weren't done at the time, I painted them seperately after.

Hey guys,

Here's an update for my latest model... the picture sucks, but I feel I'm improving

The legs are looking good man .. I'd maybe add a little more blood red/ bloody red to the highlights. But they look good...

Looking nice. Push the extremes a bit more. You want what appears to be quite a light 'peach' colour for the extreme edges.