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So when applying mechrited red to space marine shoulder pads, I usually end up applying two sometimes three coats to get a smooth and even finish. I was under the assumption that with foundation paints being strong pigmented that only one coat would be needed to achieve this. Has anyone noticed this as well?

I've found that you still need to thin the foundation paints a good amount. If you are trying to use it out of the pot, this could be the cause.

Red is one of those colors(like white and yellow) where the pigment can only be so strong, even if you add more of it to a paint.

Mechrite red covers better than say Scab red or Blood red, but is in no way a single coat solution.

Vallejos Game Colour Heavy red covers a bit better than mechrite red does, so perhaps give that a try.

Ah, I see. Yeah I'm painting straight from the pot. But wouldn't thining it down defeat the purpose of the foundation paint?

I always thin down my foundation paints. Otherwise they can tend to get chunky, especially if doing a few coats.

No paint is immune to needing to be diluted.

my problem with red (of all GW shades, and even some other companies like Tamiya) is the coverage as has been mentioned, but also that they tend to "dry out" faster than any of my other colors.

I have found that if, when I shake a pot of Mechrite Red, there is no paint in the lid, then it is about time for a new pot. The reason I do this, is because by the time the paint gets to this point, it basically means that the "propellent" of the color is no longer mixing with the actual pigment (the propellent, in the case of Mechrite Red, being the strings of blue you may see sometimes, especially if it hasnt been used in a while).

But, I paint out of the pot like the OP, but as long as you are pretty regularly shaking the paint, and you work quickly (when I use mechrite red, I tend to work quickly, to ensure that the first coat is a smooth one)

I'll definitely try thinning next time. Sometimes it ends up too clumpy all over the place.