How to paint red?

[Rob_bresnen]

I have a F+IW army in mind, and have been looking how to paint my British army. I was wondering how you guys like to paint the red of the British Red Coat.

My usual method for painting red is to use GW Blood Red over a yellow base coat- but it is time consuming and generally goes on a bit 'thick' thus obscuring some details. It also has a tenancy to be patchy.

Any tips would be welcome indeed.

[Johnno]

I use GW paints and paint MY reds as follows:

Black base coat
Khorne Red base coat
Shade: Carroburg Crimson
Layer: Khorne Red on raised portions only leaving darker shadows
Layer 2/Highlight: Evil Sunz Scarlet

I don't know how this colour would match a more historical red though...

[OSHIROmodels]

I go for a deep brown base coat followed by an old GW red (scab red I think) that's on it's last legs then just a lighter red depending what my hand reaches for in the red/yellow paint draw 

cheers

James

[Yankeepedlar01]

I use the Foundry 'British Redcoat' triad, with a final highlight of Foundry 'Bright Red'. Works for me.

[Rob_bresnen]

I use the Foundry 'British Redcoat' triad, with a final highlight of Foundry 'Bright Red'. Works for me.

Off a black base coat?

[Yankeepedlar01]

Off a black base coat?

No, always white, don't ever use black.

[Malamute]

No, always white, don't ever use black.

Same for me. I usually use a brown base coat like the old GW scorched brown followed by Vallego deep red, then a mid red followed by a scarlet highlight.

[Galloping Major]

I think the main problem is that most manufacturers' reds (and a lot of yellows) are a bit translucent for working over black or dark brown bases, which is why a lot of folk resort to yellow or white under red. The best red I ever had for covering power was the Humbrol acrylic of 20-odd years ago - bought another one recently, sadly not as good. 

I agree with the above comments, good pragmatic stuff, and some good recipes 

I'm currently (rather spasmodically) painting some provincials with red waistcoats and facings. The colour combination I've ended up with over a black undercoat (actually I've come round to undercoating grey then a heavy wash of black to make the details more easily visible to work on) is:
Base - Foundry Madder Red Shade or GW Scab Red - James, it's still available 
Mid - Foundry Scarlet Light
Highlight - Foundry Bright Red Light
I haven't tried the Redcoat "triad" yet.

I may move away from this a little bit for my regulars (when I have some ready  ), one thing to be wary of is ending up with too vivid a red for the British squaddie of this time, scarlet for soldiers was a relatively cheap colour of cloth,that of officers and sergeants being better.

www.gallopingmajorwargames.com

[Christian]

I don't tend to worry so much about the basecoat, but generally use black.

I will then use my old Mechrite Red Foundation Paint. I go over that with a watered down wash with some black gesso (water-based undercoat, really cheap).

Once that has dried, I highlight with some really bright red. My latest one is Vallejo's Carmine Red 70908. I might mix that with some orange to really bring it out.

I also always add water to my paints before painting them on to a miniature.

[OSHIROmodels]

GW Scab Red - James, it's still available 

But is it the same recipe? 

cheers

James

[Galloping Major]

But is it the same recipe?  

James, I can't swear to it, I had a pot ages ago which dried out eventually, but it looks pretty much the same to me.  
It paints over black pretty well and is a good deep colour, other reds go over it nicely.  

Cheers,
Lance

www.gallopingmajorwargames.com

[OSHIROmodels]

James, I can't swear to it, I had a pot ages ago which dried out eventually, but it looks pretty much the samec to me.  
It paints over black pretty well and is a good deep colour, other reds go over it nicely. 

Cheers,
Lance

www.gallopingmajorwargames.com

Thanks Lance, I'll give it a go if I can be brave enough to go in 

cheers

James

[Svennn]

I do my reds with craft paints starting with a burgundy and finishing with one called Holly Berry from Inscribe.

James, mail order it you great wuss.  I fully understand where you are coming from though, just not worth the experience involved to cross their threshold

[OSHIROmodels]

James, mail order it you great wuss.

  bugger off you 

Anyway, you've got to register and I really can't be bothered with all that and the postage for one pot of paint that I can probably get my missus to buy for me 

cheers

James

[Captain Blood]

Black undercoat
GW Blood red cut with 10% black as a basecoat
GW Blood red top coat
GW Blood red cut with increasing amounts of Vallejo Flat Yellow for highlight coats.
The topmost highlight has a lot more yellow than red in the mix.

GW Evil Sunz Scarlet is the best substitute for the GW discontinued Blood Red. In fact, it's already a bit yellower.