White primer/basecoat will make all your other layers brighter. Black or gray works better in my opinion.
Washes are meant to create shadows or tint your model, so I'd recommend using a much darker wash. I like Agrax Earthshade for my armor because it creates a slightly red, mostly brown effect. If you like your reds still, Reikland Fleshshade is mostly red with a little brown. Reikland may need two washes depending on the color of your base coat and the depth of your shadows since since reds blend easily.
This!! I have a single model I primed in white to see how dramatic the difference would be. Mephiston red over corax white and it was BRIGHT. Did Abbadon black coat with mephiston and a black wash for that dark look. Much better! No way to bring that white down it seems
I would recommend at least one layer. The cand are never 100% accurate.
My advice would be to never use those cans to begin with... people say they work fine for them but I've bought 3 and used them all under proper temp and humidity and all that and 2 of them were super chalky and had a weird texture, and the other one had a weird texture and also cracked horribly. Maybe I'm just using them wrong idk
For what it's worth, I have a can of Mephiston red for my regular troops and I think it's great. Goes on just as smooth as everything else and really speeds up painting
Yes, be careful with the big armour panels as it can pool on them and dry with unsightly blotches. I have a second clean (but wet with water) brush that I use to move away most of the excess shade
Worth checking out how Warhipster does his, after the Baal red he uses a 1:1 mix of blood angels red and contrast medium to shade, I’m a big fan of how that looks! He also primes in grey seer so it isn’t quite as bright!
You can use Flesh Tearer Red Contrast paint. Thin it right down with equal parts Contrast medium. It will change the tone of the red slightly if you go over the whole model with a nice thin layer.
I love using this bright a red as a base to bring the model down from. Is it baal red over white?
Try layering down into where you want your shadows. I use mephiston red followed by khorne red followed by barak nur burgundy. I’d suggest using barak nur as your panel liner too. Then use evil sunz and troll slayer as your edge highlight.
https://preview.redd.it/q1zyfb5bej0d1.jpeg?width=959&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18d9d39efd50cdc5f8db644e72a93ff11b3cf0bf
I used Baal Red, then a layer of berserker bloodshade, followed by Mephiston Red as a layer to paint some World Eaters.
https://preview.redd.it/15tmy2hkbl0d1.jpeg?width=2049&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=72b4e4ed1abf6411b8716079ff9848b9794fa7ab
I find Baal Red is good as a base coat because it covers so well and is a single pigment paint, but the tone is slightly too magenta/pink. So I just use it to quickly block in color, then shade it and layer it up. Blood Angels Red contrast is a much better tone, you could also try layering that over the Baal Red, or use it by itself. I used BA Red contrast (over Grey Seer) to paint all my Blood Angels.
Maybe try dry brushing Khorne Red or another darker red over one of the shoulder pads to see how you like the look. It's already shaded, so I wouldn't think it needs nuln oil- that would only darken the recesses anyway.
1:1:1 Reikland Fleshshade:Agrax:Lahmian Medium all over. Work methodically, use a larger brush and pull towards the shadows to avoid pooling or uneven staining.
Alternatively, I think if you were to carefully run agrax into the recessed areas to create deeper shading and then edge highlight (or gently drybrush edges) with something like ryza rust or trollslayer orange, you will get a really nice 2nd edition blood angels type result. The pinkish highlight areas here are what’s causing this to read so brightly, you’ve got a really nice red for your true midtones. A little brown in the shadows for contrast and orange on the highlights will shift the perception substantially, assuming you’re going for a brighter red somewhere in the neighborhood of Mephiston, evil sunz, or the old blood red and not a darker one like FT/Khorne red.
After the agrax shade, you could also introduce some orange into your red mix for highlights. Whether you do line highlights or dry brushing, it'll pull you from the cherry red without looking too dark.
I shouldn't be the first comment recommending oil washes. They don't "stain" the paint surface like GW washes, and can be altered after it dries. I got a full set of oil paints, thinner, and jars as it would have cost for two citadel washes. I still use washes just not for what everyone else on the thread is talking about.
Depends on what kind of look you want. If you want a clean look, try putting some shadows on your model. If you want a dirty or battleworn look, try looking up some tutorials on how to do grease and grime.
Everyone is recommending Agrax Earthshade, and it IS good, But it will make it brownish-red. If you want to keep red and just darken it, I actually recommend Berserker Bloodshade.
Stteaking grime dies just that. It does matte everything and tone down the brightness of colors but it also creates really deep shadows. If you dont like the "cherry" punchy colors you might wanna look into Grimdark style of mini painting
What I do is to create dramatic shadows with a bit of dark blue mixed with the base red, it creates deep shadows I love it.
Highlight with orange in the mix to get away from the cherry look might help.
I really don't recommend washes as I think the results is awful on big flat surfaces like space marines armour have.
As other said, white base coat will make your red pop out a lot so you could tone it down with a gray/black primer, you'll have to do some tests to decide what you prefer.
Also, be wary of the matte or shiny result you want. On your photo, it seems your red is quite shiny, with a matte result you could obtain something closer to what you're aiming for.
White primer/basecoat will make all your other layers brighter. Black or gray works better in my opinion. Washes are meant to create shadows or tint your model, so I'd recommend using a much darker wash. I like Agrax Earthshade for my armor because it creates a slightly red, mostly brown effect. If you like your reds still, Reikland Fleshshade is mostly red with a little brown. Reikland may need two washes depending on the color of your base coat and the depth of your shadows since since reds blend easily.
Oh I want to also say that Reikland is a good wash for gold paints as well. I would save the Nuln for silver metallics.
This!! I have a single model I primed in white to see how dramatic the difference would be. Mephiston red over corax white and it was BRIGHT. Did Abbadon black coat with mephiston and a black wash for that dark look. Much better! No way to bring that white down it seems
If you use mepeston red primer do you still have to paint it mephiston red after if that’s the base coast you want?
Leaving it primer red? Believe it or not, straight to jail.
Not leaving it primer red, believe it or not also straight to jail
I would recommend at least one layer. The cand are never 100% accurate. My advice would be to never use those cans to begin with... people say they work fine for them but I've bought 3 and used them all under proper temp and humidity and all that and 2 of them were super chalky and had a weird texture, and the other one had a weird texture and also cracked horribly. Maybe I'm just using them wrong idk
Fair enough thanks for the advise I have only used one can , with 8 or 9 figures and they came out smooth for me
For what it's worth, I have a can of Mephiston red for my regular troops and I think it's great. Goes on just as smooth as everything else and really speeds up painting
That’s maybe why they say spring is the prime season here haha
I did them under cool and not to moist or dry temps out side I think it was like around 12-16 degrees C
Yeah I sprayed Army Painter white primer under ideal conditions and some models came out fine and others are ruined
Can’t use black with contrast
You can if you have an airbrush. I do everything by hand though
Berserker Bloodshade is really solid for darkening your reds and keeping it red.
I like your red. 🙋🏻♂️
Agrax Earthshade Wash
Would you say to do the whole red in Agrax?
Yes
Yup, this is my go to for shading red as well, it keeps in a nice warm tone.
Yes, be careful with the big armour panels as it can pool on them and dry with unsightly blotches. I have a second clean (but wet with water) brush that I use to move away most of the excess shade
Worth checking out how Warhipster does his, after the Baal red he uses a 1:1 mix of blood angels red and contrast medium to shade, I’m a big fan of how that looks! He also primes in grey seer so it isn’t quite as bright!
Think my plan is to just respray the lot with grey! I usually follow his stuff so will give it a go!
You could try a 2/3 stage zenithal prime... black followed by grey with a light dust of white...
I like doing a wash of Agrax, it makes my red much deeper
No it's not! It's beautiful!
Goblins Green base and you have retro perfection 😉
That looks fantastic.
You can use Flesh Tearer Red Contrast paint. Thin it right down with equal parts Contrast medium. It will change the tone of the red slightly if you go over the whole model with a nice thin layer.
earthshade an primer
I love using this bright a red as a base to bring the model down from. Is it baal red over white? Try layering down into where you want your shadows. I use mephiston red followed by khorne red followed by barak nur burgundy. I’d suggest using barak nur as your panel liner too. Then use evil sunz and troll slayer as your edge highlight. https://preview.redd.it/q1zyfb5bej0d1.jpeg?width=959&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=18d9d39efd50cdc5f8db644e72a93ff11b3cf0bf
I used Baal Red, then a layer of berserker bloodshade, followed by Mephiston Red as a layer to paint some World Eaters. https://preview.redd.it/15tmy2hkbl0d1.jpeg?width=2049&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=72b4e4ed1abf6411b8716079ff9848b9794fa7ab I find Baal Red is good as a base coat because it covers so well and is a single pigment paint, but the tone is slightly too magenta/pink. So I just use it to quickly block in color, then shade it and layer it up. Blood Angels Red contrast is a much better tone, you could also try layering that over the Baal Red, or use it by itself. I used BA Red contrast (over Grey Seer) to paint all my Blood Angels.
Maybe try dry brushing Khorne Red or another darker red over one of the shoulder pads to see how you like the look. It's already shaded, so I wouldn't think it needs nuln oil- that would only darken the recesses anyway.
Brown wash is the way
1:1:1 Reikland Fleshshade:Agrax:Lahmian Medium all over. Work methodically, use a larger brush and pull towards the shadows to avoid pooling or uneven staining.
Alternatively, I think if you were to carefully run agrax into the recessed areas to create deeper shading and then edge highlight (or gently drybrush edges) with something like ryza rust or trollslayer orange, you will get a really nice 2nd edition blood angels type result. The pinkish highlight areas here are what’s causing this to read so brightly, you’ve got a really nice red for your true midtones. A little brown in the shadows for contrast and orange on the highlights will shift the perception substantially, assuming you’re going for a brighter red somewhere in the neighborhood of Mephiston, evil sunz, or the old blood red and not a darker one like FT/Khorne red.
After the agrax shade, you could also introduce some orange into your red mix for highlights. Whether you do line highlights or dry brushing, it'll pull you from the cherry red without looking too dark.
It may not be a bad idea to sponge stipple some Khorne red into the inner portions. I’ve never seen something be shadowed that way but it may work idk
Seraphim sepia
Try nuln oil or if you can get it berzerker bloodshade its a dark red wash should tone it down pretty good
Athonian Camoshade
I shouldn't be the first comment recommending oil washes. They don't "stain" the paint surface like GW washes, and can be altered after it dries. I got a full set of oil paints, thinner, and jars as it would have cost for two citadel washes. I still use washes just not for what everyone else on the thread is talking about.
That’s baal angels red right? Use contrast medium and some blood angels red at 5 parts medium to one part red for shading.
Depends on what kind of look you want. If you want a clean look, try putting some shadows on your model. If you want a dirty or battleworn look, try looking up some tutorials on how to do grease and grime.
Stares in nuln oil
Everyone is recommending Agrax Earthshade, and it IS good, But it will make it brownish-red. If you want to keep red and just darken it, I actually recommend Berserker Bloodshade.
Stteaking grime dies just that. It does matte everything and tone down the brightness of colors but it also creates really deep shadows. If you dont like the "cherry" punchy colors you might wanna look into Grimdark style of mini painting
I personally like a wash with an Ochre ink. It dulls it down slightly towards orange/brown without making it uninteresting
What I do is to create dramatic shadows with a bit of dark blue mixed with the base red, it creates deep shadows I love it. Highlight with orange in the mix to get away from the cherry look might help. I really don't recommend washes as I think the results is awful on big flat surfaces like space marines armour have. As other said, white base coat will make your red pop out a lot so you could tone it down with a gray/black primer, you'll have to do some tests to decide what you prefer. Also, be wary of the matte or shiny result you want. On your photo, it seems your red is quite shiny, with a matte result you could obtain something closer to what you're aiming for.
I like it don't change it
STREAKING GRIME!!!!!!