British Scarlet is a mid-tone vivid red with a warm undertone. No shortage of substitutes here, Vermilion from Vallejo matches at 91 percent and 5 brands carry a strong same-finish near-match. It builds a smooth gradient with Insignia Red underneath and Bright Red on the highlights, all in the Humbrol line. In practice you can substitute across brands here without anyone noticing at arm's length.
British Scarlet equivalents in other ranges
No brand clones British Scarlet outright, but 2 ranges come close enough to swap. The best candidate from each catalog:
- Closest Vallejo equivalent: Vallejo Vermilion, close enough that batch variation matters more (delta E 1.9).
- Best The Army Painter option: The Army Painter Legendary Red, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 2.1).
- From Scale75: Scale75 Blood & Wine Red, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 2.8).
- Green Stuff World's closest color: Green Stuff World Carnage Red, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 3.2).
- Nearest in the Two Thin Coats catalog: Two Thin Coats Hellspawn Red, a near match with visible drift up close (delta E 3.6).
- Best Citadel option: Citadel Angron Red Clear, a usable stand-in rather than a twin (delta E 4.5).
Check it on a spare model first, because Vallejo Vermilion sits slightly more muted than the original and the difference grows over large flat panels.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
Vallejo
The Army Painter
Scale75
Green Stuff World
Two Thin Coats
Citadel
Tamiya
AK Interactive
Monument Pro Acryl
Revell
P3 Paints
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
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Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to Humbrol British Scarlet?
The closest same-finish match is Vallejo Vermilion at 91% color similarity.
What color is British Scarlet?
British Scarlet is a mid-tone vivid red with a warm undertone (hex #CD212A).
What do I highlight and shade British Scarlet with?
Highlight British Scarlet toward Bright Red and shade it down into Insignia Red, both Humbrol paints in the same finish family.