In the pot, Red Wash reads as a warm red, mid-tone and moderate. Shade down into Clear Orange, the nearest darker paint in the Vallejo line. Substitutes are thinner on the ground; AK Interactive Clear Red is the nearest same-finish option at 84 percent, with 1 brand in strong-match range. Any substitute is a mixing base rather than a drop-in, so tune it on the model.
Red Wash equivalents and near misses
Fair warning: nothing matches Vallejo Red Wash cleanly. The options below are the least bad, and every one of them drifts.
Closest AK Interactive equivalent: AK Interactive Clear Red, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 3.1).
The Army Painter's closest color: The Army Painter Poppy Red, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 5.8).
Nearest in the Two Thin Coats catalog: Two Thin Coats Evil Eye Red, close, with a hint of drift side by side (delta E 3.8), but it is an opaque acrylic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
Best Scale75 option: Scale75 Anger Crimson, workable at tabletop distance, not up close (delta E 5.8), but it is an opaque acrylic so treat it as a color reference, not a swap.
The honest caveat: AK Interactive Clear Red dries slightly lighter than Red Wash, so expect recess shading and edge highlights to shift with it.
How to read the score
90+Close
80sUsable
<70Mix
AK Interactive
The Army Painter
Two Thin Coats
Scale75
Green Stuff World
Monument Pro Acryl
Citadel
Revell
Humbrol
About this color
Color profile
Highlight and shade ladder
Pairs well with
Try any paint in the scheme toolMatch difficulty
Where painters use it
Frequently asked
What is the closest equivalent to Vallejo Red Wash?
The closest same-finish match is AK Interactive Clear Red at 84% color similarity.
What is Red Wash used for?
Red Wash is a wash that flows into recesses and pools in shadow. Common uses: warm crimson glazing; deepen recesses and panel lines.
What do I highlight and shade Red Wash with?
Shade Red Wash with Clear Orange in the same Vallejo range. For highlights, mix in a lighter tone or move to a brighter paint in the lane.