Poppy Red vs Naphthol Red Medium

How close are they?

ΔE 13.8, fair: the same colour family, but not a straight swap. Naphthol Red Medium is a little darker, much more saturated than Poppy Red. They are different kinds of paint: Army Painter Poppy Red is a one-coat contrast-style paint and Golden Naphthol Red Medium is an ink, glaze or transparent paint, so they won’t behave the same on the model even where the colour is close.

Can I use Naphthol Red Medium instead of Poppy Red?

Only where an exact match doesn’t matter, such as a new unit or a highlight. Fair match (ΔE 14). Naphthol Red Medium is a little darker, much more saturated than Poppy Red. They are different kinds of paint.

Can I use Poppy Red instead of Naphthol Red Medium?

The same difference applies the other way round: Poppy Red is a little lighter, much more muted.

ΔE is the colour difference between our two swatch estimates: under about 6 is close, over about 15 is loose. Real paints also differ in finish, coverage and how they thin, so test before you commit.