Pure Red vs Naphthol Red Medium

How close are they?

ΔE 6.9, close: similar, with a visible difference side by side. Naphthol Red Medium is a little lighter than Pure Red. They are different kinds of paint: Army Painter Pure Red is an opaque base/layer 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 Pure Red?

Usually, if you are not matching paint already on the model. Close match (ΔE 7). Naphthol Red Medium is a little lighter than Pure Red. They are different kinds of paint.

Can I use Pure Red instead of Naphthol Red Medium?

The same difference applies the other way round: Pure Red is a little darker.

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.