Rust Tone vs Clotted Red

How close are they?

ΔE 11.5, fair: the same colour family, but not a straight swap. Clotted Red is more saturated, cooler than Rust Tone. They are different kinds of paint: Army Painter Rust Tone is a wash/shade and Reaper Clotted Red is an opaque base/layer paint, so they won’t behave the same on the model even where the colour is close.

Can I use Clotted Red instead of Rust Tone?

Only where an exact match doesn’t matter, such as a new unit or a highlight. Fair match (ΔE 11). Clotted Red is more saturated, cooler than Rust Tone. They are different kinds of paint.

Can I use Rust Tone instead of Clotted Red?

The same difference applies the other way round: Rust Tone is more muted, warmer.

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.