Army Painter · Warpaints Fanatic Effects

Dark Rust Army Painter warpaint fanatic effect paint card (#803018)

Army Painter Warpaint_fanatic_effect #803018
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8 alternatives
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CLEAR RED · AK Interactive · ΔE 13.72

Spiritstone Red · Citadel (Games Workshop) · ΔE 4.14

Equivalents by Brand
Brand Colour Delta E Match
AK Interactive CLEAR RED 13.72 Distant
AK Interactive CLEAR SMOKE 14.06 Distant
AK Interactive Clear Red 26.83 Distant
AK Interactive CLEAR ORANGE 27.28 Distant
Citadel (Games Workshop) Deathshroud Clear 28.11 Distant
Citadel (Games Workshop) Bloodletter 31.79 Distant
Citadel (Games Workshop) Eidolon Purple Clear 34.98 Distant
Army Painter Fresh Rust 15.02 Distant
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Dark Rust paint guide

Dark Rust Paint: Colour, Type & Equivalents

Dark Rust is a key paint in the Citadel range, valued for its consistent finish and reliable coverage across Warhammer projects.
The closest Dark Rust equivalent is CLEAR RED (AK Interactive) (ΔE 13.7).

Dark Rust is a warpaint_fanatic_effect from Army Painter, commonly used for armour plates, cloth, and trim work.

Quick Equivalents

  • Closest equivalent: CLEAR RED (AK Interactive) – ΔE 13.7
  • Vallejo equivalent: no close Vallejo equivalent
  • Army Painter equivalent: no close Army Painter equivalent

How to Use Dark Rust

This paint is typically used for:

  • basecoating rich red armour and weapons
  • layering and highlighting on large flat surfaces

Apply it over a suitable primer and build layers gradually. Coverage sits around reliable, so two thin coats usually give a more stable finish than one heavy pass, especially over a dark primer.

Paint Behavior and Tips

Consider the following when working with this paint:

  • Coverage: reliable — affects how many coats are needed over primer
  • Dilution: controlled thinning — keeping the right ratio maintains flow and prevents brushmarks
  • Interaction with washes and highlights: always run a highlight pass to verify the tone does not shift after drying

A good equivalent should remain stable after shading and highlighting. Test this alternative on the same primer and in the same recipe before switching a whole unit.

Miniature Painting Tips

For best results with Dark Rust on Warhammer and other miniature projects:

  • Use the same primer across the project to keep tonal consistency
  • Test on a spare part before applying to a full unit
  • Compare after shading and highlights, not just the base coat

Even small differences can become visible on a finished miniature. This match may behave differently on textured surfaces like cloth, fur, and metal trim once the full recipe is applied.

Conclusion

Choosing the right Dark Rust equivalent or substitute keeps your scheme consistent from the test model to the full army. Use this comparison to weigh the closest Vallejo, Army Painter, and other cross-brand options before repainting a whole squad.

A useful paint guide should connect colour accuracy, handling, and recipe context in one place.

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Direct answer
How should you use Dark Rust on miniatures?

Dark Rust is a warpaint_fanatic_effect paint from Army Painter. Use it in thin coats and verify the surrounding recipe on a test miniature.

  • Army Painter · Warpaints Fanatic Effects
  • Warpaint_fanatic_effect · #803018

Method

This summary is built from the local usage notes, structured paint detail data, and the same Delta-E matching system used across ChromaStack.

Limits

Check finish and coverage on a test miniature if your workflow depends on a very specific texture or transparency.