Using Inks:

Much better !! inks are made of brighter colors that unlike paint keep their shine once dry. Normally there is no need to dilute them for the usage that interests us. You have to choose a medium dark red, not to dark though I prefer to mix in some black myself if need be. Normally there is no need to varnish the ink. To push the realism even further you can add a bit of white glue to the mix, when drying the glue will form some light cracks just like real blood would.

Using Real Blood:

And finally what could be better then real blood ? No need for any type of varnish, white glue ect… I can imagine what you’re thinking “ that guy is crazy I shouldn’t be reading stuff like that !!!!” But relax !!! I don’t go around mutilating myself to have real blood on my minis. It is possible to buy some blood from a butcher. Blood can be mixed without any problem with paint and inks but it dries pretty quickly and can damage brushes once it dries and coagulate. The only problem with real blood is that you’ll obtain dried blood, so if you want a fresh blood effect it’s not easy. By adding some varnish in the blood it self you can have something a bit brighter upon drying, you can also make it brighter by applying a couple of red washes once it’s dry. But I think the easiest solution if you want a fresh blood effect is to use only inks, but in the case of dried blood real blood is definitely better