but I am not sure what I sortof like what I am doing with the cold one but not sure what it needs, a wash and what kind etc. basically so far the skin is mechrite red and the scales are chardone granite. as far as the saurus though he is matching the rest of my saurus, codex grey, then wash his back in thraka green then drybrush and pickout the scales in adeptus, then do the back spines in deneb.
I've found that when the skin is a brighter and lighter colour than the scales on top, it takes more to make it look right. I'd say just keep going with. Finish the basecoat on all the scales (don't forget the head ), get your washes on, highlight the scales, and I bet it looks much better. Maybe consider doing the underbelly a different colour.
Don't worry too much. Sure it may look a bit bland at the moment but after you're done with the eyes, teeth, claws and all the golden stuff you'll be surprising yourself. A lot of people think that their lizards are too bland and introduce too many colours and before you know it, it looks like it belongs in a Mardi Gras parade more than on a table.