Are you referring to a palmatum, or another specie? A little more specific would be great. If it is a laceleaf maple, like Acer palmatum dissectum Everred or Garnet for example, cuttings will not work, as well as seeds. They will surely resort back to a green palmatum. The best way to reproduced a red leaf dissectum or palmatum, is to graft onto another rootstock. Even palmatums like Bloodgood or Sherwood Flame or Oshio Beni, those are typically grafted because of the red nature being both a cultivated color and mutation.