Matt Light Rust vs Hardened Leather

How close are they?

ΔE 12.1, fair: the same colour family, but not a straight swap. Hardened Leather is a little darker, more muted than Matt Light Rust. They are different kinds of paint: AMMO by Mig Matt Light Rust is an ink, glaze or transparent paint and Army Painter Hardened Leather is a one-coat contrast-style paint, so they won’t behave the same on the model even where the colour is close.

Can I use Hardened Leather instead of Matt Light Rust?

Only where an exact match doesn’t matter, such as a new unit or a highlight. Fair match (ΔE 12). Hardened Leather is a little darker, more muted than Matt Light Rust. They are different kinds of paint.

Can I use Matt Light Rust instead of Hardened Leather?

The same difference applies the other way round: Matt Light Rust is a little lighter, more saturated.

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.