Hardened Leather vs Transparent Brown Iron Oxide

How close are they?

ΔE 12.5, fair: the same colour family, but not a straight swap. Transparent Brown Iron Oxide is a little lighter, more muted than Hardened Leather. They are different kinds of paint: Army Painter Hardened Leather is a one-coat contrast-style paint and Golden Transparent Brown Iron Oxide is an ink, glaze or transparent paint, so they won’t behave the same on the model even where the colour is close.

Can I use Transparent Brown Iron Oxide instead of Hardened Leather?

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

Can I use Hardened Leather instead of Transparent Brown Iron Oxide?

The same difference applies the other way round: Hardened Leather is a little darker, 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.