Weathering

Weathering covers a group of techniques applied near the end of a paint job to make a miniature look worn, dirty or battle-damaged rather than freshly painted. Common effects include chipped paint on edges to show bare metal underneath, dust and mud pigments applied around the base of a model's feet or vehicle treads, and streaks of rust or grime running down from joints and vents.

These effects matter because they add a strong sense of story and realism, a spotless tank or soldier can look less convincing on a display shelf than one with a few carefully placed signs of use. Weathering also helps unify a model with its base, since dirt and dust colors carried up from the base onto feet or wheels visually connect the two.

Restraint is important, since real wear is usually concentrated in a few logical places, edges, low points, moving parts, rather than spread evenly across a whole model. A common mistake is applying weathering effects randomly or too heavily, which reads as messy rather than realistic, so referencing how wear actually collects on real vehicles or equipment helps keep the effect believable.