Quick answer

Choose OLD COPPER for warm, aged copper effects on armor and trim, and GREENISH METAL for cool, oxidized green metallic details. If you want a true verdigris effect, use GREENISH METAL as your base and add weathering; OLD COPPER alone will not produce green oxidation.

Why two aged metallics behave differently

OLD COPPER is an acrylic paint with a rich copper tone, while GREENISH METAL is a metallic paint with a green metallic finish. The difference is not just color: copper reads as warm and polished, while green metal reads as cool and oxidized. That affects how each paint interacts with the colors around it and what kind of aging story you can tell on a miniature.

When color alone should decide

If your project already has a strong color scheme, pick the metallic that supports it rather than fighting it. Warm schemes with reds, browns, and golds usually pair better with OLD COPPER. Cool schemes with blues, greens, and silvers usually pair better with GREENISH METAL. This is the fastest way to avoid a metallic that looks out of place.

The verdigris exception

GREENISH METAL is not a verdigris effect paint by itself; it is a green metallic paint. If you want realistic verdigris, you still need to add weathering layers or pigments over a base. OLD COPPER can serve as the underlying copper, but it will not turn green on its own. Plan for an extra step if oxidation is the goal.

Decision rules for aged metallic paints

  • Warm vs cool scheme: If your miniature's palette is warm (reds, browns, golds), choose OLD COPPER. If it is cool (blues, greens, silvers), choose GREENISH METAL.
  • True verdigris goal: If you need a real verdigris effect, start with OLD COPPER as the copper base and add green weathering on top; GREENISH METAL alone is a green metallic, not an oxidation effect. Budget an extra weathering step if oxidation is the goal.
  • Single-bottle convenience: If you want one paint that delivers the aged look without mixing, pick the color that matches your target metal: OLD COPPER for warm copper, GREENISH METAL for cool green metal.
  • Test before committing: Paint a small test patch on a spare surface to see how each metallic reads under your usual lighting before applying it to a finished model. Metallics can shift appearance under different light, so test first.

Product facts

  • GREENISH METAL: GREENISH METAL is a metallic paint with a green metallic finish, supplied as an individual bottle. It gives you a cool metallic base for oxidized looks without mixing your own green metallic.

    GREENISH METAL

    GREENISH METAL

  • OLD COPPER: OLD COPPER is an acrylic paint with a rich copper tone, supplied as an individual bottle. It provides a warm, aged copper base that covers well and suits armor, trim, and mechanical details.

    OLD COPPER

    OLD COPPER

Who should choose which

Best for

  • Painters who want a warm aged copper effect on armor, trim, or mechanical parts
  • Painters building a cool oxidized metal look who need a green metallic base

Not for

  • Anyone expecting a single paint to produce a complete verdigris effect without additional weathering
  • Painters who need a true metallic silver or gold; these are copper and green metallic tones