AMMO by MIG Earth, Dust & Soil Pigments

Earth & Ground Pigment Colors

Earth pigments can be used where a model or scene needs dry soil, accumulated dirt, groundwork, or natural surface variation.

Current colors in the collection include tones such as Europe Earth, Dark Earth, Russian Earth, Farm Dark Earth, Winter Soil, Golan Earth, Syrian Ground, and Chocolate Brown.

Dust & Sand Tones

Lighter pigment shades can support dusty roads, dry terrain, vehicle surfaces, airfields, desert scenes, and other environments where pale earth or sand buildup is appropriate.

Examples in the collection include Sand, North Africa Dust, Light Dust, Airfield Dust, Middle East Dust, Sinai Dust, Negev Sand, and Wet Sand.

Urban, Concrete & Rubble Effects

Not every ground surface is natural soil. The collection also includes shades such as City Dark Dust, Concrete, Rubble, and Brick Dust for urban scenes, damaged structures, roads, buildings, industrial environments, and diorama groundwork.

Applications for Scale Models

• Military vehicles: Dust and soil buildup on tracks, wheels, lower hulls, fenders, and horizontal surfaces.
• Aircraft: Airfield dust, dirt, and ground-related effects around landing gear and appropriate lower surfaces.
• Miniatures & figures: Dust, earth, and ground tones for footwear, clothing, equipment, and bases.
• Dioramas: Soil, sand, rubble, concrete, roads, ruined structures, and scenic groundwork.
• Terrain & bases: Color variation across earth, rock, urban debris, and other textured surfaces.

Using Pigments Dry

Pigments can be applied dry when a soft, dusty appearance is appropriate. A brush can be used to place small amounts on selected areas and work the color gradually into textured surfaces.

Building the effect in stages makes it easier to control the amount and placement before deciding whether the pigment needs to be fixed in place.

Using Pigments with Fixers & Binders

Pigments can also be combined with a compatible fixer or binder when the project requires a more secured application or a different surface texture.

The final appearance can change when a pigment becomes wet or is fixed, so test unfamiliar combinations before applying them to the completed model.

Layering Different Earth Tones

Combining more than one pigment shade can add variation between areas of a model or terrain piece. Lighter dust can be placed over darker ground tones, while deeper browns can be concentrated in recesses or areas where heavier soil accumulation is intended.

Reference photos can help determine where dust, sand, rubble, soil, or other environmental deposits would naturally appear on the subject.

Choosing Pigment Colors

Start with the setting being represented. Desert, European, Middle Eastern, winter, urban, agricultural, and airfield environments can each call for different earth and dust tones.

The model's base color also matters. A pigment that appears subtle over a pale surface may create stronger contrast over a dark vehicle or terrain color.

More AMMO by MIG Modeling Products

Additional paints, pigments, weathering products, effects, thinners, and other scale-model finishing materials can be found in the AMMO by MIG Paints collection .