The Official Basing Thread

[Si'anelle of Avelorn]

For a lot of my old figures I was happy enough to use traditional Goblin Green painted bases with maybe a little green dyed sawdust glued on top. Though it wasn't until I started basing non-slotta type metal figures onto GW bases and blending the cast metal bases into the GW base with hardware store two part putty that I realised that I could do all kinds of sculpting and shaping on my bases. Also with small figures like Hobbits and older 25mm Fantasy figures it often helped to raise them up a bit with a little terrain work. I haven't been too adventureous with bases just yet, but I'm sure I'll get there.



A flyer base (sometimes it just gets used a tree stump too).


Putty laid over a dowel base. I found that the wooden dowel can be messed with very nicely on the cut edge to make it look very much like well....um.... tree wood

[XyonBlade]

Dose anyone have any examples of a model or a model base where the whole base is covered with a water effect? I'm planning on doing a Cothique themed army and want to have a couple units look like they're standing in the water on a beach, most of the water effect type things I've been able to find deal with scenery or only doing a small part of the models base with water, havent seen anything yet where the whole base is covered in water.

[Baerion]

Does anyone have a picture or two or a guide on how to do bases with a city or rubble theme? I saw one once somewhere and can't find it again. I think it would be cool to make an army to look as if it is fighting in a city. Similar to the battle in Lord of the Rings at Osgiliath.

[gaurdian_of_the_citadel]

I would like to direct you to the first page where Alith kindly just did a run through for that exact theme.

[Baerion]

Ok so I see the rubble basing thread. However, I was thinking more like a road or a street with a few broken down towers. However, I think I can use that guide for what I am going to do.

As a separate question, has anyone tried a gray color for their sand to go with grass rather than brown? I thought this might fit with my army colors better but don't want to do it if it is going to look terrible. Anyone have any examples?

[Sturen]

Grey works fine, though it looks more mountainous.

I paint my bases:

1. Charadon granite everywere.
2. Use slightly watered down PVA to attack some sand (I use sand from a beach near the forth road bridge, nice sand )
3. Very watered down PVA over the top, makes sure the sand doesn't fall of!
4. Wash with watered down dark flesh
Glue on some small peices of chopped up sprue (rocks)
5. Drybrush Calthan brown
6. Drybrush lightly with khemri brown
Use slightly watered down glue to attach some grass (I use GW stuff)

For water I do:
Greenstuff some small waves
Moridan blue
Enchanted blue
White on crest of waves
This bottle of cheap craft varnish I found kicking about in a cupboard, normaly 2 coats.

And for goo I do the same but with orkhide shade to goblin green and a yellowy green mix for the crest of the waves if there are any.

I also stick small details like enemy shields or hemets ect.

[Fallen Angel]

I base my models in a really simple way.

1. Prime Black
2. Paint Bestial Brown
3. Drybrush Bleached bone
4. Apply Static Grass
5. Pant edges Graveyard Earth

Result:





For my Woodies I prefer a different approach, mabe not so fitting for HE, except for shadow warriors maybe:

[XyonBlade]

OK, because I personally found a lack of water basing info, I went out on my own and found a couple things people can use other than those "water effect" things you can buy from art stores like blicks if you're in the usa.

Acrylic Gloss medium, high solid gel medium,, and matte medium all work well for water on your bases. You put them on wet and let it dry clear as water.

[Lathaon]

Simple or not, I think the bases on those Dragon Princes are really good.

[Angel]

The method I use is pretty simple.

1. Glue sand on the base
1.5 Wait for it to dry
2. Mix wood glue with plenty of water and paint it over the sand. This seals the sand and keeps it from falling off.
2.5 Wait for it to dry
3. Paint the sand with Scorched Brown
4. Drybrush it heavily with Graveyard Earth
5. Drybrush it with Bleached Bone
6. Glue clumps of green flock and static grass in patches on it
7. Paint the base's edges with Graveyard Earth.

Looks like this:

[KJSparkz]

For the last 2 years I worked for an independent stockist of GW products here in Ireland and had to make quite a lot orf scenery and bases for tables and displays.

most of the time I've pretty much just used the standard basing tips similar to those mentioned here however I do use a lot of railway and military modelling materials such as textured pvc sheets/plasticard really good for cobbled streets or pavements/sidewalks they also provide a great texture for buildings and walls. You can also get oval,circular tubing,I-beams etc scaled to the same size as warhammer miniatures who look great for fantasy and 40k bases. Tamiya also do many good battlefield scenery kits that can be adapted easily for 40k and fantasy buildings and terrain pieces. for example their 1:32 scale sandbags and fuel dump (barrels and jerrycans) accessories are similar in size to those in the 40k battlefield accessories kit .

On the Water Effect,flock,sand,gravel etc, and its high cost from GW your modelling shop or the modelling aisle at Hobbylobby all are well stocked with cheaper alternatives. For those interested check out manufacturers such as Heke and Woodland Scenics.

[Arious]

recently I only used on coat of PVA glue to stick donw the stand then paint it black/spray it black, dry bush with a brown then dry brush bleach bone or Denhem Stone and add static grass with PVA Glue. and ofc paint the base rim brown. The problem I had was the sand was really rough/course and would come off in my carry case or when i would rank up my models. So know I'm adding a second of watered down layer of PVA glue before I add static grass this seems to fix my problem, anyone else have that problem?

[Bolt Thrower]

recently I only used on coat of PVA glue to stick donw the stand then paint it black/spray it black, dry bush with a brown then dry brush bleach bone or Denhem Stone and add static grass with PVA Glue. and ofc paint the base rim brown. The problem I had was the sand was really rough/course and would come off in my carry case or when i would rank up my models. So know I'm adding a second of watered down layer of PVA glue before I add static grass this seems to fix my problem, anyone else have that problem?

I followed step 2 on Angel's list and it kept this from happening to me. Keep it real watered down though or you'll start to lose the texture of the sand. So it was PVA glue, dip in sand, watered down PVA glue to seal, basecoat paint, drybrush paint, spots of PVA glue, dip in static grass.

I also waited overnight after the sealing step just to make sure the glue was as dry as can be.

[KJSparkz]

You could also try painting on ready mixed domestic quick drying wall filler diluted with pva glue to help keep the texture of the gravel. I find it adds to the overall texture.

[PsychoDove88]

Hi brothers!

Actually, I'm painting the new High Elves models from Island of Blood box, and the bases look like this...



I hope you like!

P.D: how can I change the picture size? sorry...

[Mycal]

I read about sand, does that mean actually sand, or some other product?

[Sturen]

Real sand, coarser grains are better in my experience.

[Si'anelle of Avelorn]

The method I use is pretty simple.

1. Glue sand on the base
1.5 Wait for it to dry
2. Mix wood glue with plenty of water and paint it over the sand. This seals the sand and keeps it from falling off.
2.5 Wait for it to dry
3. Paint the sand with Scorched Brown
4. Drybrush it heavily with Graveyard Earth
5. Drybrush it with Bleached Bone
6. Glue clumps of green flock and static grass in patches on it
7. Paint the base's edges with Graveyard Earth.

Looks like this:

Ah, Angel thou hath made the blessed Everqueen and her maidens most fair indeed. Oh, for I didst near weep for it hath been so long since such beauty and artistry has been set before mine eyes.

[Archangel189]

Lucky me, somebody else has started with PVA. I have got a question concerning PVA, too. Is it possible to create a watery effect with it, if applied on a shaded blue surface? I am thinking of building a terrain piece with a pond, so creating something watery will be of importance. Same for small puddles on my cavalry bases.

I've had luck for creating water effects with plain old clear silacone.

[Loran]

Let's see, basing...

For rank and file, I glue sand on the base with PVA before undercoating. The sand I use is a combination of the current GW sand and then the old Gravel GW used to sell. You can get the same stuff from any store that sells model airplanes, model railroads etc. This gives a bit of larger pebbles into the mix, so every base has something to set it apart. Most of my models, especially the ones painted in the last couple of years have bases that match my gaming table. So after the undercoat has dried up, I paint the sand with Khemri Brown, highlight that with Dheneb Stone and finally a wash of Devlan mud. Some parts have a bit more of Devlan than others, thus helping to make the base look un-uniform. After the model is painted, I glue static grass on it. Depending on the army, the colour of the grass changes. For my Vampires, it's the Burnt Grass; for my Empire, High Elves, Skaven, Orcs & Goblins, and pretty much every 40k army, it's the Scorched Grass and for my WIP Khemri army, it's the Dead Grass. Gives different feeling to the armies

As for characters and larger models (Tau Crisis Suits, Varghulfs and the like) I usually take the time to model stuff on the base. I've got a load of the 40k and Fantasy basing kits that have lots of different resin bits and pieces of slate. Also, the Bitz box is raided every now and then

Cheers,
- Loran

[Botjer]

Dont use green edges on your bases, either use the brown u used for dirt or black.
Green looks fake and low quality.

[JayDoubleA]

After a break of 20 years from all things Warhammer, I'm back in the swing of things, loving it and putting together an Elven army of sorts, of which I will post more in the appropriate place.

Back in the day, I never really based much, just simple grey paint jobs, with some decals from model aircraft kits, etc, and the odd bit of rubble. As you might guess, I was playing 40K back then. So, for my new WFB army, I decided I wanted to do it nicely, and really make the most of my moderate talent and ability. But I also wanted a nice, quick basing strategy for my rank and file. Discovering my son had used up (or lost) all the PVA, I had to come up with a new strategy.

I poured the texturing material (those tiny, woodchip-like bits, in green and a bit of yellow and brown) into a little tray. The bases got a layer of superglue (whilst being held with tweezers!) and a dip in the tray. Any bare patches got a touch up of glue, and another dip.

After a brush down to remove the loose chips, the fun began:

A dip in a tray of thin, chaos black wash.
A thicker, bestial brown wash, applied with a brush.
A moderate drybrushing of medium green (goblin green).
A lighter drybrushing of medium-light green (goblin green / sunburst yellow mix).
A very light drybrushing of light green (goblin green / suburst yellow / skull white mix).
(All drybrushing was done with a large size brush, to speed up the process.)
Finally, snakebite leather was applied around the visible vertical edges of the base, with a quick little drybrush of snakebite leather / skull white mix on the corners.

Posting this at work (it's my lunch break), so no photos available right now, but the results were perfectly adequate for core troops, and easily done in batches of ten or so.
I'll get some pics up later in the week.

For elites, command and characters, this will be the starting point for the basing, with extra bits and pieces added as fancy takes me.

[Asta]

My sand wont seem to stick to the base after I've used the slightly watered down PVA glue.. Whenever I try to ink it, some of it falls of and it makes it difficult..

Actually the problem here is more than likely the sand you're using, rather than the amount of water. As long as you don't dilute the glue more than 50/50 you'll be fine.

I'm going to take a wild stab in the dark and say that you're using GW sand? If you are then that's your problem. GW sand is washed and this process also polishes all the individual grains of sand, turning them all into tiny spheres which don't seem to like PVA glue very much. For over 20 years I've been using builders sand and/or childrens' play sand with up to a 50/50 dilution of glue and I've never had this problem. Even sand off the beach would work better than GW's.

I would also suggest that another issue could be caused by using ink. Even if you allow the glue to dry overnight, when you apply ink to it it begins to soften and re-activate the glue very quickly. Plus it dries all horrible and shiny! I always used to use a mix of Chaos Black and Scorched Brown, heavily diluted......load a large brush with it and just just it to the sand, which will just drink it up. Leave that to dry thoroughly, and if you're in a hurry waft a hair-dryer on a low but hot setting over (don't burn yourself ) Once that's dry highlight by overbrushing rather than drybrushing, then do your static grass etc.

Of course these days you can reverse the painting process by painting the sand with your highlight colour and then using Devlan Mud or whatever other colour you fancy to wash the shading on.

But I would definitely try a different sand and make sure you DO dilute the glue. In my experience if you use neat or nearly neat glue you won't get a very good effect.

[Tarval]

You guys might want to head up to Home Depot when you get a chance. They have this new paint that bubbles up like dirt, as well it comes in all types of colors. I snapped a few phone photos of it so that I could return and take a look at it. Once you see how it bubbles up, you will have a better understanding of its uses for base and terrian.

[underdog6750]

Hey all just joined the forum as i have started collecting high elves. I am painting them a pretty standard paint scheme and modeling them on a snowy plains base.

How do you post pictures and ill attatch one asap

[Bolt Thrower]

Hey all just joined the forum as i have started collecting high elves. I am painting them a pretty standard paint scheme and modeling them on a snowy plains base.

How do you post pictures and ill attatch one asap

Hi, Underdog, welcome to Ulthuan! The best way to post pics is to upload them to a site like Photobucket (free!) and then copy the img link from that host into your posts here. Once you submit the post your pic will appear.

[Tarval]

Well, figure I would toss in my old basing tech on my 40k IG guys.

1. I glued the model on ahead of time so that the feet would be in the mud/dirt.
2. Add in some wood filler from home depot.
3. Worked it around as needed to cover some of the feet/lower body part of the model. I even added some here and there on the model.
4. primed white
5. painted graveyard earth
6. brown ink
7. grave yard earth dry brush
8. grave yard earth with a bit of white with a light dry brush.

[Lagast]

These are bases for my Cursed army theme. I used a tutorial found on the net, I like the result.

[Jimmy]

They have turned out great, maybe a tiny streak of yellow or white through the lava?

[Lagast]

They actually have yellow in them, but I took the picture at late night with bad illuminiation.
I definatly have to look to rescale the pictures to the propriate 600x800.