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Ok, so I've got lots of new minis to put together over the next couple of weeks, there's an AOBR set, Lootas, Burnas, and hordes of boys. I'm really taking my time over these ones as I also have hordes and hordes of imperfectly made boyz upstairs that I don't like very much. So, I'm painstakingly doing the mould lines and all that stuff.

Now, I want to make an effort with the bases. In the past I've based last, after assembly and painting, and it's been difficult and messy and the results have always been less than pleasing. What I was thinking this time is to base first, on just a blank base, then I can stick the models feet to the top of the base material rather than have the feet buried in grass or sand.

Anyone got any suggestions on how to do this? It's all Orks and I'm probably going to go for a desert or grassland type theme, rather than any really sci-fi space hulk, city or ash wastes/weird slimey planet feel...

I was thinking either sand or maybe some little fine gravel like you get for fish tanks etc mixed with glue or plaster to make a textured gooey mass. Then applied to each base, trying to keep the worst of it off the sides. How do people end up with such clean lines between the base sides and the edge of the basing material?

The other consideration is that I want to paint using dips, so no PVA/waterbased glue ideas. I was going to spray black, then do the base colours before I did the dipping (two black, two brown dips) as this would add some nice dirty tones to the bases as well as the minis, and then a final highlight to pick out a few details or the highest stones.

Anyway, any and all advice appreciated. Money is no option as I'd rather spend the money on more minis, I have way too many orks to base on resin bases, if it was a marines force with a low headcount then maybe the custom base route would be viable.

Graveyard Earth the rim of base, glue sand on paint sand with watered down Graveyard Earth, drybrush with Bleached Bone.

If you want glue some grass on top of sand.

I bought some stuff from Woodland Scenics for sand and grass on my bases. I don't think dipping a base is a good idea. A "gooey mess" isn't either. I would paint your model however you like, and then base it after. Sure it might look like the bottoms of your troops feet are slightly pushed into the sand, but that shouldn't be a problem if you don't use huge grains of sand. Also, you avoid the problem of having your models look like they are too high above the sand.

check out this thread

http://bootae.ibforums.com/index.php?showtopic=10672

The most time consuming but most effective basing technique, imho, is doing the big stuff first. Like the crazy drybrushing frenzy, and whatnot. Then finish the details on the model, and then do the details on the base.

I don't think I answered your question

For basing on the large scale, I recommend a tub of Vallejo's acrylic-pumice paste. It gives you a pretty good gravelly surface without the hassle of first applying glue, then the sand, then some more glue to lock the sand on. To say nothing of the danger of tipping your pot of sand all over the table...

You could even tint the stuff with paint to make it even more convenient, though it dries with a glossy surface.

I usually look to the floor mats of my car for fine dirt, then super glue it to the base, then the fig then drybrush it grey or brown and flock it. It gives a nice uneven texture to the ground with the occasional rock cropping sticking out. For my city fight guys I have started glueing plastic shavings to the base to see what it looks like. Not sure yet as I haven't painted any of them.

I'm so lazy about being careful that I prime with that ballast stuff on the base and
then paint over the primer. When I use additional glue to add static grass I apply things
with a toothpick.

What I do is buy a tube of " no nails " glue ( you can get cheaper generic versions ). Squirt out a blob on to a base and spread it around . You can get a dried mud texture. Then plonk the model on to the no nails. For slotta bases you will have to spread over the slot. When the no nails is dry its rock hard . So basically you get a solid textured base that glues your model to the base , all in one swell foop. Of course you can also add small stones , skulls , guns , long grass clumps e.t.c to the no nails before it sets too. I then generally paint graveyard earth with scorched brown sides , after the black wash on the model highlight the graveyard earth, add some flock and job done.

I bought about 4 bags of the GW sand with stones about 5 years ago and its still going strong, several hundread models later.

Glue model to base.
PVA (wood) glue on base (watered down a little) then sand (dip model into sand tray and swirl around).
I then leave to sit overnight and do a very thinned wash of PVA with water over the sand to help it stick.

The base is the last thing painted.
Just make sure I'm careful when drybrushing.

Thanks guys, I've got loads of ideas now, especially from that BrushThralls website, those warmachine/hordes bases look like they were designed with people who like baing in mind, much better than the GW efforts. I'd be tempted to get some but then my army would look odd

Going to have a go in the next few days... i think Lootas are the next guys to get done and I'm spending ages on these guys. The mould lines are slowly driving me mad.

One thing to keep in mind about keeping the sides clean - after you apply your glue and sand/grave/whatever, just wipe the edges with your finger. That is how I keep them clean. That way the sand stays on the top and the edges stay smooth to paint.

For my Orks I have gone with a mixture of larger chunks (slate, plaster, etc) and then fine sand with a few bits of larger sand to keep it all looking a bit rubble like. I paint the entire base a reddish brown first, then I drybrush with various greys. The deep red-brown underneath makes it look like there are levels of debris and destruction on the base. I then finish with some light brown/gold static grass.

The edges are then painted P3 Battlefield brown. The contrasting light colored greys with the brown look really good together.

I'll try and get some pics of the bases up. I just did some for a Deff Kopta and it is still separate from the model so it should show up nicely.

Jeff

Go look for the Brushthralls, that have great tutorials on everything from basic techniques to advanced.

I've used several techniques over the years. Basic recipe:
Use watered down glue (usually modgepodge or craft glue) to attached sand or flock of choice (I use woodlands scenics light ballast). Paint base black, and then work up from a dark brown, to a light brown (or bone color), let dry, apply more watered down glue in patches and add static grass.

I'll often substitute for a light pumice gel (especially with figures that are closer to 'scale' or either plastic wood or some other filler material for a more urban desolation look. Likewise with painting, go from a dark to light gray for a more urban or rocky look, or muted yellowish-browns for a desert look, etc.

For my IG, I used sprubble.
1. Find sprues from old models.
2. cut into pieces, roughly uniform length, a little longer than the sprue is wide.
3. take resulting "brick", glue to base.
4. prime, paint black, drybrush a few layers os successively lighter greys.

I think I'm going to go with some plaster type stuff, polyskim or similar, mixed up with some sort of texture... I've got one of those Woodlands Scenics tester packs somewhere so need to dig that out, but basically just some sharp builders sand... probably a slightly thicker layer than "the norm" I remember seeing some bases in WD years ago where the basing material bulged out and overhung slightly the sides of the base, although the sides were still clean and visible and painted. Into that layer of textured plaster I can press in larger stones or wreckage etc. I may even add some brown ink to the plaster at the mixing stage to make chips less obvious.

I was going to seal with watered down wood glue rather than watered down PVA, as this sets harder and is waterproof, so will be more compatible with my intended "dip the whole model" style of painting.

My method for speed painting rank and file should be something like:

Prime black

Base coats (foundation paints)

Some basic highlighting and drybrushing (shock!), including on the base

2 whole models dips of brown (drying in between)

2 whole model dips of black (drying in between)

Final highlights and touch ups for details.

Apply some static grass or foliage to base as required.

Because of this whole model dip idea I want to use that I've seen others use to get quick dirty shading that looks excellent on battle worn Orks (and will probably work just as well when I get round to my Catachans and Cadians) I need a waterproof seal to the base.

I'm also intending to essentially finish the base construction wise before gluing the mini's legs to it.

I cover base with sand, paint black, highlight brown, then apply small amounts of woodland scenics snow. Makes a tundra-ish base.

Good luck on your army!

I apply glue, dip into sand, then paint and apply static grass in clumps, thenglue the miniature down.

My sand comes from the beach - after being de-loused and cleaned, it is left to dry for a few days. It's all roughly of a size, and pale in colour, and it takes paint and glue rather well.

Besides, with my Star Wars Clone marines, it's even appropriate (some of the Geonosis exteriors were shot in the dunes near that beach).

for snow basing I use water glue baking soda and white paint and you just blob it on.

Few questions:

1. What works better? Assembling the model and the base, then doing the basing and then priming and painting everything? Or doing one and then the other then assembling? I think the latter would be more convenient in doing many items at the same time but I'm kinda worry about the adhesion.

2. What's a good way of basing a muddy surface? I was thinking about clay but its absorbent properties might be a problem.

clay should work fine or you could use the snow basing and use brown paint instead of white.

I have one policy for basing: less is more.

For Warhammer fantasy, Battletech and Epic minitures I use goblin green rims and flock. It is sort of traditional.

For 40K and Warmachine I have gone for inked sand with brown rims.

I bought a pack of resin rocks, i found them easier to work with than real rocks and a tidier size. I might sprinkle one or two on a klarge and otherwise empy base.

Other than that, no detail.

Less is more accentuates the model rather than the base, makes a unit look tidy rather than messy and being more neutral can fit on more table areas without clashing.

Flock and goblin green is ignorable and forgivable on just about anyt play surface. But the same unit on a lava scenic or in a swamp stands out in the wrong way.

If you have lots and want to be fast!

*Go to Hobby Lobby/Michaels, any place with train modelling.
- Get model sand
- Get model grass

*Pick up some elmers school glue.

*If your bases are separate. Use cheap krylon to spray paint green or tan. If they are already attached use cheap hobby lobby posterboard paint.

*get a disposable cup and some paper plates, and two big ziploc bags

*Mix 1/3 elmer's and 2/3 hot water in the disposable cup (paper cup/styroforam whatever's laying around). Use a toothpick or your little sister.

*Get a brush, even an old tooth brush (again this is where siblings come in handy-their toothbrushes are perfect ). Dip the brush into the glue and swipe the top of each base. Then dip the base in the Ziploc bags. Place base on paper plate to dry. Then do all the other ones. Wait an hour then seal.

This is what i did for my bases.

1) Prime Chaos Black
2) Basecoat w/ Snakebite Leather
3) Drybush w/ Bubonic Brown
4) Light Drybrush w/ Bleached Bone
5) Paint side of bases w/ Graveyard Earth

It look just like the desert like you wanted it. I suggest trying it out. if you don't like it try something else but you will like it.

2orky wrote:Few questions:

1. What works better? Assembling the model and the base, then doing the basing and then priming and painting everything? Or doing one and then the other then assembling? I think the latter would be more convenient in doing many items at the same time but I'm kinda worry about the adhesion.

2. What's a good way of basing a muddy surface? I was thinking about clay but its absorbent properties might be a problem.

I assemble the whole model, paint the whole model, and then do all the basing LAST. The only exception is when I have extensively modelled bases, in which case they are assembled along with the model, but still painted last. This way you can be as messy as you like when painting/dipping/drybrushing the main model...

It depends for me basic troopers get painted then based with sand that I paint black then drybrush codex grey then fortress gray is small areas. And I don't really have to be careful when doing my IG as I just repaint the boots black. But for characters I create and paint the base separatly and then add the painted model.