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Hey guys, so im horrible at basing my models and i would like some advice as i want my Pre-Heresy Emporers Children to look really good, i can do the painting just need help basing.

so what i want to do is Istvaan 5 style, and from what ive gathered Istvaan 5 was dirt / mud with debris / rocks.

How would you guys model flat-ish rocks and dirt ? like what materials, technique etc.

like this :



Thanks in advance

People usually use corkboard for stuff like that, but it really looks plain when done that way.

I've also seen melted polystyrene (going to have to be cautious with that) as well as some other materials like MDF.

if you want specifics I can't help; all I can say is clear resin works great for puddles/water, and there's a few tutorials on here and elsewhere for great looking mud (some of them done with tamiya colours with their ability to gel).

Thanks man, anyone else have any advice ?

Mix up a batch of Hydrocal, pour it into a shallow flexible pan to the depth of about a quarter inch. Let it dry and then give it a twist and you have a buunch of ROCK hard slabs ready to glue down to the bases.
Then just use Woodland scenics Fine Ballast around the rock slabs. Paint with colored thinned down Elmers Glue to lock in the ballast and drybrush accordingly.

^^^Probably the best way to go about the rock.

Take a hike and look for real rocks. Layered rocks like shale and slate will generally provide flat thin chips. Even in urban environs chips of shale and slate should be pretty common as they are used in construction and landscaping a lot. Just take a base along with you to do size comparisons. You'd be surprised how useful the debris just kicked to the side of a street can be for basing.

I live in the desert and I've yet to find rocks like those above. Using Hydorcal or the like allows for much more control over the size and thickness of the "rock". You can also easily drill it for pinning the model to it.

Bark can be good for rocks.