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Please help, this is my first attempt at a 'proper' base. Im trying to find a recipe for my army, ive halfway got something as per the pics. I was going to add some grey dry brushing on a couple of patches.

How can i improve this base, do you think it would be cool with some snow or a little puddle of water? I was thinking some bright green tufts to pop against it. The army going on them is going to be dark grim coloured space wolves.

Less is more with any base 40mm and smaller. These have enough interest already, with the wood and the boulder.

Tips:

1. Your rock/boulder should not have sand on it.

2. Quite a lot of overhang. I would have these coming to the edge and no further. And please don't get any sand on the base rim.

3. Three drybrushes of highlights are usually enough. With the last being quite light. I would say this looks okay.

4. Paint the base rim Graveyard Earth, or whatever it's called now. If you want it to look like Games Workshop's style.

5. Finer the sand the better, you can mix it up, but you really want the finest stuff to give the most realistic effect.

GL

Edit: Oh, and don't feel like you need static grass. Static grass/tufts usually makes things worse unless you really have your colours nailed. The colour of grass has to match the base etc. Most people get it wrong so it's better to leave them it off in most cases. Your base is what I would call a "trench" style. Grass would ruin the effect.

But what is your army?

 The Regulator wrote:
Less is more with any base 40mm and smaller. These have enough interest already, with the wood and the boulder.

Tips:

1. Your rock/boulder should not have sand on it.

2. Quite a lot of overhang. I would have these coming to the edge and no further. And please don't get any sand on the base rim.

3. Three drybrushes of highlights are usually enough. With the last being quite light. I would say this looks okay.

4. Paint the base rim Graveyard Earth, or whatever it's called now. If you want it to look like Games Workshop's style.

5. Finer the sand the better, you can mix it up, but you really want the finest stuff to give the most realistic effect.

GL

Edit: Oh, and don't feel like you need static grass. Static grass/tufts usually makes things worse unless you really have your colours nailed. The colour of grass has to match the base etc. Most people get it wrong so it's better to leave them it off in most cases. Your base is what I would call a "trench" style. Grass would ruin the effect.

Thanks so much for your advice. Yeah thats a 32mm I will definitly get some more finer sand to mix in with the stuff im using.
Yeah some bases look a but too much when theres little biddy mini patches of this and that.
What sort of colour tuft would you add if you were to dot one on some of the bases? The minis will be darrk n grey. A bright green or maybe deadish autumn colour scrubland type?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Shadenuat wrote:
But what is your army?

I dont have an army yet. Im now in the throws of the first unit.
Its 40k space wolves in 13th company style, occasional chaos bit mixed in, dark grey black armour, battle worn, pale dead looking slin tones with face tattoos etc.
Thats why i want to get a base recipe straight now at the start.

Yea I meant 32mm and smaller not 40mm you can do some stuff with that.

I would recommend a tuft like Middenland Tufts

This goes with browns. Stay away from anything that's too green.

Best way is to do a test model, and try and match the base to see how you like it.

Usually for bright mini you go for dark base, for dark mini a brighter base. Your grey would still probably have some blue in it, and opposite of that is oranges/browns (and afaik that's how Heresy wolves are based from FW). But it's not really the rule, you don't have to use contrasting colors and can go for complimentary/neutral ones too. Trust your taste.

Can also use stuff like this https://www.sessions.edu/color-calculator/

 The Regulator wrote:
Yea I meant 32mm and smaller not 40mm you can do some stuff with that.

I would recommend a tuft like Middenland Tufts

This goes with browns. Stay away from anything that's too green.

Sort of mountainy tundra kinda thing, browns with a bit of dark green tuft.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Shadenuat wrote:
Best way is to do a test model, and try and match the base to see how you like it.

Usually for bright mini you go for dark base, for dark mini a brighter base. Your grey would still probably have some blue in it, and opposite of that is oranges/browns (and afaik that's how Heresy wolves are based from FW). But it's not really the rule, you don't have to use contrasting colors and can go for complimentary/neutral ones too. Trust your taste.

Can also use stuff like this https://www.sessions.edu/color-calculator/

Yea i guess i wont be able to decide until a mini is on there. No no blue, black armour, gold trims, pasty skin, bone white and dark red accents on the armour. Like them forgeworld picture but with almost black grey armour. Cheers mate lighter is probably better then if minis are dark.

Yeah middenland suits more desert/hot climates. If you want a cold climate I'm sure somebody can give you some good tips. I'm much more of a desert and city base kind of guy.

Frozenfang wrote:
Sort of mountainy tundra kinda thing, browns with a bit of dark green tuft.

If you want a snowy mountain/tundra look, may I kindly direct you to this thread with a similar basing theme, albeit with mud instead of a rocky ground as they are going for a winter trench look. Still, I think the snow and water effects might be of interest to you. I know I saw another thread with a similar tundra theme with almost exactly the grass look you described in the last few days, but I'm not sure which one it is.

I would throw in a slightly larger rock every so often, but no need to go any further for these.

i'd add some orange foliage like moss or lichen as SW are a blue / grey so would make them 'pop'.

I think it looks quite nice now, for the record. Adding a tuft here and there would give you some visual interest but it's already 90% of the way there.

I'm assuming you're going to paint the rim black or tan or something to neaten it up.

If you want to do snow, I am fond of Secret Weapon, who has a 2 part system of crushed glass and realistic water effects: you can get dry powdery snow, or wet slush, or anything in between.