Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I'm painting up some tyranids.  Below is my color scheme test 'gaunt - don't focus too much on the lack of highlghting/clean lines, pretty please. 

What I do need are some basing suggestions.  Thoughts?

I would say that a dark basing scheme would nicely offset your paint scheme, either dark volcanic rock or a cityfight concrete/rubble look would work perfectly IMO.

Hmm, volcanic might be a lot of fun to do. The occasional lava crack to break up the monotony....

First, do you plan on dipping 'em? That color scheme just screams that it's ready for dipping, be it literal or the brushed on variety. If so, or even if not, I'd go with alien flora using a variety of flock, turf and clump foliage in a range of green tones. Not very creative, I know, but it will complement your color scheme quite well as well as being rather easy to do.

Hi, Nyarly.

I may have to experiment with that - I was thinking about trying a very thinned brown ink or flesh wash, as the tyranids as a whole are modeled in a way that seems to encourage all-over washing. But I confess to very little experience with dipping-like techniques, which makes me a touch hesitant.

Got a good source for alien flora?

Spackle em!

I did it with my tomb kings and really liked the results, and they'll look cool even if you don't dip em.

Go to your local hardware store and buy a little container of spackle / wall filler .. that white stuff you get to fill in nail holes and cracks in your wall. If you have an art supply store, pick up a cheapy plastic palette knife, or you could even use a plastic butter knife. Just spread the spackle on your base like you're icing a cake. Let it sit for about 2 hours, then push it apart gently with your finger, don't break it off you just want to make cracks in the surface. The spackle make also crack on it's own too.

Wait 24 hours, then coat it with a watered down wash of white glue (mix it like 50/50) to seal it in. Once that's totally hardened you can paint it however you like. Makes a really cool cracked earth looking base

Hey, there's a neat idea. Thanks!

Paint it lava-esc, include the odd patch of alien lichens here and there (must be alien lichens, as earth ones take too long to grow to do so around volcanic activity).... That could work nicely. I'll have to experiment a touch with the spackle approach, but that's okay, too.

for the english among us, i believe spackle is polyfilla...

Oooh, yeah you definitely need to dip these models. I agree fully with Nyarly, this scheme would work great with a good dip.

If you need some dipping info, there's a couple links in the Modelling FAQ at the top of this forum. Just scroll down to the 'reply' at the bottom and you'll see the links posted there.

No i would go with a Reaper base of Skulls they put out lots of Skulls piles of skulls as it just finshed off the reminder of the population and there looking for Frsh meat. the Reaper skull bases are great i re based my whole worldeater army on them and player are like WOW

Hmm, dipping. Thanks for the pointer, Yak; I was curious on the mechanics, but had little desire to reinvent the wheel. Looks like a trip to the HW store is in order, both for the stain and for some spackle to play with. Good times!

Skulls would be interesting, KotBD, but having done a Chaos army, I'm tired of piles of skulls.

Hi Janth! The source for the "alien flora" would be anyplace that sells Woodland Scenics clump foilage. You've probably seen the same stuff used on trees or as bushes. Plastruct also has (or did have) some strange ball like formations that basically look like cut sponges that have very little physical substance (ie: huge holes). Art sponges from the local arts & crafts store could work to, though you'll need to paint 'em as they almost always come in their "natural" beige color.

I've done some dipping experimentation on the 'gaunt, as well as a test Genestealer relative of his. I like the effect, but not the color - back to the HW store I go (I want something lighter than I've got).

With that settled, I'll start making experimental bases. Thanks for the help, folks!