Quick & dirty basing techniques - it doesn't get any easier!
Aug 18, 2014 4:14:35 GMT
DMScotty, tauster, and 4 more like this
Post by sgtslag on Aug 18, 2014 4:14:35 GMT
I've been doing super-simple bases for the last several years. For a while, I was into using Plexi-glass/acrylic plastic, applying a matte clear coat, but the results were less than what I had hoped. Then I just started painting them either Hunter Green, or Black. Meh! They sucked. I knew it, but I just wanted them to be simple, easy, and quick. I wanted to focus on painting, and getting my armies done -- that is, painted, and on the gaming table.
Enter DM Scotty, and his basing gravel videos...
I found some colored sand, fine grained, at Michael's Hobby Store, and I started with just painting PVA Glue on the base, then dunking it in the sand, similar to what DM Scotty did. It was better, but it was too consistent, too simple, too blah, still. So I added some coarse grained sand, and some even coarser 'sand', which looks like rocks the size of the figures' feet! The coarser sand is a brown color, the fine sand is almost a lime green, and the 'rocks' are a slightly darker brown. I first tried dunking the figures into the lime green sand, then, after they dried, I put a few spots of glue on the bases, and sprinkled on the coarse sand, followed by the same process with the gravel/rocks. It was still too uniform. Finally, I just dumped all three types into a single container, brushed on PVA Glue to the base, then swirled it in the conglomerate mix. Voila!!! It is one simple step, which yields great, random results -- and No Painting. It can be dressed up another notch by gluing on small bits of green-colored foam, to represent small bushes -- nice if not overdone.
link link2
I am aware that the sand does not look like grass, but I am into mass production, doing lots of 20-50 figures at a shot. I am talking about 'armies' of 50+ figures here, not individual heroes and monsters, so economy of effort is crucial to me. I make compromises because I only have one lifetime to complete my hobbies, and my life is not getting any longer... Here is a link to my blog page about the project, scroll down a bit to see the trees: link to blog.
Hope this helps someone. If not, sorry for having stolen 60 seconds of your life which you will never get back... Cheers!
Enter DM Scotty, and his basing gravel videos...
I found some colored sand, fine grained, at Michael's Hobby Store, and I started with just painting PVA Glue on the base, then dunking it in the sand, similar to what DM Scotty did. It was better, but it was too consistent, too simple, too blah, still. So I added some coarse grained sand, and some even coarser 'sand', which looks like rocks the size of the figures' feet! The coarser sand is a brown color, the fine sand is almost a lime green, and the 'rocks' are a slightly darker brown. I first tried dunking the figures into the lime green sand, then, after they dried, I put a few spots of glue on the bases, and sprinkled on the coarse sand, followed by the same process with the gravel/rocks. It was still too uniform. Finally, I just dumped all three types into a single container, brushed on PVA Glue to the base, then swirled it in the conglomerate mix. Voila!!! It is one simple step, which yields great, random results -- and No Painting. It can be dressed up another notch by gluing on small bits of green-colored foam, to represent small bushes -- nice if not overdone.
link link2
I am aware that the sand does not look like grass, but I am into mass production, doing lots of 20-50 figures at a shot. I am talking about 'armies' of 50+ figures here, not individual heroes and monsters, so economy of effort is crucial to me. I make compromises because I only have one lifetime to complete my hobbies, and my life is not getting any longer... Here is a link to my blog page about the project, scroll down a bit to see the trees: link to blog.
Hope this helps someone. If not, sorry for having stolen 60 seconds of your life which you will never get back... Cheers!