Natural basing ... how to?

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StarFyre

Active member
the link below is for, what I consider, one of the best bases for an individual figure on this entire site.

http://www.coolminiornot.com/34416

The stones I can imagine, if lucky, finding the exact size/shape that allow for the effect you want...but from all the natural bases i\'ve seen, the best ones atleast, with vegetation, branches, etc...

what parts are used? how about for sand/soil? has anyone tried using soil instead of sand? many bases don\'t appear painted.

What I do currently for most figures, is carpenters glue, then add sand. THen once that dries, via super glue, add rocks, and then static grass, woodland scenics flowers, etc.

If it\'s a larger, more detailed base, then I will add rocks ahead of time, prime them and paint them up as well...but the sand and static grass still happens after the fact.

These natural bases seem to be well beyond that....

Any suggestions?

Sanjay
 
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DaN

New member
Slate does smash and fracture favourably if you want to get it the right size.

Also, if you can get a thin chisel, you can split it anywhere along it\'s grain if you want it thinner.
(I wouldn\'t recommend shale, as it\'ll disintigrate :p)

As for other rocks, ask and I\'ll letcha know
 
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GreenOne

I paint my thumb.
Nice base indeed...
I am still much of a newb, unlike you, but from what I get so far, variety is your ally.
On this base I think many materials have been used:
Rocks: Small pebbles, bit of slate and/or cork, sculting material maybe.
Greenery: Moss/lichen, static grass, blade grass (prolly handmade.) The big branches could be twig or sculpted.
Etched brass leaves, or other material...
Add the water effect and it\'s very complete, even with no mini on...

Also, you win to paint everything... grass can be washed many times, rocks, no matter how small, can be painted, sand can be brushed, edging on leaves help them stand out. Unless it\'s perfectly natural and match the overall colors right as is, the whole painting process, from undercoat to highlight can give you control on each bit of grass. Of course this will be time expansive.
On this perticular base, I think every bit is painted, with many shades of grey/brown/green that brings it all together.

A trick I found is to mix some glue in the first wash over greenery, sandy and rocky bits, this fix it all there and then I can spend as much time putting as much paint as I like and it doesn\'t move. i thinks it will also slow the degrading of any organic matter used for the base.
 
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Bill

New member
^ Good advice there

>>edit<<
SH*T just lost a long post :flame:
Try again :possessed:

Here are a few general tips I find useful when making bases (not necessarily natural ones specifically but generally my bases are natural):
  • Use lots of real plant material - roots, as mentioned here earlier, or mosses/other frondy small things are good. Dried, preferably, but you can varnish them to seal the original colours somewhat. Otherwise, always paint them, as GreenOne said. Brass-etched foliage is great in small quantities - too much and it gets hard to paint all the leaves nicely, and can end up looking crappy as I learned from my YB winner last year. It can be done well though, if you are a nutter like David Olorenshaw! :D Generally though a little goes a long way, as you can see on Jakob Nielsen\'s bases.
  • It\'s normally a good idea to sculpt smaller rocks to keep them \"in scale\" and appropriately detailed, but slate can be good, for larger chunks especially, and is as said nicely pliable.
  • Detail and variety as GreenOne said are crucial. Keep things bound together using a recurring colour or tone, or a general ground cover - in nature things tend to sit around with each other for ages, and gain a kinda homogeneous environment appearance - but cram the base with as much detail as is possible without making it seem overcrowded.
  • Make sure the mini sits well with the base - literally, and in terms of background/paintjob - I like mine to tell a story, as if they are inherently involved with the character I\'m representing. Disintegrating remains/weapons/symbols of the enemy are a good way to get this sort of thing across.
  • Add a local small sculpted animal or two for good measure :D

Hope some of that helped, I will copy my post this time just in case :yawn:

Hopefully you can see some of the ideas above put into practice on my Warrior Priest.
 
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