by Jeremy ([email protected])
Patrick Marstall ([email protected])
Kai-Oliver Maurer ([email protected])
Eric J. ([email protected])
Tuomas-Antti Lahdeoja ([email protected])
by Jeremy ([email protected])
>I was wondering why everyone (at least of GW) who talks about basing miniatures
>says that it is to be done *after* you have finished painting the miniature. Is
>there a reason for this?
From my perspective, I base them after because it allows me to
maintain better color continuity over the base, add details like wires,
kicked up dirt, etc. to the models lower legs, and all that sort of thing.
Some of my friends do it before, and it doesn't look much different, and
some don't base at all. It's a personal preferance thing.
by Patrick Marstall ([email protected])
Like GW, I like to use the sand-and-grit method of basing, which means that
I glue some sand onto the base and then paint it. The paint seals the sand
quite nicely, but since I typically handle the base while I'm painting the
miniature, the sand would rub off if I put it down first.
Along those lines, if you paint the sides of the slotta-base like I do, that
paint would be the first to rub off when handling the miniature while
painting. I find that leaving the head and the base as the last two things
you paint allows you to hold it between your thumb and fore-finger in order
to get to the little details. YMMV.
by Kai-Oliver Maurer ([email protected])
Here is what I have done so far: I mix sand and glue and then paste this
onto the base using a cocktail stick. This gives a very strong bond
between sand and base but it does not look so neat like the "official"
method.
I fear that by simply applying glue to the base and sanding the miniature the
sand would gradually rub off while playing. I do not think that a watered down
coat of PVA glue or varnishing can prevent that.
In addition, I do not like to use glue on an otherwise finished miniature, which
was the background for my first post.
by Eric J. ([email protected])
Here's what I do and it seems to do the trick...
Instead of using PVA glue for the ballast I apply the 'thicker'
super-glue (y'know the gap filling kind). This way the glue stay
were I want it... Moving it around as need be with a toothpick...
And then I dip the base into my fine ballast...
*tada*
One based mini... Hope it works for you...
by Tuomas-Antti Lahdeoja ([email protected])
My method (and arguments for doing so):
First, clean the fig, cut off flash etc. Then, if neccessary I wash it
with pine-sol equivalent, called "M�ntysuopa". Yes, you may now try to
pronounce it. After the model's dry I glue it onto the base by filling
the slot with PVA and sticking the miniature onto it. Some loose ones
may need a bit of blue-tack to hold the miniature in place until the
PVA is dry. The advantage of this is that the slot gets filled and the
miniature _will_ stay in place. Then, if the model is heavy or has
feet which don't fit onto the base I use two-sided tape to stick the
miniature onto the top of an old paint pot or film "can" to make a
handle.
Then I paint the fig, which is a subject for another story, and give
it a coat of gloss varnish. Having done this I paint the base black,
apply PVA onto is and dip it into sand, which used to be real sand but
now I use the hobby-shop "ballast". After the glue is dry I paint the
base dark green (or other suitable color, terracotta looks cool too)
and drybrush to taste. Then I paint the base side(s) black (instead of
the base colour of the base *sigh*) because I like to make the
miniature show up on the table. After the base is complete I give the
whole fig a coat of matte varnish because I hate glossy miniatures,
except for slimes and liquids and somesuch. ymmv.
The point of first varnishing the fig and the gluing on the sand is
that is you make a mistake and get either glue or sand into wrong
places you can remove it with a knife or brush (or whatever) without
ruining the paint surface as the gloss varnish tends to be rather
tough stuff.