Basing 25mm bases - My opinion (and yours...)

[Hullebullen]

While browsing the new submissions I noticed a comment about basing. Unfortunately, I don\'t know to link pics but in my opinion it was a well done base. The commentator though, asked for more details. My personal opinion about 25mm bases is you shouldn\'t add too much stuff. Sand, static grass, some small pebbles or perhaps a skull is what I would consider \"enough\" for a 25mm base. I\'ve seen people adding lichen as well as brush-bristle \"bushes\", large stones, weapon crates and other stuff. I feel that adding large stuff rather detracts than enhances a model.

Well, It\'s just my opinion. What do you think?

 

[sivousplay]

You could say the same thing about too many colors on the mini. In the end, it\'s all about composition. If you compose the base and the figure well, then both a minimalist or maximalist approach can work. There aren\'t any rules when it comes to creation.

jim

 

[Cerridwyn1st]

Form and function

I think the basing should follow what the piece is intended for. A gaming piece should not have an overblown base; it will be hard to transport and leave little bits in your troup transport.

Just my opinion, but sometimes it seems there is too much emphasis on having a showy base, to the detriment of having a playable mini.

 

[Impernouncable]

I generally follow the minimalist approach, but I find scenic bases are very nice for display pieces. Impressive for gifts, but less complicated and fussy than a full blown diorama.

 

[Coyote]

The question then is, should a miniature painted for gaming be judged any differently then something painted for display.

I don\'t think so. People dreaming of scoring well here need to realize that they need to paint like they\'re painting for a competition.

If you are not, then you should expect a lower score. Personally, I don\'t like making the big bases. But a good scenic base (not over the top though) should be scored higher then my plain base.

 

[Valander]

I think that minimalist bases can be done very well, and sometimes are the more appropriate choice for a miniature. In other situations, though, a \"plain\" base with just a bit of flock actually makes the miniature look somehow \"out of place.\"

As others have said, it\'s all about the overall composition. A model of a bartender should be on simple woodgrain (or perhaps plain sand) basing, and would look pretty odd with a fully foliaged forrest base. At the same time, a ranger would look a bit out of place on a plain green flock base; he definitely wants leaves and such.

When I do bases, I do try to think about where this character I\'m painting would likely be. Sometimes, that winds up being in a fairly simple base (like my Priestess of Isis; I figured she\'d be out in the dunes, so simple sand was enough for me), but others it means a more elaborate base is really needed (my Gauntfield is a \"medium\" detail base; he\'s got some twigs and dead leaves on top of soil, fitting for a post-harvest field).

I\'ve done some stupid base decisions in the past, too, and wound up ruining a figure.

 

[Cerridwyn1st]

I concur

I\'m with you, Valander. For example, my Neferu has GW medium sand by itself - she\'s in the desert, after all. Most of my other bases have a mix of Static Grass and Medium Sand, since you rarely see solid, impecable grass in nature.

If you follow that logic, then I guess the \"overladen henchman\" should be standing on what looks like a road or maybe a dungeon floor.

I have a question for you guys. Sometimes I wonder if other people do the same kind of stuff I do. For example, I mixed some paint in with my PVA so it\'s brown. I think that looks more natural than something clear under the flocking. Does anyone else color thier PVA like this?

 

[Oxygenthief]

I actually found a neat idea for a city/urban style base that I use for small gangs of things but it could work for anything urban. I take the etched sheet plastic from Greenwood called sidewalk design available in all sizes of tile. I lay it design side facing down and then take a GW or other base and lay it face down and trace the outside edges. Remove the base and cut the circle out then. You have to trim it up a little but I think it looks very nice. If you make a mistake, It\'s not super expensive so you could just start over or you could just remove the tile as a broken one. I also use Renassaince Inc. Flocking gel before adding any static grass. It\'s pretty cheap and drys fast and looks like ground.

 

[Dragonsreach]

I think that part of the question that Cerridwyn1st is asking is answered by when do you base the mini? Before priming or after
I\'ve started to base my mini\'s prior to priming and have found that this helps me. Ok it\'s a pain having bits of sand rub off when your painting the mini but I have found that (for me) it\'s easier to do the base that way.
I\'ve been trying differing colour options to try to get a good \"Earth\" colour and have been using various Browns, Grey and mixes of the two. One thing I\'m a great fan of is Vallejo Smoke as a wash to darken the colour.
Hmmmn I feel another article coming on...

 

[finn17]

I think it\'s a shame.....

When you see a well-painted mini that has been stuck onto a standard GW-type base and thick \'Goblin Green\' or black has been painted on the sides with what looks like an old glue brush.
Bases can either be plain or fancy, but their level of neatness should match the mini or people are just throwing votes away IMO.
I have decided I am going to bin all my GW bases and start using the kind supplied by Dark Age. They are a huge improvement and really facilitate simple, unfussy basing with their design.

 

[Cosmotiger]

Originally posted by Dragonsreach
I\'ve started to base my mini\'s prior to priming and have found that this helps me. Ok it\'s a pain having bits of sand rub off when your painting the mini but I have found that (for me) it\'s easier to do the base that way.

I like to mix the sand (I use parakeet cage gravel) together with white glue (Elmer\'s) and apply it like a sort of paste, before priming. This allows you to paint base terrain at the same time as you paint the figure, and the sand doesn\'t rub off. The GW bases have enough texture that the white glue grabs the plastic well. By varying the ratio of sand to glue, and the size of the chunks, you can get different textures and effects.