basing tips

Q

Queenoftheunifrogs

New member
hey guys
ive been looking at some of the minis and ive been really impressed with some of the wooden display bases that ive seen. do people make these or do they buy them?
i have seen some that appear to be based on styrofoam that has just been painted black and then others that are built up off the plastic display bases.
what are your opinions on what makes a good base?
i like the wooden ones i have to admit but are styrofoam ones just as valid for display/competition pieces?
im interested to know what people think on this subject. its an area that i havent really thought about much before i came here and i was told that the base for my giant is a bit too big and fussy. does size(or lack of) count when it comes to bases?
 
S

sg2009

Guest
the plinths you can buy but a few people make them themselves, you can buy them from

http://www.woodenbases.com

dragon forge also sells them.

sam
 
D

DaN

New member
You can also try;

Trophy bases
Wooden Coasters
Picture frames

Just pop into superbuys or ASDAs and have a look, there\'s loads of things you can chop up or use straight off the bat :)

As for what MAKES a good base, it should draw your attention to the figure(s) without itself being too distracting and also help tell the story of the figure...

See Lizcam\'s gallery for some good examples
 
Necroghast

Necroghast

New member
Originally posted by sg2009
the plinths you can buy but a few people make them themselves, you can buy them from

http://www.woodenbases.com

dragon forge also sells them.

sam
Click to expand...

i dont think that link sent me to the right site....
 
Dragonsreach

Dragonsreach

Super Moderator
Originally posted by Queenoftheunifrogs
hey guys
ive been looking at some of the minis and ive been really impressed with some of the wooden display bases that ive seen. do people make these or do they buy them?
Both. it just depends on how good you are with power tools.
You can make reasonable ones via a Drill and Circular Saw bits and sand them to a smooth finish. (done that quite a few times)
Or as I\'m able to now turn them on a lathe.
There are quite a few wood turners associations through out the country. Might be handy for you to find a local one and see it one of the members could help you out.

what are your opinions on what makes a good base?
A good display base should be a balance to the mini, neither overpowering it not too contrasting.
A dark base/plinth adds \"gravity\" to a mini and can make the impression that the mini is very strong.
Pale woods tend to lighten the visual impact, so unless your mini is something very etherial I\'d tend to stay away from the likes of American or European White Oak.
Neutral woods such as Mahogany and Labernum can be very good in being used for bases as they tend not to attract too much attention. But be careful of the woods figuring as this can be distracting.


i like the wooden ones i have to admit but are styrofoam ones just as valid for display/competition pieces?
By styrofoam do you mean the same material that is used in Ceiling tiles and Vending machine cups? Because that wouldn\'t work for me, the cellular material would be evident in the painting and I\'d find it distracting. Plus I think it would look cheap.
The whole thing about the bases/plinths is an expression of how much you personally regard your minis.

im interested to know what people think on this subject. its an area that i havent really thought about much before i came here and i was told that the base for my giant is a bit too big and fussy. does size(or lack of) count when it comes to bases?
Click to expand...
Again it\'s about balance Too big and the mini looks loke it\'s standing in the middle of a footbal field, Too small and it\'s cramped and claustrophobic.
I don\'t think that there is a rule of thumb but I tend to not exceed the mini/squad/diorama size by more than the width of my finger.
 
B

Bignastyshark

New member
Oxfam,

they have those old procelain figures on wooden bases/plinths, the are really cheap and easy to remove,

I have often gone into an Oxfam type store and come out with a bag full for very little cash,

Iain.
 
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