When I started back in the hobby some 4/5 years ago now, I really underestimated the importance of basing. I thought about the model first and only, almost in isolation. As I've progressed with my hobby basing eventually became as important as the miniatures themselves.
This was not a quick realisation, my death company have OK bases, but it wasn't until I started my Dark Angels and Mechanicum that I really put a concerted effort into my basing to help make the miniatures "pop" and fit a certain theme. Bases will make your miniature look better and vice versa!
With both my Mechanicum and now my Solar Auxilia I have been doing my bases the Dave Weston way, which is to get them all done separately without the miniatures glued to them. This helps a lot with not swamping the feet of a miniature with sand or snow and letting them sit on top of the base rather than sunk into it.
The Solar Auxilia as you may have seen from my previous posts have been painted on sprue or blue tacked to a blank base. For the second squad I took some pictures to show the progression of my bases at a few stages:
Here the bases are just painted black. After this stage they were drybrushed a few grey colours for the flagstones before the surrounding bases was painted and highlighted brown, given a wash and then flock and barbed wire glued on:
Already with this you can see how much the base comes to life. Because I want mine to be properly Grimdark I then covered them in two tones of blood and washed the grass loosely to make it look muddied and browned:
And here are some picture of the Veletaris axe squad on bases like these:
I think if you design a base to fit your miniatures style and give them a proper theme you will always end up with a better looking miniature. Don't think this is me saying flocking your bases is bad! It isn't, BUT if you are striving towards the best looking miniatures you can produce as part of your hobby, as it is with mine, then I strongly suggest you take a good look at your miniatures and decide how you want them to be based BEFORE they are stuck down on a base.
Peace out,
Rob
Hear, hear! I started doing mine property part way through my Iron Fists, and now the Dusk Knights each get a custom base designed to fit the theme of the model and the army. Having the models interact with what's on the base is equally important to produce the best results I find, hence why I have a marine vaulting a wall, and another sheltering behind a barricade.
ReplyDeleteI've also linked what's on the base with what the model is, so my flamer bearer is standing on a base with an old promethium fuel can etc.
Your Dusk Knights have awesome bases, the vaulting marine is my favourite I think. I hadn't noticed the fuel tank on flamer dudes though, thats super cool!
DeleteAwesome stuff, man - I totally agree, having a nice looking base makes a huge difference. It gives the model a sense of scale and makes them look far more real. Loving these guys, keep up the fantastic work!
ReplyDeleteI hadn't considered the scale, but really good point! I am a fan of columns on bases and think thats why now you mention it!
DeleteBases look great! Rob, wipe your lens off :). It's blurry because its got a finger print or grease over the cell phone lens.
ReplyDeleteLast two in the photo, look great on the bases and awesome poses!
I would if the lens cover was still there... *Cough* my phone is about 3 years old and taken a beating, I'm getting a new phone next month with a good camera in mind... You've no idea how often I look at my photos and thing "Greg is gonna kill me..." :P
DeleteThanks man :)
Haha, not kill you, I just feel bad because your work is stellar, and the camera is just letting you down!
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