Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => Workbench => Topic started by: Ragnar on 06 May 2017, 07:45:19 AM
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Hi all, For the past twenty something years, I have used textured house paint to build up the base on figures and to create an earth like texture, sometimes sprinkling sand on while it was wet for extra texture. So my latest can of paint is around twelves year old and is pretty much dead.
So the question is, what are people using these days to do the above task? Are there any commercially available hobby products that will do it?
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I use Milliput to blend the figure's metal base into the wargame base and then cover with PVA and sprinkle sand on top.
Vallejo have a special Pumice paint
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92ZxJAIx_W8
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcz1sCc-T64
Awesome, it looks like the pumice is the way to go for me.
Thanks heaps.
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Mix of PVA and sand. Then again my bases are rather boring.
I also use milliput if I have some mixed up and handy.
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Brown decorators caulk then sprinkle with sand, just needs a dry-brush afterwards to get a good earth effect.
Here's a few pics showing the results on figures and on a terrain piece.
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/25/1512_01_08_16_10_48_44.jpg)
(http://leadadventureforum.com/gallery/18/1512_07_07_14_7_22_07_4.jpg)
I apply a little amount of water to the sand once it's on the base, this cases the pva in the caulk to leech into the sand and fix it nicely. It brings the dark brown colour through slightly too.
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Gloop - mix sand, PVA and paint. Costs almost nothing. Make it is thick or thin as you like, depending on the mix of ingredients. Make it whatever colour you like. Prepare in advance - keeps for months or years in a screw-top container. You can vary the surface texture depending on the grade of sand. It dries rock hard. You can paint it onto your figure's base in moments. You can embed larger stones in it before it sets. It lends itself perfectly to drybrushing...
I've been banging this drum for years now. I don't understand why people would choose to use more fiddly, expensive, time consuming methods and materials...
(And I certainly don't know why people buy proprietary brands from model paint companies, which are basically exactly the same mix I describe, only in small pots - but at 100 times the price of mixing your own... ::))
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Second vote for gloop :D
cheers
James
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Sand and superglue* :)
*cheap stuff ;)
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Sand and superglue* :)
*cheap stuff ;)
And a mask, don't forget the mask :D
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And a mask, don't forget the mask :D
He likes wearing a mask. ;)
The gloop method thirded. :)
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A lot of it depends upon the figure.
For a lot of them, it's the PVA/White Glue spread around the base with a few bits of rock and other basing things. I attach the mini first and it looks like a more soft earth after painting the sand with the figure sitting in right for it. If you want a more muddy look to it, after you paint it, then put a layer of gloss on the sand parts.
Some of them I've used Cork to build up portions of the base in order to work things out and look more like outcroppings. With patches of sand before painting to blend the bits together.
If I want an actual sandy look, what tends to work very well is to get some cheap, runny superglue and spread it on before sprinkling it with baking soda. You get the more sandy or ash look to the end result.
For other things, I've picked out a lot of stones that can fit a mini on them, and some bark chunks as well. I've got a scifi special forces squad that uses that with bits and pieces of the mixed moss bag from the craft store around it.
Another thing that sometimes work is to use the clear gel tacky glue with very fine sand to create odd looks.
And there is always the plastic canvas approach for some moderns and scifi for grating.
If you have GW style bases, paint them a flat black and then give it a VERY light drybrush of a dark grey, and they work great for tarmac.
If you have some clean eggshell, take chunks of it larger than your base. Cover your base in a thin layer of superglue, position your piece of shell over the base and push it on it and let it break to create a flat bit over it. When it dries, you end up with something that can be easily painted as a cooling lava base.
If you get some of the plaster wall crack filler that's premixed, spread it over the surface of the base with a smooth, flat layer, then take a piece of plastic canvas that's been hit with a bit of water and carefully press it lightly into the plaster before removing it carefully will give you a great tile pattern that can do various mosaics...even the round plaster canvas works great for it, sometimes better than the squares...
Take a sheet of cereal box card and cut it to the shape of the base and cut it to form deckplates before reassembling them, glued down onto the base. Take a hot glue gun and use a very little bit of hot glue but drag it along the joins between the pieces and it looks like weld lines if you've got the right amount of glue for it.
Get some cheap foam core, cut it to the shape of the bases, remove the cladding and then glue it in place. You can use a pen to essentially draw in the grooves and patterns for brickwork or stone, or other things with little difficulty. Then add a thin layer of mod podge or thinned white glue over it and you can have a LOT of things.
You could also buy a roll of textured wallpaper, which lasts forever for doing bases. Same with some of the vinyl floor tiles that have stone textures. I won't use them on their own (I know some people use that for basing, but it flexes to much for me and I also tend to like a more standard basing for my stuff), but the ones with a more stone texture work great for both stone and just some rougher dirt.
There are a pile of other basing options that are rather simple to do and cheap, but a lot of them rely on what you plan on doing with the minis.
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For those people using gloop (which I guess I do too without the paint in it), how do you apply it? Just wodering what others think the easiest method is, and cleanest for the miniature.
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Greenstuff - Good use for leftover bits. I use an old toothbrush to give texture or just leave it smooth:
(http://i1325.photobucket.com/albums/u639/johnnytodd46/P1100620_zpsat4wzpol.jpg)
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For those people using gloop (which I guess I do too without the paint in it), how do you apply it? Just wodering what others think the easiest method is, and cleanest for the miniature.
Tiny spatchula (sp?) does the job fine. One with a point on it though to get in between the feet.
cheers
James
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I use a pallet knife, one that looks like a miniature trowel. It is springy & very flexible, ideal for getting in around
the feet of the wargames figure. Most art shops stock them.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcz1sCc-T64
Awesome, it looks like the pumice is the way to go for me.
Thanks heaps.
There's a lot of variety on that range, I usually use the Dark Earth one:
https://www.amazon.com/Vallejo-Dark-Earth-Gel-200ml/dp/B0044L8J2C
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I mostly paint a) 15mm and b) desert bases - so my thoughts might be a bit niche, but I love the Vallejo Desert Sand base texture (it's pretty fine). I apply that, repaint with a matching paint (to cover any bits I've missed) then I have a glaze I made from gloss varnish and a soft beige tone (vallejo German Camo Pale brown, or something like that) about 15 parts gloss to one part paint. I've been using this for a few months and really like the results - it's 'sandier' then my previous attempts, which always ended up a bit to orange or beige for my taste.
(https://bladesandblastersdotcom.files.wordpress.com/2017/03/img_0053-e1489933887555.jpg)
In other words I'd second the Vallejo recommendation, dark earth is scaled well for 28mm.
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I spread a mix of PVA and paint on the base with an OLD brush, and then put the base into a bin I store sand in for a few minutes, than shake the excess off into the bin. Right now, the bin is a mix of fine flock, sand from the beach, fine grain cat litter, and modeler's snow. If I want a certain color palette, I change the paint in the PVA, or add a drop thinned down ink to it when it has dried (which also works really well when you want to show stains like oil or blood).
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Gloop - mix sand, PVA and paint.
Similar - but I find PVA a bit too runny, so my mix is:
Polyfilla - might be called something else around the world but it's the stuff you use to repair cracks in plaster.
Bird Grit.
Silver sand.
Mix in jar with a little water. Also keeps for months. The bird grit and silver sand cost me around £2.00 ten years ago. I'm still on the original bags. The polyfilla I bought for a DIY job and still have the 80% left over. I sometimes add paint; sometimes not.
Last batch I actually used some old wood filler as a substitute for the Polyfilla, only because I saw it first on the garage shelf. ::)
I apply the gloop/paste/mixture with a small spatula and, while still wet, apply some larger grit and/or small stones.
I think I'm in a minority for the next bit. I paint the bases before the figure. Probably why I struggle a bit with multiple figure basing.
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Not wanting to sound like a broken record but...
Gloop applied with a small palette knife and a bit of brass rod standing by for the very rare instances when a teeny tiny amount needs prodding into a gap.
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There's a lot of variety on that range, I usually use the Dark Earth one:
https://www.amazon.com/Vallejo-Dark-Earth-Gel-200ml/dp/B0044L8J2C
Is this one actually textured though?
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Some great ideas here. Thanks all.
Years ago, I tried my own gloop which was just sand and paint. It was less than satisfactory because it seemed to be more difficult to push around than textured paint, like there was more friction. Maybe worth revisiting though.
The silver sand as mentioned by Orctrader sounds interesting, I shall investigate further.
Again, thanks all.
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Is this one actually textured though?
It is, though 'mildly' - I've made a mistake in my above post - it's 'brown' earth that seems well scales for 28mm, dark earth is pretty subtle.
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Thanks Jagannath.
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I use artists' acrylic texture gel, mixed with tube acrylic paint in an appropriate colour.
A tub of 'resin sand' or 'pumice' gel is the stuff you want. One tub costs about £7 and lasts for years.
Apply with a small palette knife (the one that looks like a little trowel).
The gel remains slightly flexible, so won't crack as polyfilla does.
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Thanks Steve, another method to contemplate.
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I tend just to apply PVA or superglue, depending on how quickly I want the result, then paint and highlight it. Gloop makes sense as it removes one step in the process.
I did find a rather wonderful polyfilla-like material that has something akin to the texture of Liquitex, comes pre-stained a terracotta colour and was as cheap as chips. Being lazy I've stuck with sand and glue.
If anyone wants to try it and they are Australia based the product is Jarrah Multifill. I think I see myself using more for terrain modelling myself.
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If anyone wants to try it and they are Australia based the product is Jarrah Multifill. I think I see myself using more for terrain modelling myself.
Hmmm, at $5.90 a container, why wouldn't I try it??
I imagine that I'd have to sprinkle sand on while it is wet?
Thanks for the tip.
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If you're making "gloop" try skipping the PVA glue and using cheap craft paints. I've found that made the best basing paste since the PVA made it clump together. The craft paint that's like £1 a bottle carries the sand really well and spreads really easy. I've yet to have a problem with coming off.
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I am in the Gloop camp as well. I apply it with an old brush.
I have to make a new batch however because the one I have has gone off. Now it both smells and looks like someone has emptied their bowels (in both directions) into my Gloop bucket... :-X
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Wood filler from B&Q.
It comes in a nice mid-brown which means that chipping isn't a problem. Mixes with sand, water, static grass to produce new textures. Can be painted, drilled and carved when dry...
Comes in litreish tubs for not-very-much!
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Thanks people, I was hoping for a solution that didn't require mixing, I have been spoiled with my old tin of paint (and the one before that).
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I use Milliput to blend the figure's metal base into the wargame base and then cover with PVA and sprinkle sand on top.
Vallejo have a special Pumice paint
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=92ZxJAIx_W8
I am not very keen on pumice texture mediums. The granularity of the grain is too homogeneous. Glue and sand from the gutter wider and more natural range of grain sizes.
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I am not very keen on pumice texture mediums. The granularity of the grain is too homogeneous. Glue and sand from the gutter wider and more natural range of grain sizes.
But my usual M.O. is to sprinkle some sand on my textured filler anyway, so that's not an issue.
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Tried Gloop, sort of hated it. I just use acrylic house paint - or large and cheap bottles of hobby paint (like 16 oz) and ground flock (clean play sand) - and a final touch of dry brush. Less work than gloop. Full disclosure - I only work in 15/18 mm.
Part of Gloop I do like - cheap. Same reason I prefer craft paint to hobby paint for figures - vastly less expensive for essentially the same thing. Minor adjustment of technique and pretty much the same results.
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Do any of you use tint or pigment in your base pastes? I often think I should.
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I use the artists texture pastes and just add a squeeze of acrylic paint from the tube to colour it.
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Has no one mentioned Basetex yet?
http://www.colourparty.co.uk/basetex.php
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Basetex is simply commercially made gloop :)
There are a number of manufacturers that produce similar products, but they're all basically just a mix of sand, PVA and paint. The main difference is that a small pot of Basetex or similar brands will set you back three or four quid. Whereas you can knock up an equivalent amount of your own inside one minute for about 2p.
(Obviously, you need to invest in a bag of builders sand, a bottle of PVA, and suitable colour emulsion paint - but once you've got them, you can carry on mixing your own 'basetex' to last you until the end of time... )
Mixing your own, you can make it exactly the colour you want, you can vary the texture to taste by using different grades of sand or adding fine model railway grit, and for application, you can make the mixture as stiff or as gloopy as you like by varying the mix of wet to dry ingredients.
Most people living in houses have had some kind of building work done at some time and have some sand lying around in their shed or garage. Ditto emulsion paint, although you can use hobby or craft acrylic just as well. PVA is cheap as chips, but again, it's something many people have anyway... Why not give it a try? You will find it's exactly the same as Basetex...
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I scoop a couple of handfuls of builder's sand on a baking tray and put it in the oven for an hour or two to dry it. When (completely) cool I sieve it and then have two types of sand - coarse and fine - to put in tubs for storage. Considering I can get a 25kg bag of sand for about £3-£4, I find this pretty cost effective. Ditto buying large tubs of PVA and pots of DIY emulsion paint instead of using hobby paints for big terrain pieces.
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I use Aves epoxy sculpt. As simple as gloop, but gives true total control to sculpt features if/as I want. It's a single, simple material that lets me make bases as basic or as artsy as I want without having to faff with anything more. If I just want basic ground, I just slap a little on and bodge it around with a stipple brush. If I want a complicated, deliberately composed display-type base, I have total control to create whatever I can imagine without being at the mercy of found objects. It also means I can drill pin/peg holes for figure mounting wherever I want, since rocks and the like are made of epoxy like all the rest, instead of real rocks.
Only disadvantage relative to gloop is it costs more, but in the amounts used for basing, even a small kit could last for years, so it's not a big expense. Plus it's useful for a kabillion other things, so it's kind of just an all-purpose material to have in your modelling toolbox.
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Another thing that works relatively well for texturing bases is some of the textured spray paint. Tape the edges of the bases and spray the whole lot before attaching the minis to them.
Stone spray works great for it. And you can make stonework via masking tape patterns on the base itself.