I've never done a tutorial before, at least not over the net but Mr Sully asked and seeing as how much of a decent host he's been to me I dare not refuse.
Here's the end product of production:
Let's start with materials
U will need tree bark. Now don't go ripping bark off of living trees it's cruel. I got a huge bad of wood/bark from a cottage. You should be looking for pieces with layers overtop one another it will work best for dry brushing.
U will need small stones I use talus stone as it comes in bags full of the size I need but you can just as easily use small rocks. Don't let the neighbour catch u digging round in her garden at midnight.
If u can get it drywall mud shave away is my favourite as it dries flat, relatively and has tons of texture.
You will need modelling sand.
Start by selecting the base size for the figure in question. As I am working on a special pet project only to be finished once my 3k skaven are done I wanted a suitably large base
The next thing is the height to which you wish to elevate your base if at all.
The skaven with jezzailachis I chose to be quite high as I really wanted him to stand out. The one second from left is about half that height. The one centre right is just strips of bark peeled and then carefully atop one another. The one on the far right is at base level with just a few peaked pieces to tie them in with my other warmachines.
For this tutorial I'll be making a tall stone base. All of the techniques used are viable for any base IMHO.
So first select your piece if wood or bark to begin
What you do is make sure it fits your base, make sure it fits the elevation you want and that it doesn't roll; that it is firm on both edges. From what I've learned is that these do not exist, invariably one edge will be lower, the centre is hollow, etc. so it is going to budge. Let's stop that eh?
I take a blob of green stuff and place them in problem areas and do a test run to make sure the base feels sturdy.
I then superglue and pieces which are flush and I then place it on the base pressing hard. You should also green stuff on the woods underside if it is follow so that it sticks down solid.
Next is the easy part: small rocks and vegetation. Basically I take a thin slab of green stuff and press the stones into it wherever u want to have smaller stones.
After this I use pva glue, no water mix and I get it into the nooks and crannies.
Then I dip it into my fine sand/rock chips.
If u are interested on adding tall reeds I use pine needles, dead ones of course.
U put in a blob of green stuff and then poke pine needles into them until satisfied. Then place a this sheet of green stuff and place your talus rocks around to hide the stems.
The next step is drywall mud cast trimmings
The pice in the fronmost corner is made from drywall mud cast as welI can't tell u how great this stuff is. You can see another hunk if it used here
Guy on the right frontmost corner. If you could get large enough hunks of it you could use it instead of tree bark.
When this is all done I use the same pva glue technique with fine sand and put it wherever I want it. Don't be overly neat, if u don't like something tear it off while it's wet or grind/ rip it off. U haven't applied paint yet so who gives a wet one?
Part two will be on painting.
Here's a few pics of my other basing project from my fail knights project;
Someday he will be finished!
