Yet another basing method

I have tried a few different ways of doing my bases so I would like to show you the way I prefer at the moment.

This first part deals with the basic ground to which different types of  materials can be added depending on the type of terrain that is emulated, but it works fine uncovered for deserts and similar grounds

Unfortunately I don't have any pictures of bases showing the groundwork under the flock right now...

I start by gluing the painted figures to the base.

I prefer to paint my figures before painting, but this basing method is viable for use with unpainted miniatures too.

Materials used, light weight spackle and cheap acrylic crafts paint.

I’m quite sure there are similar products out there for non-Swedes but this is a low-price brand of light weight spackle or filler that I use. The advantages of it over other types of filler is that it hardly shrinks at all, it’s very easy to work with and you can mix it with paint and water.

This spackle is the “secret” of my basing, I prefer it over any other type of filler or pumice I’ve tried.

Mix the paint and spackle, add water if necessary.

In the example I’m using a especially cheap crafts paint hardly containing any pigments at all, so usually you don’t need to add this much. The paint is not necessary but it saves time later on. ( It would also hide any chips in the spackle but so far none of my bases has had any chipping.)

Now you should have a brown thick paint/spackle mixture

I actually added a bit to much water to this, it should be a bit thicker.

Using an old brush, I "paint" the base around the figures.

You can apply this stuff  as thickly you need to and its very easy to “push” the mixture with the brush into areas which are hard to get to with a spatula or similar tools.

When the base has dried a bit I sprinkle fine sand over the mixture. Use coarser sand if you want a more rocky ground. You can add bigger stones too at this stage.

After the spackle has dried (in about an hour) just shake and brush off any excess sand.

Now you just need to quickly paint the base with a somewhat diluted paint and finish of with a light drybrush to get an great looking base, but as I noted in the beginning, I don’t have any suitable images of this stage right now…

*edit* Part two with some finishing touched is available here.

A few other bases waiting to be painted.

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