Basing: before or after?

[GrandMagnus]

Usually I base my minis after painting them, but recently on my new plague marines I've actually finished the base before the rest of the mini. This is mostly because I use a few layers of drybrush and I didn't want to have to redo a painted model because the drybrush goes everywhere.

 

So I was thinking, how do those of you who do it go about adding the miniature to a finished base? As in, you finish the base and paint the mini separately, then glueing it on without damaging the base or the mini being too unstable.

[Silentz]

Depends on the model a bit - for characters I definitely do the base separately.. for rank and file I tend to base after...

 

With the GW texture paints it works best if you base around the model as it looks like it's standing IN the earth rather than ON it. Especially important if the model is supposed to be heavy. I based my Kastelans before pinning/gluing to the base and they are slightly "floaty" on top of the texture.

 

But yeah, drybrushing when the model is all in the way is a PITA.

[Magos Takatus]

I think it depends on the technique used for basing. I still use sand to texture most of my bases so I would rather work on the base early so the sand is undercoated properly. With textured paint it starts off the right colour and is a lot less messy to paint in my opinion. When it comes to drybrushing I am pretty light applying the colours so any that ends up on the model hopefully looks like accumulated dust anyway.

 

One of my biggest dilemmas for painting bases was basing Kataphron servitors because it would be really tricky to paint underneath them if they were glued to bases so I decorated the bases separately, glued them in place and then touched up the part around the tracks to blend them in more, adding more sand and painting that to match.

 

The most awkward miniature I've glued to a base was a Magos Dominus because it's legs are really spindly so I put a pin through the base to keep it in place. It's not budged yet so hopefully it worked.

[CrimsonReign]

when doing the base and mini seperately, i would strongly advise pinning the model to the base

 especially when using cork - the cork tears easily, so the model can tear out chunks and be annoying to repair the damage

[LucidNinja]

I am having this exact conundrum at the moment! With the biggest issue being I want to play with my shiny models! I'm thinking my captain is getting some cork under him, as said that stuff is easy enough to rip off...

[Marshal_Roujakis]

I just have a huge set of 28mm bases with holes on them (the slotted ones from the starter sets) and I've placed magnets on the slots... and then drill a small hole under the models feet and attach a piece of metal... pins usually work, but with instead of having the extra part which sticks to the base, it's flat on the feet... that magnetizes to the slotted base, that way if I need to paint the underside they just pop off... then the bases (32 mm for Space Marines mostly) get done separately, but usually I set up the bases so that when the models go on it they have a clear surface where to attach too... and when both of them are done, then I just glue the model in place...

 

If my explanation is a little hard to understand, then sorry... I'm a little sick and its getting to my head :p

 

but technically, when I need to play with half painted models, I use the magnetized bases...

if the models done, then I glue them to their painted bases...

[Imren]

Best method (but a wee bit more tedious):

 

Equipment needed:

• Soft brass rod (found in hobby stores, especially in the section where they sell amateur jewellery making equipment) with 1 mm diameter
• drill bit 1 mm
• Cork bottle caps, the wide ones used for urns

 

Procedure:

1. Drill 1 mm holes underneath the feet of the model and pin them on the corks (This allows you to paint the model without touching it).
2. Build and paint your bases.
3. Put the model (with completed paintjob) on to the base with the pins straightened to gauge the pin position on the base, push the model just a bit to mark the base. Also at this stage cut the pins at an angle to make the end pointy and sharp, but cut them at a length sufficient to reach through the base.
4. Drill 1 mm holes through the base were the marks were.
5. Push through the brass rods sticking out of the model's feet though the base until the feet sits flush with the base surface.
6. Bend in the rods sticking out at the undeside of the base.

 

Advantages with this method:

• Paint your model without base gives you better access between legs and the underside, for better shading paintjob
• No risk of messing model's feet with base paint job and vice versa.
• Using the urn corks gives you a better hold/grip when painting the model, but also allows for better airbrush undercoating, and base coating with no need to touch the model.
• Pinning with softer brass rods gives you the option to rebase the model in the future with minimal mess and rework.
• Pinning with 1 mm rod and using 1 mm drill holes gives a better adhesion of the pins in the holes compared with thin paper clips in relatively oversized drill holes in the feet. This is particularly useful when pulling the model off the base for rebasing.
• Soft brass allows for bending and straightening more times without deteriorating the metal at the bend points, with reduces risk of breaking the rod at bending point.

[GrandMagnus]

Great suggestion and guide Imren, I think I will try that on one of the primaris before I continue with the DG. Thank you.

[CrimsonReign]

the cheap alternative to brass rod being paperclips ^_^

[GrandMagnus]

the cheap alternative to brass rod being paperclips

Thanks for the tip :)

[Imren]

It is indeed a cheap alternative, the disadvantage with the paper clips is that they are made of steel usually, which is stiffer than brass and therefore breaks easier when you bend back the parts sticking out underneath the base after basing also they corrode so if you live in a place with high humidity, after a year or two you can see the rust building up were the bend was made since the chrome or zink plating chips off there when bending.

 

If you never rebase and live in a dry place, its not an issue.

[Tyberos the Red Wake]

I just get an amount of sticky tack on the models' feet that are slightly smaller than their footprint, then hover the model above the base and place down the masking tack where the models' feet would be. Then I can do whatever I want with all the ease, speed, and flexibility of painting the base separately without having to mind the connection points or models' feet. After the base is done, remove the tack, and glue the model to the unpainted footprints.

[GrandMagnus]

I just get an amount of sticky tack on the models' feet that are slightly smaller than their footprint, then hover the model above the base and place down the masking tack where the models' feet would be. Then I can do whatever I want with all the ease, speed, and flexibility of painting the base separately without having to mind the connection points or models' feet. After the base is done, remove the tack, and glue the model to the unpainted footprints.

Actually not a bad idea. Thank you.