Static Grass of Doom

[Dracul]

Hi everyone.

 

I'm in the process of finishing the paint job on my first mini (Yes, my first one EVER! Lt. Varras, Battle for Macragge) and I wanted to experiment with Static Grass. I wanted to know how you guys work with it. Do you apply it before applying the final gloss/dull coat or do you do it after? I'm thinking that if I do it before the gloss/Dull Coat, the grass will get coated in varnish and, maybe that's not good?

 

Anyways, If anyone can help me, Mr. Varras would be most grateful. He'd really like to sit in the grass while he's waiting for the squad that's supposed to save him to be completed... :wub:

 

Thanks.

 

 

Dracul.

[blamb]

grass is the last thing i add, after everything else. This prevents the grass looking un-grass like. but then sometimes i'll put a few drops of red ink on it to make it bloodstained.

[Cyberwolf]

Well, there are a couple ways to use static grass - are you talking about covering the whole base in it, or just adding small patches?

 

IMO, covering the whole base isn't really the way to go. Instead, I prefer to cover the base with sand and drybrush it to look like dirt or stone, and then add small patches of grass as an accent.

 

Static grass should be the last thing you put on the model, after the clearcoat. Your're right, the clear will look weird if you apply it over the grass.

 

For small patches, I use a crappy brush to place small blobs of grass in two or three spots on each base. I then dip the whole base into the static grass, leaving each one in place for a few seconds to help it "grab". Carefully blow off the excess static grass, leaving small tufts. Once the glue sets, you can go over it with a (completely) dry brush to help fluff it up a bit and stand straight.

 

And that's it!

[rat of vengence]

Ok, make sure everything is finished, but I leave the purity seal until after the grass. helps it stay on, and doesn't really show if you spray lightly.

Use PVA glue, and put blobs where you want the grass to be. Sprinkle the static grass across the base, and tap it on the bottom (of the base, not Mr Varras :wub: ) to shake of excess. Then blow across the base, it will help the static grass stand up.

 

There you go. :huh:

 

RoV

[LupoLoopy]

Ok, make sure everything is finished, but I leave the purity seal until after the grass. helps it stay on, and doesn't really show if you spray lightly.

Use PVA glue, and put blobs where you want the grass to be. Sprinkle the static grass across the base, and tap it on the bottom (of the base, not Mr Varras :wub: ) to shake of excess. Then blow across the base, it will help the static grass stand up.

 

There you go. :P

 

RoV

 

I concur, if you use a light varnish like Dullcote, it doesnt really affect the grass at all :huh:

[Luku]

I use GW purity seal after I've put the grass on my bases...I't dosn't effect it any plus it stops it all falling off later on :wub:

[Chronophague]

I always end up painting my static grass, since I can't stand the look of the "football field" grass you get othervise, and also, drybrushing the grass ties it down to the scale of the model.

 

Below a pic of painted and varnished static grass on bases of some models. Not marines, but I guess that's irrelevant when we speak of bases.

http://usera.imagecave.com/kronork/Darkelf...uderflails1.jpg

 

Cheers

[Dracul]

Thanks everyone for your answers. I was thinking about adding small patches of grass on the base. I believe I'll try both on 2 different models. I'll try the grass before the dullcoat and after the dullcoat.

 

Mr. Varras is so happy, He's taking off his boots right now! ;)

 

 

Dracul.

[bullpup]

I paint patches of glue where i want the grass to be, then apply it with a tweezers. Also I found some brown static grass that i mix 50/50 with the green, it reallt gets rid of the "fresh lawn look".

[Grey Knight]

I always end up painting my static grass, since I can't stand the look of the "football field" grass you get othervise, and also, drybrushing the grass ties it down to the scale of the model.

 

Below a pic of painted and varnished static grass on bases of some models. Not marines, but I guess that's irrelevant when we speak of bases.

http://usera.imagecave.com/kronork/Darkelf...uderflails1.jpg

 

Cheers

 

uh-oh, i see a bandwidth exceeded sign! :P

 

Does EVERYONE use varnish? i personally hate it, hate it so utterly that i dare not put it on a model(ok, well that's a bit of exxageration as making stuff shiny invovles ardcoat). And besides, when you get a paint chip on a mini, paint some scorched brown over it, then paint boltgun over the scorched brown so as to leave some of the brown showing you get realistic battle damage.

 

anyway, back on topic, apply it last, and don't use the games-workshop stuff, or the mid-tone woodland scenics, both look like crap, I would go for the dead grass, or get something dark, apply it after you ardcoat to amke sure it doesn't get shiny( because if grass in real life was varnished, We'd all be blind ;) )