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Basing: Urban Bases


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Okay, here is a quick tutorial I put together after quite some PM's abt my urban bases...

 

I only include the constuction work, painting is quite simple with drybrush/wash/drybrush method.

 

Note - images are clicable for enlargement.

 

Step 1:

- I used tyled plasticard which is availabe in all hobby trains stores for approx 2 USD per sheet

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/zgar/Urban_Bases/th_bases1.jpg

 

Step 2:

- use one base of desired size and a pencil and plan out the layout for cutting

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/zgar/Urban_Bases/th_bases2.jpg

 

Step 3:

- use a sharp solid hobby knive and run several cuts in one of the lines

- than gently break the sheet in two

- if this can not be done easy way, cut some more

- WATCH YOUR FINGERS and USE A CUTTING MAT to protect your table

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/zgar/Urban_Bases/th_bases3.jpg

 

Step 4:

- using the same method cut individual base squares as shown on pic

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/zgar/Urban_Bases/th_bases4.jpg

 

Step 5:

- using plyers cut away the corner tyles to copy the desired round shape

- be careful here and try to cut as straigt as possible

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/zgar/Urban_Bases/th_bases5.jpg

 

Step 6:

- again using plyers, cut the rest of the small corners in a random (important) angle - you don't want the base to be completely round...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/zgar/Urban_Bases/th_bases6.jpg

 

Step 7:

- using a hobby knife (I prefer and older blunt one for this job) cut/carve damage to the base

- important - to add more realism, cut small parts between all border tyles to re-model the jointa between them

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/zgar/Urban_Bases/th_bases7.jpg

 

Step 8:

- take the mini you intend to use the base for (for leg position) and add excess tyles you have cut out before in a random way

- you are free to add any more industial/city ruble you have laying around (as small cogged wheels, tubing, small stones etc.)

- than glue some sand here and there (not shown here) and your are done!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/zgar/Urban_Bases/th_bases8.jpg

 

Here is an example of assembled and painted terminator (large) urban bases:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/zgar/Terminators/newterm_bases0.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/zgar/Terminators/newterm_bases1.jpg

 

 

Hope all is clear, if any Q's remain, post them here.

 

As you see, the method is rather simple and brings quite good results IMO.

 

Cheers! :)

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Awesome tutorial, I was so inspired I wnet out and bought some plastiboard and made some bases in this style of my own.

 

Thanks to your precise and clear directions, they came out great, not much work for a great looking base, many thanks!

 

I just had one small question though, how did you go about painting them? I have no problems with the assembly, that part was faily easy. Unfortunatley, my painting skill is not very advanced, so I was wondering if you could perhaps expain that part? What techniques did you use to get the effect shown in your picture?

 

Thanks agin, these are great!

Good to hear you used the tutorial with success! Thanks! :blink:

 

Re: painting

- prime black spray (hint - prime possibly with the mini glued on and than go on painting the base first, no the mini - if you paint the mini first, you will most probably paint the legs again after you finish drybrushing the base...)

- solid drybrush of codex gray

- wash of a very thin mix of black ink:brown ink:water approx 3:1:6 ratio. Add a brush tip (really only a tiny bit) of dish wash soap to break the liquid surface tension (use this for all ink washes)

- wait till completely dry and repeat the drybruch of codex gray, gentle this time

- mix some codex gray with bleached bone (you can also use skull white for all mixes, but bleached bone gives more natural effect) in abt 1:1 ratio and make another light drybrush on the higher parts

- optional - another light drybrush of codex gray:bleached bone in 1:1,5

- finaly a very thin drybrush of pure bleached bone on the base edges and the most exposed edges

 

Re brush use:

- do not waste you time and money with GW brushes for this job

- I bought a cheap nylon flat size 5 (or 6) brush in school supplies store (for approx 1 USD)

- this works totaly well for this job!

 

Re gluing sand/rubble etc:

- I have found it much faster and more convenient to super glue the sand etc. to the base

- if PVA glue was used, quite some parts came off with the lot of drybrushing

- use a cheap super glue instead in small batches - the difference is quite worth it

 

Hope above helps and cheers! ;)

Awesome, thanks for the painting instructions.

 

Just one thing, you say mix the wash with water, (I assume that's GW ink you're then mixing with water) but what about the other painting steps? Do you just use the paint straight out of the pot, or do you add water to it, and if so, how much.

 

Thanks.

Just one thing, you say mix the wash with water, (I assume that's GW ink you're then mixing with water) but what about the other painting steps? Do you just use the paint straight out of the pot, or do you add water to it, and if so, how much.

Thanks.

 

Re: inks - yes, I use GW inks

 

Re: thinning paint - well since all of thes is done by drybrushing, you don't need to thin down the paint at all. Only in case the paint is very thick (that sort of half way dryed out), you can thin it down to regular painting standard.

 

But in general, you don't need to thin down paints for drybrush jobs... :)

+++ UPDATE +++

 

As I have started to assemble my plastic sniper scout squad today, I have constructed (hope to be) more suitable urban bases for scouts - these contain more rubble and are more damaged - this should stand for the fact scouts are moving in a more difficult terrain (collapsed buildings, craters etc.).

 

Here is a pic of the bases alone:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/zgar/Urban_Bases/scout_bases1.jpg

- note - the brown thingies are left overs (cut off corners) from our bathroom wall tyles if anyone is interested...

- these I intend to paint as rusted metal (sort of metal house consruction ruins)

 

Here is how the legs fit it - it is very important to plan the tyles position according to the legs in order to have the figure well placed:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v650/zgar/Urban_Bases/scout_bases2.jpg

 

Cheers! <_<

Edit: after spending day or so woirking with the plasticard, and looking at your turtorial, i have made huge progress, and am now moving on to painting. Using different sized tiled yielded good result, i am ging to buy some metal texured styrene, along with some piping and rivets to add charachter to my bases.

 

gallery_21081_757_1431.jpg

 

Kudos,

~BOF

So, thanks for the painting tips, it turned out great. Well, more or less.

 

Unfortunately, I added a bit too much bleached bone in the last two steps, due to working outside and working through sunset, and the bases, while still great, are a bit too bright now. Would you have any tips to fix this? I was thinking just another black ink wash, but would another drybrush of codex gray be better first or after or something?

 

Also, I noticed you have some gears and whatnot on your bases, and I was wondering what you painted them, and what you would reccomend for other metallic object on bases, as I have some girders and sprockets and whatnot on mine. Also, when and where in the painting process do you paint them?

 

Again, thanks for all the help. After I get these all finished up, I'll try and find a camera to get you some pictures.

  • 2 weeks later...

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