"simple question about the color of my bases" Topic

Hi, for many years i've painted, and I always (as if it was my trademark) made my bases Burned Umber with 2 layers of highlights… Burned umber you never run out of, and its cheap, everywhere available and it made my bases dark so the attention goes to the mini… i liked it.

But not anymore. I just a very common way of basing, nothing fancy, but I dont know what color to use. I'll be basing alexander/seccessor greeks… so some grey-ish color with a touch of yellow? I dont know to be honest…. what do you people use?

( so i want to make it look as if the minis stand of plains/dry-plain

It depends on the size of figures. I am pretty exclusively 15mm and smaller, but that said, I go for light bases. It also lets the figures stand out but also helps them "pop" on the table.

Here is a video of how I do my technique:

link

Tamiya Desert Sand or similar.

Light bases almost always show off the miniature batter than dark bases. I use metal bases and because of this I prefer to use enamel over water based paint, even though the bases are made from galvanised steel.

I use two Humbrol colours Matt 94 Yellow Brown and add varying amounts of matt white to dry brush over the base layer. I use white undercoat on my figures and white filler to build up the base – the Humbrol doesn't cover this with one coat so you get lovely random areas of warm tone showing though. This makes the painting look more complex than it is. Depending on the theatre will depend how light I go with the dry brushing and how much green static grass I then apply.

I use Rustolium Camo Khaki spray for the bases themselves.

Then, take a sprayed base to Home Depot, get it color matched, and buy a $3 USD latex test jar of the matched color. I use that for the figure base, and for an exact touch-up match. It will be enough for several armies.

My basing for both 20mm ACW and WWII:

My basing plan:
1)      Basecoat on base – Folk Art 485 raw umber.
2)      Sand on base – Tree House brand #796391 brown sand.
3)      Dry Brush – Folk Art 936 barn wood.
4)      Future wash with water and Winsor & Newton 954 nut brown.
5)      Light spotting dry brush Creamcoat ivory.
6)      Green Grass, some rocks, and light brush.

I'm not sure who I stole the original idea from, however, it was posted on TMP.

This is a thread that desperately begs for pictures.

My standard: Vallejo course pumice followed by 3 colors all Vallejo. Flat Earth base, Heavy drybrush Green Brown, careful light drybrush Desert Yellow. Flock, foliage, tufts to taste.

You can achieve a lighter look by using…..wait for it…lighter colors! or more heavy drybrushing for the final step.

The closest colour to your gaming mat's.