"Basing with sand and plaster?" Topic
9 Posts
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Action Log
16 Jul 2025 9:36 p.m. PST
by Editor in Chief Bill
- Changed title from "Who makes the best 25-28mm female figures?" to "Basing with sand and plaster?"
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| Cacadoress | 16 Jul 2025 11:48 a.m. PST |
Anyone else use this method?
So, I stick the figure or figures' base to the card base with PVA – wood/paper glue.
Then use a pallet knife or a sissors' blade to apply moist plaster to disguise the edge of the figure's base and to make the terrain uneven. You can mix up plaster from powder yourself but small tubs of moist white plaster can be bought from blacksmiths or builders' suppliers under the names "Polyfiller", "polycell filler" or "multi-purpose filler".
You can then paint it brown or biege to simulate soil.
Then you could apply patches of PVA to take some grass flock.
Nowadays I prefer to put PVA over most of it, put water over the rest and then dip the whole base in a bag of sanď for a granulated-looking terrain. It dries like concrete and holds the figure-base on really well.
On top of that I put patches of PVA that I can sprinkle grass or flock according to the type of terrain I'm going for. |
| Phillius | 16 Jul 2025 1:09 p.m. PST |
I mount my figures on bases and once they are dry and secure, I address the texturing. I cover the base not occupied by the figure with PVA, then put the base in a container of " model railway ballast". Leave it for 10 minutes then take it out and let it dry.
Once dry, I paint the base brown, then highlight and add flock, tufts and anything else I think it needs. Usually using PVA for everything. |
 Sgt Slag  | 16 Jul 2025 2:13 p.m. PST |
I use either Hot Glue, or E6000 Glue, to stick figures to their bases. After that, I apply PVA Glue to the base, followed by swirling it within a tub of mixed colored sand + Model RR ballast rocks. On larger bases, I make 'pools' of PVA Glue, applying different colored blends of sand, letting each color batch dry fully before I apply the second color batch Samples: Stone Giants on 50mm MDF bases; Cyclops on 50mm MDF bases; 22mm tall Gnomes, on 20mm MDF bases. Cheers! |
| Zephyr1 | 16 Jul 2025 2:35 p.m. PST |
I put PVA on the top of the base, dip in sand or other basing material, let dry, then apply glue&flock to the barer spots in the sand. Covers nicely… ;-) |
| Martin Rapier | 16 Jul 2025 10:59 p.m. PST |
I stick the figures to the bases, slather around them with PVA and dip them in builders sand. The sand comes up the edge of the bases anyway. Drybrush and add static grass etc as required. |
| Cacadoress | 18 Jul 2025 8:16 a.m. PST |
Sgt Slag
"On larger bases, I make 'pools' of PVA Glue, applying different colored blends of sand, letting each color batch dry fully before I apply the second color batch". Coloured sand is a bit of a luxury – I collected a lot of different types in coke bottles when I went to Tunisia. The iron-laden reddish sand and the white (which is like pool filtration sand) is quite alluring although I find myself using sand from a golf-bunker the most – which I guess is builder's sand. You can also colour sand with an acrylic wash. Surprised no one's discovered polyfiller. Great for modelling mud and limber or tank-tracks. |
| Shagnasty | 18 Jul 2025 11:47 a.m. PST |
I used to mount figures then put on brown paint, dip in RR sand and after it dried, splash on some green and dip in flocking. Now I substitute PVA for the brown paint. |
| Cacadoress | 20 Jul 2025 7:38 a.m. PST |
Shagnasty
"I used to mount figures then put on brown paint, dip in RR sand and after it dried, splash on some green".
Do that and the sand darkens to approach the colour of the paint. Does anyone make puddles? These look neat on things with larger bases, such as cavalry, cannon or limbers. Use food packaging: light blue paper from porridge or sugar, stuck with PVA to some clear, thin perspex from a meat packet. When dry, cut a section of it and stick it to the base with PVA. Then surround it with either pollyfiller, or else directly with PVA over which you can sprinkle flock or sand to disguise the edges. |
| Jcfrog | 20 Jul 2025 1:52 p.m. PST |
Why complications? I use thickish glue/paste in big pots used for ceiling tiles (it can be any water based) spread with a spatula. The figs bases disappear. Then all kind of flock, not covering the whole thing, plus earth, thin earth, the real stuff! Spread this green with the hand, then take the full base, shaken gently into the box of earth.
I even have earth gathered from several battlefields and nationalities are using "theirs".
It lasts forever. If there is any unstuck fig or breakage, no pb for repairs.
Cheap and fast enough.
Nowadays, sometimes (mostly commands)I add a litlle the bush bought cheap from Aliexpress. It can be handy to visualize some units you want to distinguish.
I use this for my Protestants to separate them from Imperials in the 30yw, the flags recognition works more or less for foot but is hopeless for the horse. |
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