Step-by-step tutorial for big bases

If you have the recent Dark Knight Rises box you'll notice that the Batmobile and Military tumbler's come with large oval bases. If you need more large oval bases Games Workshop just happen to make the same size (120mm x 92mm).

This is a step-by-step guide on how to makke them look cool.

Here's what you will need.

Obviously you can choose your own grey paints but as long as you can make a few different shades, that's fine. I got the textured paint from B&Q (local hardware store). The brush was from Hobbycraft under the decoupage section. The stencil came from Multiverse Gaming but there's nothing stopping you making your own from thin card.

Spray the bases with the textured paint and leave overnight to dry, try to get a nice even coverage.

Prime the bases with you preferred primer. I like using Halfords spray primer.

I painted the base using Vallejo's Dark Bluegrey then marked out the lines using some thin masking tape and stipple on the yellow using the stiff brush.

Remove the masking tape

Using some sponge from an old blister pack I applied a 50/50 mix of Dark Bluegrey anf Heavy Bluegrey and left to dry. Remember to remove the excess paint by dabbing it on a paper towel first. This will give you an idea of what kind of patterns you can create with the sponge so you will know where to dab it on the base.Use the same piece of spong to apply some Heavy Bluegrey to your liking.

The next stage if so wish is to add some pigments and litter. I found a couple of images online of newspapers and shrinked them down then printed them off.

Mix some PVA glue with some water and Agrax Earthshade in a pot or empty blister pack. Cut the newspaper out and leave them soak for about a minute in the PVA mix.

I then used some tweezers to lift them out of the pot and scrunch them up before placing them on the bases.

Showcase for 2019 part 1

I started off 2019 with the Joker's Clown Party bat box.

Next up was another one of those models that had to jump the painting queue and get done, Goliath.

Back to the painting queue, next up were some plants and Poison Ivy.

I wanted to make something different to spice up the bases a bit. I had some creeping vines knocking about from Games Workshop for this exact job but on their own they just didn't look right. I ordered some Ivy from model Display Products and decided to use some paper leaves from DarMessiah Bases and got the result I was after.

Next up was Bane which was done for a Step-by-step tutorial.

I'm not sure why I did this one next, probably because I wanted to try out some yellows?

This had been sitting on my desk half painted for weeks, I finally finished it straight after Booster Gold.

Another weekend project. I wanted to do an alternative colour scheme to Gaslight Batman and found a picture online and just copied the colours.

I wanted to do a whole miniature using my airbrush to get some practice in, it just happens that Clayface was the perfect subject. I did a step-by-step tutorial for this one too. All airbrush work apart from the eyes and mouth.

Yet another step-by-step tutorial that was split into 2 parts, 1 for the base and 1 for the Ratcatcher
The slime was fun to create.

After returning from Salute with the Dark Knight Rises bat box I jus had to paint Catwoman. Again mostly with an airbrush to get the contrast.

I did Batwoman at the same time as Catwoman as I wanted a similar palette of colours.

Step-by-step tutorial for painting Arthur Weasley

 

I used Citadel paints for this one unless stated other wise.

Working from a zenithal primed miniature, I started with the flesh tones. The base coat is Cadian Flesh.

Shade the flesh with Reikland Fleshshade and leave to dry.

Layer with Cadian Flesh leaving the shadow areas showing.

Highlight the skin with Kislev Flesh

Highlight again in a smaller area with Kislev Flesh mixed with some Flayed One Flesh.

Mark out the eyes with and off-white colour. I tend to use Vallejo’s Ivory. I find it easier to turn the model 90 degrees and place the tip of the brush in the corner of the eye socket near the nose and gently pull the bush towards the other corner. It will take a couple of strokes to get a nice even finish.

The eyes were dotted with black. The hair was given a coat of Skrag Brown, I then apply a wash of Agrax Earthshade into the recesses of the hair.

The trousers were given a thin coat of Vallejo’s Deck Tan

The jumper was base coated using Vallejo’s Vermillion, it took about 3 thin coats to get a nice even layer.

I used a dark green for the vertical stripes. I used the tip of the shirt collar as a starting point and traced the line down to the edge of the pocket by his right hand and did exactly the same on the other side. This ensured that I’d get some straight lines. Once I was happy with the traced lines I filled in the two centre lines and then put another line on the outer edges of the jumper out to the sides. Once you have the lines in place I then slowly made them thicker trying to keep them the same width. If you add some flow improver to your paint it helps make the lines easier to draw.

I started the horizontal lines using Vermillion and flow improver. Again using reference points like the bottom of the pockets. It’s easier to add these lines holding Arthur on his side and trace the lines from one edge down to the other edge.

Try to keep the stripes equally spaced and of the equal thickness.

I mixed a little Beige Red to the Vermillion to make a lighter tone and applied it very carefully to the squares where the red overlaps itself.

Carefully line the green squares using a dark colour like Vallejo’s Dark Sea Blue with Black.

The draw thin lines down the middle of each vertical stripe and along each horizontal stripe.

Same process again but this time using an off white to connect up the green squares.

Highlight the hair with a mix of Skrag Brown and Fire Dragon Bright. The shoes were painted with XV88

Highlight the hair by adding more Fire Dragon Bright to the mix.

Highlight the hair again by adding in a little Yriel Yellow to the mix.

I applied another thin layer of Deck Tan to the raised creases of the trousers to intensify their colour leaving the deeper creases in shadow. Then applied a highlight by adding in some Vallejo’s Ivory.

The jacket was given a couple of coats using Steel Legion Drab. Followed by a thinned wash of Agrax Earthshade in the recesses and folds.

The Jacket was highlighted using Balor Brown and again by adding a little Ushabti Bone to the mix.  Use the same last highlight mix for the edges of the shoes. 

The corresponding YouTube tutorial can be found here:

https://youtu.be/SnvST2WE6xA