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The best place to go for your bases, if you don't have a woodshop and a router handy, is your local craft store. Michaels is well known on the West Coast, and there I can pick up various amounts of different styles and sizes of plain wood bases for a cheap, economical price. I get more than one and in different size, just in case I make a mistake or for future projects.
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The first thing I do is lay down newspaper and peel off the pricing sticker from the back. Believe it or not, some people leave them on! It doesn't look professional to have a sticker on your display base, especially when the judges turn it over to put the entry number on it.
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I then sand it smooth with 150-grit sandpaper, bought at my local hardware store. I sand with the grain to avoid marring the surface; I sand in the direction of the natural wood lines. I also make sure to sand the edges to remove unwanted splinters.
When I was at the hardware store I bought a pint of wood stain. I don't buy a large bucket because a little jar will actually be useful for numerous bases, and it isn't as expensive as a gallon. For those on a budget, this is an excellent way to go. I also buy inexpensive brushes that can be thrown away after a couple of uses. Unless you want to buy the brush cleaners, which is an added expense and can be potentially harmful due to toxic chemicals. Once the stain has been applied in a light, thorough coat, I allow it to dry for 15 minutes before rubbing it off with a lint-free cloth.
Safety Note: Cloths and steel wool soaked with stain can spontaneously combust due to a chemical reaction. I recommend taking your cloth after you are done and soaking it with water or sticking it inside a jar of water before disposal.
I allow the bases to dry overnight by placing them on top of dowels and/or spacers. This allows air to flow underneath, drying the whole piece without warping.
The next afternoon I'll spray the bottom with Gloss coat and allow drying for an hour. Then I'll turn it over and spray the top with Gloss coat. I recommend spraying the top twice, which will accent the lustrous stain and wood grain. After it is dry it is ready to prep for your entry! Adding an engraved brass plaque will further add to your entry, as seen in earlier tutorials.
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You can see how I'm working on a display base for a unit. Wood isn't the only material that can be used, and many Trophy stores will sell their bases at an economical price. I like the heft of marble, and around $5.00 a base it is an excellent way to ensure your unit doesn't get accidentally flipped over! I've taken resin movement trays and cut them up for positioning. Once I figure out where to place them, I'll Epoxy Glue them to the marble base. When dry I use Magic Sculpt to fill in the spaces in between, though Milliput could be used as well. Next I'll hand paint the inside of the resin to match the rim of my bases and finish it like my unit's bases.
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| And to finish off I’ll talk briefly about another aspect of display bases! There isn’t a reason why a miniature base can’t be embellished with painted on imagery! I’ve added lettering in Non-Metallic Metal lettering to this base using text from the Daemonhunters Codex. Display bases can also be painted to accentuate the figures coloration or display their name. A gloss coat over the display base will add contrast as well.
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I’ve also painted bases with a marble texture by watering down my paints to the consistency of ink, and then drew my brush across the base in long strokes. Simple, but it adds to the base considerably!
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For those looking to save time or lacking woodworking skills, I recommend finished display bases from Dragon Forge Designs. Jeff Wilhelm is the owner/operator and his work is outstanding! Each base is hand turned and finished by Jeff personally, ensuring high-quality work. While you may pay a bit more for the final product, (around $20.00 US at the time of this writing), it could mean the difference between winning a competion by making your work look professional. Drop by his website and check out his gear!
I hope these pics and tips will add to your Miniature Art repertoire. If you have any questions, feel free to contact me at rg@raginggaijin.com and I will respond ASAP!
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