Friday Quick Tip: Advanced Basing; Go Big!

A while ago our Friday Quick Tip talked about using different material and textures to create an easy, but characteristic basing scheme. Today we take that information and run with it. Not only should you carry the same scheme across your whole army, but also to your display board as well. This week we go big making a based display board.

The key to pulling off a display board that ties with your armies basing is simple: match your colors and textures. While I'll save the display board how-to for a larger article, I want to hit on a few points to help not only keep your basing colors and techniques the same, but visual basing themes that tie the army to the display board.

The quickest and easiest way to tie the display board to your army is to use the same materials on your display board that you used on your bases. The display board is going to eat up a lot of materials, so make sure that you've been buying those in bulk. You will probably use five to ten times the material on your display board than you did basing your whole army.

The same goes for paint. While it isn't always practical to use the same (high quality) paints from your models on your display board, you can easily get a decent match from craft paint at your local craft store for a buck or two. The closer the match, the better the overall look.

Another aspect of tying the board to the models is to keep some of the same themes. Here's an example from my Eldar army. My HQ's are on larger bases; height is used to denote rank.



I carried the same theme to my display board. Fuegan sits on a cliff at the front and center of the display board. The Farseer, while more of a support role, sits high up on the cliff directing the action.


Also, go for a sensible arrangement of models. Put your big HQs and hardest hitters up front. On my Eldar display board, I hid my poets, carpenters and other artists (Storm Guardians) in the back while my Warlocks and Fire Dragons led by Fuegan are right up at the front edge.

If all of your materials, colors and themes are coordinated then your big display base will have a big impact. Here are a few examples of display boards I've completed for my armies.



"Go big or go home", they say and just because you've finished painting that army doesn't mean it is complete until you finish that last gigantic base!

Friday Quick Tip: Foamcore Wood

This week we delve into the world of terrain! After my most recent project, I figure it's only right that I bring a few new tricks to light.

To start us off, we'll talk about the wonder that is foamcore. There are SO many uses for this wonderful terrain material! And just as many great tutorials out there for folks to find new uses for the stuff! From small shacks to huge mansions, this amazing material keeps you coming back for more. You can usually find it at your local hobby store, such as Michaels or Hobby Lobby. And if you happen to have a Hobby Lobby in your area, just wait until the stuff goes on sale! It happens pretty much every other week!

While painting my Mordheim Ruins, I realized that I just was NOT happy with the floors I had installed that were made from foamcore, just as the walls had been. They didn't have a good reason to be the same texture as the walls around them, and I couldn't come up with a legitimate excuse! So I set to thinking about what I could do to fix the issue I was having. I thought that maybe I should rip out the floors and redo them in balsa wood, but that was a bit too drastic and ultimately it came down to available balsa strips, of which I had none on hand! Maybe if I just painted it a different color, sort of like a carpet, but that fell through with the lack of appropriate texturing. I could have bought some carpet from Hobby Lobby in the doll houses section, but that would be more materials bought for a piece that is pretty much finished! That's when the idea came to me, why not strip away the card, and DRAW the slats of wood in!

I set to it! Stripping away the top layer of card from the foam center, careful not to pull too fast and rip the foam. I used a hobby knife where it was being stubborn to help put the card up and away. Once both floors where cardless, I broke out a slightly dulled pencil and set to drawing in my slats. I drew lines from the front to back in lengths appropriately sized to the balsa I had used already for the framing. Once the slats were drawn in, I went back and randomly added some woodgrain as well to help texture it further. I have to say, the finished product for how quick the fix was, is well worth the little bit of effort!


Could I make this technique look better? You bet! Adding varied lengths as if boards had broken individually would only take a few cuts with a hobby knife, but I'd much rather do that BEFORE gluing the floors in! So maybe next round!

What other uses for the innards of foamcore can you think of?