How I Base Things!

[@stevesandford1437]

FAR and ABOVE the BEST Mini-Painting/modelling Channel on KZbin. The combination of simple but effective techniques, combined with a friendly 'laid-back' delivery, really encourages, educates and entertains. The end result speaks volumes. *FANTASTIC CHANNEL by A LOVELY BLOKE!!!* xx SF

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Thanks, Steve. :D I'm one of the generation that're still quietly surprised we have the internet to do these things and share information so broadly. It's great being able to pick up and pass on techniques from more than just a local club when the whole world are bouncing ideas around together!

[@stevesandford1437]

I think IN ALL HONESTY that your unique personality has a LOT to do with how your CHANNEL SELLS ITSELF... (As Mini-Painters, we're ALL basically NERDS but you can be charming and amusing about it!!!) As to THE ALL KNOWING INTERNET, I'm currently doing Late War Waffen SS, (9th Hohenstaufen since as far as I can tell they didn't do ATROCITIES...) and EVERYTHING is available On-Line... (Kinda makes me WONDER why I spent ALL THAT MONEY on BOOKS over the years!!!) *LAUGHING!!!* xx SF (INCIDENTALLY, I'm looking at using a ''sponge' to DO irregular camo-splatters 'on SS CAMO since I've seen you do something similar... USE the 'sponge-splatter' and then ACCENTUATE with TINY DOTS of base colour over the splatters???) *SEE, YOU INSPIRE!!!* xx SF

[@GeneralGreasy]

Why don't you have more subs? Your techniques are some of the best I've seen. All simple but produce great results.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I've not really been at this that long, I guess, and I tend not to go out of my way to advertise what I'm doing in most places. I'm pretty happy just to have folks discover these in their own time or for videos that're really useful to someone to get shared by word of mouth. :) Thanks for dropping in! Hope this carries on being helpful.

[@davidzeile6241]

shhh he's ours don't tell. He makes my ish look better than my friends' :P

[@gregarious_one]

I cannot believe that painting all kinds of base colors over dark grey would work so well! I need to adjust my darkest color on basing as I think it produces nice shadows and so simple! Thank you for your videos!

[@johnroberts981]

I wasn't too bothered about basing when I started watching this but then you said 'UNIFORMITY' for a whole army and that grabbed me ☺ Best of all is you kept it simple (ok GW have kept it simple!)

[@AuthorPhilTolhurst]

You are fast becoming one of my favourite painting tutors on you tube.....loving the stuff you do.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Thank you kindly. :D I'm just puttering along, really - it continues to surprise me that anybody finds this useful, but as long as you do, I'll keep at it!

[@bitzbox]

I love using the GW texture paints. The end result is really effective too

[@meunit2]

One of my go-to's with Astrogranite is shade with Drakenhoff, then drybrush with Fenrisian Grey then light drybrush with White Scar. End's up looking quite blue-marshian esque, like a moon or Xenos planet with blue dirt

[@frantyc]

Maybe you have some available, but something I'd like to see is brush care. This is a topic I've been struggling with and always seen to destroy my brushes at an alarming rate. Stuff like while painting, after painting, storage etc. Thanks!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

It's one that's come up a couple of times. I don't actually do a great deal with my brushes to keep them in shape, but I can share a tip or two I've heard along the way, I'm sure. :)

[@Generalkenobi325]

I love your videos you make things look so simple and easy to follow!👍👍

[@carlojansenermelo]

Best basing tutorial for GW technicals yet

[@RichardofGalloway]

Super - thanks for sharing. Love that these are simple techniques that can be used by beginners like me :)

[@ashleadavis5008]

Just wanted to say that your channel has inspired me to finally paint the pile of mini’s I have. Thank you for your informative videos! 🙏

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Glad to hear it! Nothing quite like shifting the mountain of grey and silver. :D

[@philRminiatures]

Very nicely done...bases add a lot to our minitures imho, and these ones are superb!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

While I like to finish things as quickly as possible in the main, a base gives a finished miniature context and makes a huge difference, I definitely agree.

[@legiox217]

AWESOME! Was looking around on how to do my bases, always a hang up for me. I have World Eaters (primary red and brass) and am wondering if I should go astrogranite or armageddon ... glad to see you use Sepia on the armageddon as thats what I was leaning towards. I have some of the old formula left and compared them to the new, but also to Duncans TTC sepia equivalent, and it behaves almost the same as the old, just a bit more yellow. The new sepia is terrible IMO lol.

[@johnkelley9877]

Very useful tutorial! I have seen the Stirland Mud applied to tank and it is very convincing. I especially like the Citadel Dry Paint s too.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I've also seen Typhus Corrosion used pretty convincingly as mud on smaller scale tanks. The littler bits of grit are much better suited to the 15mm tanks, and you can drybrush over it when it's dry in exactly the same way as these texture paints. Good stuff on the whole!

[@johnkelley9877]

Thanks, that is a good tip! I used Typhus Corrosion on a G.W. Sentinel and it is very convincing.

[@theogodfrey2295]

Big fan of your work. Thanks for your awesome videos

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Glad you like them!

[@Bassmunchkin1]

Great comparisons, many thanks

[@MrTpimms]

What a great episode name 😜! Thanks for the video, looking forward to putting some of these into practice!

[@TeaIngyer]

I paint all my rims a metallic colour that matches the army I'm playing. Ultramarines get a Valejo Mecha Metallic Blue, and so forth. I use a lot of true metallics in my army though, I like everything to be obnoxiously shiny.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

That sounds like it'd look really cool! Very striking from across the table, and there's no way you're not going to recognize your army at a glance. :D

[@TeaIngyer]

Sonic Sledgehammer Studio Exactly. my Dreadnoughts have the same colour for a bunch of the details, and panels. My ultra marine tactical squads have metallic blue shoulder pads. I'm gonna do all my bikes that color too. I want my army to look like a blue disco ball

[@tylerdurden108]

🎉bases looking realy good 👍can you make a new version of this video format with contrast colors?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

There wouldn't be much point. 🤷‍♂️ I wouldn't use Contrast on bases.

[@IDICBeer]

Nice share mate

[@OldAverageBritGaming]

Very useful. Basing really finishes a miniature :)

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I've seen it turn ho-hum paintjobs into stellar miniatures. My old Iron Hands army in particular were bland as hell - almost literally just black and silver - but with their bases done, they suddenly had that all important context. I hope you appreciate I had to make sure I was pulling out the Agrax Earthshade! ;D

[@sriv1965sriv]

Awesome vid!

[@carpemkarzi]

Nice vid. I love using the Martian iron crust texture paint to put in corners of some of my scenery to give a dirt blown-in abandoned look, it has a built in rust look so I dry brush with a darker colour to help it blend in to the rest of the scenery.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I've not had a lot of luck with the crackle paints, unfortunately - I got a bit put off by them not working as I'd imagined and I haven't done much with them since! I really ought to dig them out and have another crack at the whip.

[@WylochsArmory]

Awesome

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Thanks! There's so much you can do with just swapping around the basic colours - I think the difference between the Seraphim Sepia and the Agrax Earthshade over the Armageddon Dust goes a long way to showing how simple it is to shift these around a lot.

[@camskies4595]

Sonic, how would you go about making the bases for Kasrkin models on the GW website? They have these smooth, bases with dirt and stone debris on it, reminiscent of urban streets. The mix of stone and dirt is something I'm trying to get my head around. Do I use Striland Mud and then after drying top it off with Astrogranite and basing debris? That's what I was thinking... but seems a lot of work

[@athollmcnicoll256]

Easy Peasy always works best. No fidley mess and with an additional tuft here and there gives it some depth!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

It doesn't take much, but I find it really helps to set a figure off once it's done. :)

[@RedPilgrim.]

Would love to see some seabed bases. :D

[@Interzone88]

I do baking soda bases, and I wish to recreate the citadel texture paint colours. What colours are closest to Armageddon Dust, Astrogranite and Stirland Mud?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

In order, you'll want Zandri Dust, Mechanicus Standard Grey and Rhinox Hide. Rhinox Hide has a sliiightly reddish tone that Stirland Mud doesn't, but once you've painted over the top of it you will honestly never notice the difference.

[@ROMANDEDEDEppp]

Nice video

[@alexanderk1206]

Amazing! Thanks!

[@reflux1986]

Sweet! Looking to do all of my bases now. BUT...I've already glued my models to the bases. If I remove them and do the bases separately, how do you get the model back on? With that irregular surface I imagine the model will not stand planted...

[@udolpho]

Great video. Just what I've been looking for as I want my catachan kill team bases to be a bit better than my usual. I've got a noob question though - if you make the bases like this beforehand, can you have any problems gluing the mini on the textured paint?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

You'll need to use something like PVA instead of ordinary plastic glue, but it can work. I've had some success with a little dab of clear UHU glue as well. It takes a little bit longer to dry, so you'll be holding the miniature in place for a while, but it's the strongest bond you'll get.

[@udolpho]

Thanks, I'll give that a try.

[@godofcrap42]

So question- is it okay to do your base AND THEN attach/glue down your model? Or do you HAVE to put the model on the base first?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

You can assemble them in either order. Personally, I tend to paint my miniatures while they're attached to the base since I don't do a lot of scenic stuff, but I know some folks prefer to do a base and paint the miniature with a pin in its foot or somesuch. It's really a matter of choice!

[@storm_blazer-xd983]

Hey mate, what would you Recommend for pirmairs marines? I have ultramarines if that helps. I really like your work these look fantastic.

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

There's not really a right answer to this one, honestly. The base is just wherever they happen to be fighting. Generally I'd suggest something that either makes their colour scheme stand out or complements the Marines in some way, but it's a personal choice.

[@machasenau]

Nice video, ill try out the urban base for my minis next time to bring some sort of base variation to my army :) I watched the stripping miniatures video and you had BRENNSPIRITUS! Are you from Germany ?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Just living here at the moment! I'm actually from New Zealand originally, so you can imagine how confusing it was to try and figure out that methylated spirits was the brennspiritus I wanted... ;D

[@briguy_81]

I have a question? When, in the painting process, do you usually do the bases? After the miniature is painting or after?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

It depends on the miniature, but I will almost always do the bases as a final step. With some very large miniatures that I can't reach under to finish the base texture I will sometimes do the base first, then glue the miniature on to it last of all, but that's a very rare occasion!

[@briguy_81]

Thanks. That’s helpful

[@Fluffykeith]

This has totally changed how I look at these textured base paints...

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

They're pretty handy! They work in a bunch of applications beyond the bases, too - I use them as muck and mud on my historical stuff pretty regularly, and gunked up the right way they look fantastic in Chimera dozer blades, too. :D

[@peterd4001]

What bases are you using and where you you buy them?

[@UnderdogPainting]

Love this video .basing has always been the worst part for my hobby

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I love me the easy way! ;)

[@davidzeile6241]

So my question is this: Paint model, Varnish, Base, Add tuft? Or Paint model, base, varnish, add tuft? Or varnish after you add the tuft (that seems like the worst idea)

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

I tend to leave all the basing stuff until last on a miniature. I've had one or two tufts go a little frosty when I had them on before spray varnishing (whoops!) although if you're brushing it on, I suppose it doesn't make a difference!

[@josephwestlake8683]

When you finally gonna paint those bullgrynes?

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

When the stars align and there are gods astride the earth, at this rate! They're my own miniatures, and getting hobby time for my own stuff is at a premium at the moment, unfortunately!

[@carlmayne3519]

Job's a goodun!

[@Syrlantar]

"Astrogranite". SPACE STONE~

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Only the best for the aspiring Dungeon Bowl league commissioner! ;D

[@bensherwin7388]

i chucked mine in the oven-they didn’t dry quicker...

[@corethewarhammermaster6969]

Yeeeeeeesssssss!

[@warpzelle2276]

this is really good when you dryiarrhea :)

[@ALKAHEST]

BONKERS ORANGE

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Make sure you get the right one! ;D

[@BadgerLovingFluffster]

Brushes! Nooooo...!

[@SonicSledgehammerStudio]

Those brave brushes have done all they can in the Emperor's service, and a little more can yet be squeezed out of 'em!

[@BadgerLovingFluffster]

Their service is noted and well respected!