| Plastic bases are ok but little else. | | | | want to learn or can already carve wood, you |
| Certainly, they have the advantage of coming | | | | can really bat for the rafters and turn a |
| with most of the miniatures, and hence that | | | | wooden base into it's own work of art.When |
| big plus of being FREE. If you're so | | | | carving wood, you face a tradeoff in the ease |
| inclined, you can decorate them with anything | | | | with which you can work it and the amount of |
| (flock, paint-on decorations, features | | | | smaller details it will hold. The hardwoods |
| modeled out of Green Stuff, 24K gold leaf if | | | | can hold lots of tiny details, but will take |
| you don't like owning money). And if you | | | | forever to shape and dull your tools quickly. |
| want your units to rank or you play games | | | | Pine is a softer wood and carves with |
| with your miniatures, the square plastic | | | | relative ease, but you won't be giving it |
| bases are a must.But for a more noble-looking | | | | much florid work. I've carved basswood |
| base for a display piece within the budget of | | | | without much trouble and had it hold all the |
| the average miniature painter (like me), I | | | | details I wanted, but it's still a fairly |
| highly recommend wood.Why wood?It's | | | | soft and very dull-looking wood without a lot |
| DurableUnless you're buying balsa wood, which | | | | of visible grain.Staining:Unless you're |
| can be used to make model airplanes but has | | | | working with a wood with no discernible |
| no practical purpose in miniature basing, it | | | | grain, staining is a good choice. This will |
| can easily hold up to even pewter miniatures. | | | | color the wood while letting the grain show |
| Basswood in particular is light and durable, | | | | through, which is a simple way to get a |
| and is easily acquired from any hobby | | | | beautiful base quickly.I've seen two forms of |
| shop.Comes in a Variety of ShapesI'm speaking | | | | stains so far. The first is the liquid |
| of the small or larger sized plaque pieces | | | | variety, which can be bought from a hardware |
| that come in the interesting shapes and | | | | store in any number of colorations. Most of |
| sizes, usually used to mount a piece of brass | | | | them can be found in the smaller cans that |
| that tells everyone how phenomenal the | | | | aren't vastly more than you need (like the |
| recipient is. For those that come unfinished | | | | sizes used to stain entire deck porches or |
| (although you can buy the finished variety), | | | | large pieces of furniture) and are |
| you have a solid, well-shaped base that will | | | | inexpensive. They can be applied evenly with |
| mount a large pewter miniature with ease. | | | | a rag, but can be a bit messy. It can also |
| Plus, it leaves plenty of space for any | | | | be smelly, so if you use this type, do so in |
| affectations you may wish to add onto the | | | | a well-ventilated area.The second is the gel |
| rest of it.Again, I live within about 15 | | | | variety. The gel version of which I'm |
| minutes from a craft store that sells these | | | | speaking comes in a tube like paint. I have |
| sorts of pieces in just the right sizes for a | | | | some of these is sizes of about two ounces |
| large miniature. They also sell them in | | | | (59 ml), which is more than enough for my |
| sizes for small panoramas, so you can | | | | purposes. It squeezes out in beads, which |
| construct scenes or mount vehicles if you | | | | can be spread by a rag as above, but not as |
| choose.Alternative decorationThe big one. | | | | much of it is required. It's also neater, |
| Wood that is thick enough to have sides can | | | | and far less smelly.Either version will give |
| be decorated in multitude of ways not | | | | you a beautifully stained base.No priming |
| available with the simple plastic bases. | | | | requiredNot so important, but something to |
| While the details of each type are out of the | | | | note. You don't have to prime wood to paint |
| scope of this article (as whole books have | | | | it. Paint will stick just as well either |
| been and can be written about some of them), | | | | way.In all other regards, wood can be |
| I list them here for those who may wish to | | | | decorated just like plastic, and the thicker |
| pursue them in more depth.Woodburning:This is | | | | pieces can be drilled, which means pinning is |
| the art of basically "drawing" designs and | | | | an option to help support your model and |
| shapes into wood with a burning tool. This | | | | features. It can also be finished like |
| leaves a burned-in design on the surfaces in | | | | plastic, so your wooden base can be a shiny, |
| which this is done, and with some practice, | | | | muted, or satiny wooden base if you like. So |
| can produce beautiful results. I personally | | | | if you're ever looking to create a display |
| have only seen pictures of this sort of work | | | | piece rather than a table-grade miniature, |
| and have no experience in doing | | | | wood basing is a good way to go.Ryan Ambrose |
| thisWoodcarving:I actually have some real | | | | is the webmaster of The Short and Fuzzy |
| experience in this one. It's been a while | | | | Gallery, a miniatures painting and modeling |
| since I've carved reliefs into wood, but this | | | | site. The articles section can be viewed |
| allows three-dimensional decorations to be | | | | directly from here. Copyright 2006 Ryan |
| placed on bases that can then be painted or | | | | Ambrose. |
| stained (I mention staining below). If you | | | | |