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