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