As always guys, I'm more than happy to answer any questions as soon as I get a chance, and It'd be great to hear your thoughts on basing and why you do things the way you do! STEEL TIN CAN TIPS AND SAFETY Tin is safe enough to use if you're reasonably careful, I cut most of mine from tin can lids with scissors. Made sure you're wearing thick gloves when cutting and handling, I use some woodworking gloves. If you want to make doubly sure the tin isn't sharp, use a metal nail file along the edges to round it off. SCENIC SEALANT: This stuff is really easy to mix, I use the following formula: 1 part mod podge 3 or more parts water - you can make this as thick or thin as you like, and just use more layers to make it harder. Thinner layers are less likely to dry visibly - this time around I went with 5 parts water. A drop of dish soap (fairy liquid type stuff) or flow improver - this helps it…well…flow :) GROUT-DIRT MIX: This is a nice mix I find gives a great dirt effect, you just need: Brown and black unsanded tile grout Dirt cooked in the oven and filtered through a sieve - you want to grind this up with the handle of something, just break it down until its quite fine. The ratio you want here is going to depend on the colour of your local grout I just mixed in a bit of black at a time until the colour darkened down to match the original dirt. I ended up with about a 3:2:1 ratio of dirt:brown grout:black grout. when I decided to add the yellow earth pigment, I added 1/2 a shot glass (my measuring ratio) to a 4x as big mix of this stuff, so it became 12:8:4:1/2 ratio of dirt:brown grout:black grout:yellow pigment Or, if you only want to use full measures: 24:16:8:1 ratio of dirt:brown grout:black grout:yellow pigment BUT as I say, your dirt may vary. This can be a little trial and error, and if it's worth it is really up to you. If your dirt is more yellow or orange and needs a bit more blue, you can get blue pigment, but I haven't tested it yet, so I cant speak to whether it would work. But it definitely exists, and I'd be interested to hear about it if you try it! LEOPARD SPOTTING MIX: 1:1 yellow ochre to tan 1:1 black to tan MAGNET SAFETY: Don’t use around small children or animals, if ingested these can be dangerous. Never let very strong magnets slam together, especially thin ones. They can and will smash under a lot of force, and then become very sharp, highly magnetic shrapnel. Not good. Easy to avoid though, just take care.
Well worth putting these disclaimers in videos. BMC & myself have issues with our hands so safety is paramount & most other crafting video channels are quite ableist when it comes to safety. Good on you for doing this, man
So, I've experimented with tin cans a tiny bit, and in conclusion, they don't really hold onto a magnet all that strongly, even one that is otherwise extremely strong (like the 5mm Army Painter ones). I fear if I put a bit of steel onto a building and then a mini on it, the magnet will hold onto the steel and not the mini when I move it. These magnets do not really want to stick to the glue-on magnetic sheet either. My current way of magnetizing minis is to build a regiment tray out of cardboard, glue the 1mm steel sheet under it, and magnetic sheet inside. I put 5mm magnets onto the underside of standard rimmed bases, and a bit of steel sheet at the bottom of the flat ones. Mostly works as desired, though the small 20x20 bases with big minis still aren't very strongly held. Perhaps I should use multiple layers of magnetic sheet.
@krin It's true they don't hold as strongly as another magnet or thicker metal, but saying a mini would just fall off is just flat out wrong - unless you're using really weak magnets! :) make sure they're n52 strength, I've mentioned this a lot, but otherwise what you suggest is incredibly unlikely, if not actually impossible using the materials I've shown... I can have resin ogres walk up walls using a 5x2 magnet and a steel tin strip like shown here. If it isn't working for you, I can only suggest maybe the 'tin' you are using is not from a steel tin can of the usual material - remember it's the steel we're after, they're just commonly called 'tin cans', so using actual tin won't work in the same way :)
@@RPArchiveOfficial I am referring to my local materials, which are most likely different than what you have. I have two packs of N52 (total of 40) and a bunch of locally produced N42. What I'm actually concerned about is that the magnet will jump to the plate glued to the building when I lift up the mini, not necessarily that it would be too weak to hold it there. I was also talking about the fact that a large, top heavy mini on a small 20x20 base (ex. Scibor elves) has trouble sticking to the magnetic sheet I have, strongly enough to not get knocked over at a reasonable strength accidental bump. I need to make more experiments, perhaps doubling the magnetic sheet will help.
I've always used metal washers w/ D&D minis. Originally it was just a cheap way to add weight to plastic & resin figs. However coincidentally they're magnetic. The whole in the middle adds a little grip & friction, but not as much as thin ridge. They're never top heavy..I like the dirt idea. Great tips. The figs look good.
Metal washers are great, but trying to get stuff to stick to them is difficult. Pinning becomes a real PITA, and the holes often need to be filled, usually with miliput. I've decided to stick with 1", 2" and 3" craft plywood rounds. They are dirt cheap, wood is easy to adhere to and drill into. I don't play on elaborate terrain, and if I need to stick a mini on something, a small ball of sticky tac works well.
@@mrmaatAbsolutely I have many a fig on plywood rounds. Many a fig on slotted hollow bases as well. I've used all sorts of materials & things in the past. A couple of my favorites- I found a 1" metal circular broach/pin of a stylized falcon in relief. I touched it up & used it as a base for a knight fig with the same coat of arms. Oddest was a piece of a bowling alley lane, (black circle) used to base a yeti. I used to buy wooden rounds by the pack from the craft store, but then I realized I could get a drill bit saw & make my own. (Gotta thank ya for bringing that up I had dropped a miniature crow familiar the other day, I intended to base on a small wooden round the size of a shirt button but forgot about it till now) Wooden rounds work fine indeed. The vast majority of my shrubs & bushes are based on wooden rounds. All things considered procuring, working & playing with each material seems to have it's advantages & it's disadvantages.
You always manage to make the simplest of things look stunning :) That pumpkin patch idea with the roots was awesome, please keep doing what you're doing, I'd hate for you to disappear!
Thank you, I enjoy your basing ideas and your video. I too used textured paste and a metal dental spatula for my bases. Another idea for inexpensive basing materials are the textured acrylic gels (pumice or sand) that most acrylic makers (Golden, Liquitex) make. They might be expensive up front but last for many bases. Similarly tea bags provide leaf matter for bases very inexpensively. One bag can provide enough green or brown leaf matter for many mini bases.
Love the idea of just using steel on the bottom of the bases, going to have to try that. Regarding "basing" rpg minis it took me a long time to convert from black bases. I never use terrain for RPGs in the same way I do for war gaming there's just too much variety to be as practical as a battle mat. It was using a battle mat though that convinced me how much basing mattered. Now all my minis bring the theme. Add in one or two bits of scatter and even a plain mat can quickly transform into a cave or jungle with the right bases on all your enemies.
Nice video! I play Bolt Action, and they have flat bases for their minis. I put fender washers on the bottom, that are a perfect fit for the bottom. Not only does this add weight, but I lined a tackle box with magnet sheet and strips and can carry two, 2,000 pt armies with me. I definitely prefer this method over putting magnets on the bases. This also allows me to source materials outside of the hobby shop, like in craft stores, home supply, etc, for storage and transport.
Nice video! I also learned something new. The idea with the Steel sheets and adding the magnet just when needed is pretty cool tough. I have also a suggestion about basing material. In my local Dollar Store (and basically every Art Store) are acrylic texture pastes. They come in various grains and a size of 250ml for around 3€. Just add the color you need and / or crackle medium (1,50€ at the dollar store). Boom! Bob is your uncle and your done.
Great basing techniques. I am a historical war gamer (got here by watching vids on contrast paints) but basing spans all genres. Still have some of the old Grenadier D&D minis from the 80s though. I started playing D&D back when there was just one softcover book and the Chainmail rules lol. I like the metal strip idea but I use paper steel discs and but a magnetic heating vent cover in my storage boxes. (From DIY stores).
Wow! Looking great my good man! Not just the basing either. You're looking quite well. Whatever you're doing these days, keep it up. It suits you. Thanks for the new video. Cheers!
@@RPArchiveOfficial it's just nice to see d&d minis that I own painted so nice. So many of the miniature painting channels focus on Warhammer miniatures or custom printed ones.
Not gonna lie, I'm moving down the printed route - the quality is just better and they don't come caked in pointless thick primer 😄 But I get your point :)
This is video really makes me want to base a mini. I don't even own any; I have used a 1" magnet as my token for 15 years and coins when I GM. None of that changes that I look forward to every video that you make. Your work is amazing in production value and adds to the tabletop and maker communities. I cannot tell you how many people I have shared your links with because you are solving so many complex problems (just in small scale). You Rock! - just in case you needed to hear it today.
Honestly Nikki I massively appreciate it :) comments like this are really great for actually being able to see what people really think of the work I do. It's really nice to hear, and it's great motivation for the next project!
As always I am struggling finding words, you are awesome. First patron I subscribed to and I hope you do not go to deep in 3d Printing 🙈 Do whatever you want, I love your content. Take your time and stay healthy! Take a step back if needed (as always)
One of the best tools I've used for basing minis is a cheap $8 coffee grinder I picked up from Walmart. Grind up yard dirt... cat litter... literally anything you want to whatever granular size you'd like. Perfect for cheap/free basing material.
this is great advice. also if you have a flat base, you can make it "hollow" by printing or making a ring with the same diameter and gluing it underneath. you can always make this thicker and sand down the original base to compensate
I've been rebasing my models onto square bases with magnets. It's really hard to find 20x20mm bases in my area, so they are made out of 3mm chipboard. Gonna look into other options as well, especially the metal strip. Still have some windowsill off-cuts, but cans sound good, as long as they are magnetic.
I definitely want to do basing on my minis. Thank you for mentioning re-basing the prepainted minis, because I don't think that would've occurred to me otherwise!
Great vid. One thing I thought I’d mention for removing superglued magnets etc: not only is Biostrip the best way to strip paint from metal and plastic minis bar none, it also completely breaks down superglue! I know debonders exist but I find them to only be effective when the glue is fresh.
@@RPArchiveOfficial I've heard the odd story that Biostrip doesn't play nice with the occasional plastic recipe so always test it on a sacrificial surface first i.e. spare base or model part etc. I've never had any trouble with the stuff stripping polystyrene plastic and metal minis though. It turns resin soft so that's definitely one to avoid!
I use a pre-mixed filler for bases straight out of the tub. The only issue I've ever had is with chipping revealing the white interior. It helps a great deal because it's cheap enough to use for both terrain and bases to everything is tied together by a cohesive texture that I've used to model everything from trench mud to desert sand depending on the finish and how it's applied (smoothed flat, roughened, patterned etc)
Great video. I always feel like basing is worth the extra effort and easily takes your minis to the next level. I’ve been using Golden Coarse Pumice Gel on my ork bases, and Liquitex Ceramic Stucco combined with actual slate piece or Apoxie Sculpt/green stuff “slate” chunks for my Alpha Legion. For me, both those products seem to work really well so far.
Some great tips and got yourself a new subscriber. For earth bases and terrain boards I use soil mix (from banks if I can as it often has a higher root content) and then mix with flexible filler which stops it cracking.
I've always liked the churned mud look for an army. Battlefields don't stay intact for long and a hundred foot troopers are going to destroy the turf after marching across it. This is a good way to easily figure out where to put extra effort into the bases too. The people at the front are going to be breaking trail, so it makes sense to use grass and tufts on the front ranks of units, characters, and scouts, but as soon as there is a rank or two of soldiers in front it's just mud.
Great video, as always. I also make my own basing paste but also add (Daler Rowney) acrylic texture/structure paste about 50:50 with the PVA (really more an 'adjust to taste' process honestly) and some dark brown and black inks or paints. It doesn't seem to be as prone to cracking, holds it's shape even more reliably, and sticks well to the plastic bases. It is about £8 for a large tube but Lidl do smaller, cheaper tube periodically.
Great video! To avoid cracking in my diy texture paste I mix in a bit of acrylic paint with the pva, though I use fine sand rather than grout so the color is necessary. Medium will probably have the same effect but not sure the cost would be worth it.
intereresting method! yeah it's probably the acrylic medium that does it. I wonder if using mod podge instead of pva would do the same thing? podge already has some kind of acrylic resin binder in it...
I have been using Mod Podge mixed with dry unsanded grout and premixed (wet) sanded grout to put texture on my vinyl floor tiles. They are quite flexible without cracking. I have no set mixtures.
Aeons ago (the early '80s), someone I gamed with did some very cool-looking flagstone bases by framing the original base in a balsa square, then building over the base with thin balsa sculpted with a flagstone texture (might'tve been individual slivers of balsa, or even paper, now that I think of it). It made a lot of difference, because in those early days of gaming, miniatures weren't much to look at, and the bases were often worse, just uneven blobs of lead. ='[.]'=
If a walk in the woods isn't handy, for "dirt" I use a mix of tile grout and coffee grounds (used then dried/sanitized in the oven). Can make the dirt as fine as I want (espresso to french press) with the grinder and lets me reuse what might otherwise go to composte (to become... dirt).
another classic option - use 1p /2p coins (depending on the scale) as your bases, modern ones have a steel core... can be hard to paint and stick your minis to them but i put a layer of miliput on them for basing / texturing and it works fine then.
I can offer one more tip: extra-thin liquid super glue. Look into brands like Starbond. It runs like quicksilver and seeps invisibly into every crack, but dries clear and can be painted over. I use it to lock down basing materials and it is absolutely permanent. It seeps around every single particle of sand, dirt, pigment, or rock chip and locks the configuration you've arranged in place. Ever since discovering this trick I've never gone back to other fixatives.
Oh I use that (zap), different brand, probably a very similar effect! I mainly use it to seal arid earth and other larger loose rocks in place. I found it reacts very badly to grout and seals to fast, burning a white look onto the result, that and it tints everything to look darker. This is sometimes fine, but I like the dirt colour the way it is :) I don't paint over things where possible, it gives a more realistic result with natural (ish) materials I find. That and it's expensive 😄
dont know long term but i just coated some bsses with a mix of spackle, mod podge, water, fine sand, cosrse sand and brown paint. Hopefully the mod podge will help prevent some cracking
I'm so glad to have found this channel - It's like a leveled up version of Black Magic Craft. Not harping on him/his content, but it was too simple for my tastes. Your content has fueled my creative drive and solves many issues I've had with modular/3D terrain for D&D. Binge-watching incoming. Edit: Have been curious on how you play out combat on these tiles, as there isn't clear grid markings? I've been toying with the idea of converting 5tf increments to one inch and playing similarly to 40k's grid-less system.
I use measurement like most wargaming, I played 40k for about a decade and a half :) I talk about it in the very first video on the channel if you're curious
Cheers for the info. I figured there'd be something. I'm gonna keep working on the mix, I've got a theory that mod podge should work better, but we'll see...
Not related but just wanted to share. I personally go to great lengths to ensure the rim of my model’s bases isn’t covered. At the end of the Campaign or when Beloved npcs die I’ll paint the rim of said important npcs bases gold, and add them to a special shelf in my game room. I find it adds to the excitement of when a npc they know from another campaign shows up.
first time running across your channel! VERY cool! I'm excited to view your other videos. Quick question where did you find those food container bins? most of the ones I'm finding online are either too expensive or weird shapes that wouldn't work as well as those look like they do.
Amazon, I should probably put them on the equipment list when I get the chance, but it would be a UK amazon link only unless I can find them on the others...
For the cracking, a possible fix might be the use of Wood Glue instead of PVA, Wood Glue doesn't shrink as much so that should reduce the cracking from the glue shrinking. I will experiment with that myself as I have yet to use the grout/dirt mix. I switched from PVA to Wood Glue a little while ago because it dries harder and has significantly less shrinkage (if you use a good quality wood glue, cheap wood glue still shrinks like PVA).
Last time I went hiking with a tiny shovel and pots, I've been asked what I was doing, and I pretended to be a biologist collecting samples for some researches. i never ben disturbed after that x')
Oh Interesting, I've never thought about Grout. My most recent bases were made with Baking Soda and Super glue with some splotches of Old coffee grounds for texture Before that I used a hobby basing material stuck down with a 50/50 mix of Grey paint and PVA Glue Then brushed over top with the same mix.
@snarfle thanks man! Not currently, my first attempt at a painting tutorial video wasn't as popular as the terrain, so I stopped doing them. Might start doing them again at some point if I get people showing interest :) @ksb yep :)
Do you ever find the basing technic doesn’t stick fully? I have noticed some shrinkage and lift off from the base (especially at the edges) with the grout mix.
The cracking of scenic ground cover should be okay as it could be explained away as natural ground movement or the sines that the local area is drying up resulting in large cracks appearing because of drought or something.
See my equipment list for the sheets and advice thereof, 6x1.5mm n52 neodymium magnets , and depends how heavy/unwieldy the mini, but generally, yes. Test carefully, and if its too weak, increase magnet width.
Where do you get your guard minis (the ones with the capes) from? They are so different from anything I’ve seen and would be super useful for encounters with guards because they don’t look like civilians. If you could let me know whenever I greatly appreciate it. As always, your work is amazing. As a new subscriber I find myself dumbfounded as to why I hadn’t found you sooner!
@@RPArchiveOfficial From what I know, regular PVA glue is known to shrink when drying. So it's possible that Vallejo/Citadel texture pastes may be using something similar but not straight up PVA glue.
What rubber sheets are you using that you can get magnets to stick to them directly? The ones I've had in the past will stick to steel sheeting, which U can then stick magnets to, but won't stick to the magnets themselves.
also if you have a thin base mini, you can just buy a washer thats the same diameter as the base, glue it in the bottom, and paint it black or whatever your preferred color of base is
I LOVE the black bases on the lava-themed minis!! I want to buy some Abyssal or Hell-themed miniatures just so I can base them like this, though I had an idea where I cut cracks around the mini's feet and paint them like glowing lava, as though the creature is causing the magma under the surface to rise up from its mere presence.
I once discovered while experimenting that mixing static grass with black ink and letting it dry at the side of the bowl gives you crusty strips that look like burned brushes (as this was 15 years ago tho I don't know if any of the bases survived until now, I'll add some a link with pictures if I find any)
What kind of cans do you get the steel strips off of? Anything I have found made of actual steel (or other ferromagnetic metals) has been far too thick
Literally soup cans, baked beans, pretty much all tinned food, but not pop (coke) cans. An easy way to check is take a magnet to the cupboard or shops and test some tins :) in the uk at least all the food tins are steel, at least the ones I've ever come across...
Thanks! I don't usually eat canned food so I hadn't thought of that at all but I'm pretty sure the ones in America are steel too now that you mention it. I'll have to test one out.
As always guys, I'm more than happy to answer any questions as soon as I get a chance, and It'd be great to hear your thoughts on basing and why you do things the way you do!
STEEL TIN CAN TIPS AND SAFETY
Tin is safe enough to use if you're reasonably careful, I cut most of mine from tin can lids with scissors.
Made sure you're wearing thick gloves when cutting and handling, I use some woodworking gloves.
If you want to make doubly sure the tin isn't sharp, use a metal nail file along the edges to round it off.
SCENIC SEALANT:
This stuff is really easy to mix, I use the following formula:
1 part mod podge
3 or more parts water - you can make this as thick or thin as you like, and just use more layers to make it harder. Thinner layers are less likely to dry visibly - this time around I went with 5 parts water.
A drop of dish soap (fairy liquid type stuff) or flow improver - this helps it…well…flow :)
GROUT-DIRT MIX:
This is a nice mix I find gives a great dirt effect, you just need:
Brown and black unsanded tile grout
Dirt cooked in the oven and filtered through a sieve - you want to grind this up with the handle of something, just break it down until its quite fine.
The ratio you want here is going to depend on the colour of your local grout
I just mixed in a bit of black at a time until the colour darkened down to match the original dirt.
I ended up with about a 3:2:1 ratio of dirt:brown grout:black grout.
when I decided to add the yellow earth pigment, I added 1/2 a shot glass (my measuring ratio) to a 4x as big mix of this stuff, so it became 12:8:4:1/2 ratio of dirt:brown grout:black grout:yellow pigment
Or, if you only want to use full measures: 24:16:8:1 ratio of dirt:brown grout:black grout:yellow pigment
BUT as I say, your dirt may vary. This can be a little trial and error, and if it's worth it is really up to you. If your dirt is more yellow or orange and needs a bit more blue, you can get blue pigment, but I haven't tested it yet, so I cant speak to whether it would work. But it definitely exists, and I'd be interested to hear about it if you try it!
LEOPARD SPOTTING MIX:
1:1 yellow ochre to tan
1:1 black to tan
MAGNET SAFETY:
Don’t use around small children or animals, if ingested these can be dangerous. Never let very strong magnets slam together, especially thin ones. They can and will smash under a lot of force, and then become very sharp, highly magnetic shrapnel. Not good. Easy to avoid though, just take care.
Well worth putting these disclaimers in videos. BMC & myself have issues with our hands so safety is paramount & most other crafting video channels are quite ableist when it comes to safety. Good on you for doing this, man
@@earthmanbrick%22%22 Thanks man. Safety is definitely important, especially when you're as clumsy as I am 😄
So, I've experimented with tin cans a tiny bit, and in conclusion, they don't really hold onto a magnet all that strongly, even one that is otherwise extremely strong (like the 5mm Army Painter ones). I fear if I put a bit of steel onto a building and then a mini on it, the magnet will hold onto the steel and not the mini when I move it. These magnets do not really want to stick to the glue-on magnetic sheet either.
My current way of magnetizing minis is to build a regiment tray out of cardboard, glue the 1mm steel sheet under it, and magnetic sheet inside. I put 5mm magnets onto the underside of standard rimmed bases, and a bit of steel sheet at the bottom of the flat ones. Mostly works as desired, though the small 20x20 bases with big minis still aren't very strongly held. Perhaps I should use multiple layers of magnetic sheet.
@krin It's true they don't hold as strongly as another magnet or thicker metal, but saying a mini would just fall off is just flat out wrong - unless you're using really weak magnets! :)
make sure they're n52 strength, I've mentioned this a lot, but otherwise what you suggest is incredibly unlikely, if not actually impossible using the materials I've shown...
I can have resin ogres walk up walls using a 5x2 magnet and a steel tin strip like shown here.
If it isn't working for you, I can only suggest maybe the 'tin' you are using is not from a steel tin can of the usual material - remember it's the steel we're after, they're just commonly called 'tin cans', so using actual tin won't work in the same way :)
@@RPArchiveOfficial I am referring to my local materials, which are most likely different than what you have.
I have two packs of N52 (total of 40) and a bunch of locally produced N42. What I'm actually concerned about is that the magnet will jump to the plate glued to the building when I lift up the mini, not necessarily that it would be too weak to hold it there.
I was also talking about the fact that a large, top heavy mini on a small 20x20 base (ex. Scibor elves) has trouble sticking to the magnetic sheet I have, strongly enough to not get knocked over at a reasonable strength accidental bump.
I need to make more experiments, perhaps doubling the magnetic sheet will help.
I've always used metal washers w/ D&D minis. Originally it was just a cheap way to add weight to plastic & resin figs. However coincidentally they're magnetic. The whole in the middle adds a little grip & friction, but not as much as thin ridge. They're never top heavy..I like the dirt idea. Great tips. The figs look good.
Yeah, was going to suggest that flat washers are probably a better option than cutting things. It's not like a 1/2" fender washer is expensive.
No, but they are thicker, and limit not only what magnets you can use but how well the hollow base works for staying stable on uneven ground...
Metal washers are great, but trying to get stuff to stick to them is difficult. Pinning becomes a real PITA, and the holes often need to be filled, usually with miliput. I've decided to stick with 1", 2" and 3" craft plywood rounds. They are dirt cheap, wood is easy to adhere to and drill into. I don't play on elaborate terrain, and if I need to stick a mini on something, a small ball of sticky tac works well.
@@mrmaatAbsolutely I have many a fig on plywood rounds. Many a fig on slotted hollow bases as well. I've used all sorts of materials & things in the past. A couple of my favorites- I found a 1" metal circular broach/pin of a stylized falcon in relief. I touched it up & used it as a base for a knight fig with the same coat of arms. Oddest was a piece of a bowling alley lane, (black circle) used to base a yeti. I used to buy wooden rounds by the pack from the craft store, but then I realized I could get a drill bit saw & make my own. (Gotta thank ya for bringing that up I had dropped a miniature crow familiar the other day, I intended to base on a small wooden round the size of a shirt button but forgot about it till now) Wooden rounds work fine indeed. The vast majority of my shrubs & bushes are based on wooden rounds. All things considered procuring, working & playing with each material seems to have it's advantages & it's disadvantages.
This makes it easier for me who uses the slots in the slotta bases! Thank you!
A dad’s army reference in 2021? Truly a man of culture, subscribed.
But of course! Keep an eye out for the blackadder ones ;)
Your painting skills are amazing holy cow!
I'd never have thought of this in a million years! Thank you for this and hey, the algorithm brought me to you! Good algorithm for a change!
I swear you go around with an artist brush and everything you touch it with turns out stunning. Another great video!
That's very kind 😅 thank you!
You always manage to make the simplest of things look stunning :) That pumpkin patch idea with the roots was awesome, please keep doing what you're doing, I'd hate for you to disappear!
The magnet idea... Simply Brilliant. 👍🏾👍🏾
Really informative and well done!
The idea of steelstrips are actually something i hadn't considered. Thank you for the idea.
Thank you, I enjoy your basing ideas and your video. I too used textured paste and a metal dental spatula for my bases. Another idea for inexpensive basing materials are the textured acrylic gels (pumice or sand) that most acrylic makers (Golden, Liquitex) make. They might be expensive up front but last for many bases. Similarly tea bags provide leaf matter for bases very inexpensively. One bag can provide enough green or brown leaf matter for many mini bases.
How am I just now finding you on youtube? Brilliant stuff, diving into your library
Thanks Cole, enjoy! :)
Very pleased to have you pop up in my feed! You're awesome!!
Thank you 😅
This all looks really nice, and good on you for finally sharing your dark secrets of mini basing.
Thanks man :) happy to share!
Loved the idea of using strips instead of magnets.
As always you've done the legwork for us lazybones and now we reap all the benefits! Many thanks mate!
Happy to help man!
I have to say... I really enjoy your videos.
Thanks Bill! Your scratch bashed stuff is pretty boss too...
Fantastic ideas here! Thanks for the video!
Another comment to please the algorithm. Excellent, informative video. I'd upvote it for the grout, alone.
Love the idea of just using steel on the bottom of the bases, going to have to try that.
Regarding "basing" rpg minis it took me a long time to convert from black bases. I never use terrain for RPGs in the same way I do for war gaming there's just too much variety to be as practical as a battle mat. It was using a battle mat though that convinced me how much basing mattered. Now all my minis bring the theme. Add in one or two bits of scatter and even a plain mat can quickly transform into a cave or jungle with the right bases on all your enemies.
Nice video! I play Bolt Action, and they have flat bases for their minis. I put fender washers on the bottom, that are a perfect fit for the bottom. Not only does this add weight, but I lined a tackle box with magnet sheet and strips and can carry two, 2,000 pt armies with me. I definitely prefer this method over putting magnets on the bases. This also allows me to source materials outside of the hobby shop, like in craft stores, home supply, etc, for storage and transport.
great idea
omg the magnet thing... so brilliant
Thanks man :) magnets rapidly became my 'thing' over the last year 😅
Nice video! I also learned something new. The idea with the Steel sheets and adding the magnet just when needed is pretty cool tough. I have also a suggestion about basing material. In my local Dollar Store (and basically every Art Store) are acrylic texture pastes. They come in various grains and a size of 250ml for around 3€. Just add the color you need and / or crackle medium (1,50€ at the dollar store). Boom! Bob is your uncle and your done.
Great basing techniques. I am a historical war gamer (got here by watching vids on contrast paints) but basing spans all genres. Still have some of the old Grenadier D&D minis from the 80s though. I started playing D&D back when there was just one softcover book and the Chainmail rules lol. I like the metal strip idea but I use paper steel discs and but a magnetic heating vent cover in my storage boxes. (From DIY stores).
Another great video!
Wow! Looking great my good man! Not just the basing either. You're looking quite well. Whatever you're doing these days, keep it up. It suits you. Thanks for the new video. Cheers!
I collect dull hobby knife blades to glue into places where you mention steel can strips. This sometimes requires wire clippers and safety glasses.
Haha! that's one way to do it! 😂
I really love your paint jobs on your D&D minis.
Got to say, not all my work - a patron painted and sent me some minis to use on the channel like the vampire efreet and demons :)
@@RPArchiveOfficial it's just nice to see d&d minis that I own painted so nice. So many of the miniature painting channels focus on Warhammer miniatures or custom printed ones.
Not gonna lie, I'm moving down the printed route - the quality is just better and they don't come caked in pointless thick primer 😄
But I get your point :)
Great video, happy to have found this channel!
Liked and subbed 😁👍🏻
Happy to have you man! Enjoy 😄
Unbelievably beautiful, and educational.
I appreciate the concept of different base types for area effects thank you
This is video really makes me want to base a mini. I don't even own any; I have used a 1" magnet as my token for 15 years and coins when I GM. None of that changes that I look forward to every video that you make. Your work is amazing in production value and adds to the tabletop and maker communities. I cannot tell you how many people I have shared your links with because you are solving so many complex problems (just in small scale). You Rock! - just in case you needed to hear it today.
Honestly Nikki I massively appreciate it :) comments like this are really great for actually being able to see what people really think of the work I do. It's really nice to hear, and it's great motivation for the next project!
As always I am struggling finding words, you are awesome. First patron I subscribed to and I hope you do not go to deep in 3d Printing 🙈 Do whatever you want, I love your content.
Take your time and stay healthy! Take a step back if needed (as always)
Don't worry, I prefer crafting ;) printing is just a good tool to use alongside it...
Your creative ideas are so good. Thanks for this one!
Thanks Nathan!
Always enjoy the detail you create in all of your work.
Thanks Tommy :)
Great video, man. Good reminder that I'll need to do more videos on making bases for next month
Cheers
This is almost exactly how I do my basing.
This video reminded me I need to get more birch seeds.
Great tips. Thank you so much 👍👌
One of the best tools I've used for basing minis is a cheap $8 coffee grinder I picked up from Walmart. Grind up yard dirt... cat litter... literally anything you want to whatever granular size you'd like. Perfect for cheap/free basing material.
Hmm, a grinder might be good for breaking up the dirt rather than doing it by hand... Thanks for the tip!
This is an amazing video! Very informative and the magnet concept blew my mind.
Glad it was helpful Rich!
Hmm... maybe I should start basing my Battletech minis! Thanks for the tips!
Do it! You could use small twigs as fallen trees 😄
this is great advice. also if you have a flat base, you can make it "hollow" by printing or making a ring with the same diameter and gluing it underneath. you can always make this thicker and sand down the original base to compensate
Good point!
I've been rebasing my models onto square bases with magnets. It's really hard to find 20x20mm bases in my area, so they are made out of 3mm chipboard. Gonna look into other options as well, especially the metal strip. Still have some windowsill off-cuts, but cans sound good, as long as they are magnetic.
I definitely want to do basing on my minis. Thank you for mentioning re-basing the prepainted minis, because I don't think that would've occurred to me otherwise!
Always happy to give you ideas 😄 made mine look so much better!
Great as always!
Thanks knubson! 😁
Great vid. One thing I thought I’d mention for removing superglued magnets etc: not only is Biostrip the best way to strip paint from metal and plastic minis bar none, it also completely breaks down superglue! I know debonders exist but I find them to only be effective when the glue is fresh.
Huh, I did not know this...
@@RPArchiveOfficial I've heard the odd story that Biostrip doesn't play nice with the occasional plastic recipe so always test it on a sacrificial surface first i.e. spare base or model part etc. I've never had any trouble with the stuff stripping polystyrene plastic and metal minis though. It turns resin soft so that's definitely one to avoid!
Good to know, I think I'd heard that too...
I use a pre-mixed filler for bases straight out of the tub. The only issue I've ever had is with chipping revealing the white interior. It helps a great deal because it's cheap enough to use for both terrain and bases to everything is tied together by a cohesive texture that I've used to model everything from trench mud to desert sand depending on the finish and how it's applied (smoothed flat, roughened, patterned etc)
Great video. I always feel like basing is worth the extra effort and easily takes your minis to the next level. I’ve been using Golden Coarse Pumice Gel on my ork bases, and Liquitex Ceramic Stucco combined with actual slate piece or Apoxie Sculpt/green stuff “slate” chunks for my Alpha Legion. For me, both those products seem to work really well so far.
Sounds like an awesome effect man :) love me some slate texture 😄
@@RPArchiveOfficial A $2 shattered slate tile goes a loooong way on wargame bases. 😁
I can imagine! 😄
Some great tips and got yourself a new subscriber. For earth bases and terrain boards I use soil mix (from banks if I can as it often has a higher root content) and then mix with flexible filler which stops it cracking.
Thanks man, welcome :) flexible filler is an interesting one, haven't heard that yet...
I've always liked the churned mud look for an army. Battlefields don't stay intact for long and a hundred foot troopers are going to destroy the turf after marching across it. This is a good way to easily figure out where to put extra effort into the bases too. The people at the front are going to be breaking trail, so it makes sense to use grass and tufts on the front ranks of units, characters, and scouts, but as soon as there is a rank or two of soldiers in front it's just mud.
Great video, as always. I also make my own basing paste but also add (Daler Rowney) acrylic texture/structure paste about 50:50 with the PVA (really more an 'adjust to taste' process honestly) and some dark brown and black inks or paints. It doesn't seem to be as prone to cracking, holds it's shape even more reliably, and sticks well to the plastic bases. It is about £8 for a large tube but Lidl do smaller, cheaper tube periodically.
Interesting! I'm gonna give mod podge a shot first, it would be good to keep it cheap so I could use it en masse if I needed to :)
keep doing what youre doing mate :) i genuinely look forward to seeing what you come up with next :)
I'm very happy with my next build so far honestly 😁
Great video! To avoid cracking in my diy texture paste I mix in a bit of acrylic paint with the pva, though I use fine sand rather than grout so the color is necessary. Medium will probably have the same effect but not sure the cost would be worth it.
intereresting method! yeah it's probably the acrylic medium that does it. I wonder if using mod podge instead of pva would do the same thing? podge already has some kind of acrylic resin binder in it...
@@RPArchiveOfficial might work, need to test it though. If I recall correctly mod podge in general does tend to be less prone to cracking.
I have been using Mod Podge mixed with dry unsanded grout and premixed (wet) sanded grout to put texture on my vinyl floor tiles. They are quite flexible without cracking. I have no set mixtures.
@@seanschwabel6941 that's great to know, thank you!
Nice one man! Save me a job :)
Aeons ago (the early '80s), someone I gamed with did some very cool-looking flagstone bases by framing the original base in a balsa square, then building over the base with thin balsa sculpted with a flagstone texture (might'tve been individual slivers of balsa, or even paper, now that I think of it). It made a lot of difference, because in those early days of gaming, miniatures weren't much to look at, and the bases were often worse, just uneven blobs of lead. ='[.]'=
Never tried balsa for base toppers, but both foam board and milliput worked nicely. For the foam board I had to pin the mini through the plastic base.
@@Karlmakesstuff Oh, look! Another crafting channel to subscribe to! Shiny! =^[.]^=
@@Raycheetah 😅
those clips you add i love em as i know about 97% of them
Haha, glad someone shares my sense of humour 😄
I need to add some yes minister ones...
I was in Michael’s the other day and found a sheet of static grass that is already on “dirt”,
Thought it would be useful and bought some.
If a walk in the woods isn't handy, for "dirt" I use a mix of tile grout and coffee grounds (used then dried/sanitized in the oven). Can make the dirt as fine as I want (espresso to french press) with the grinder and lets me reuse what might otherwise go to composte (to become... dirt).
I have seen this before, problem is it doesn't give quite the right look for me :)
That Hamilton reference though 😂
another classic option - use 1p /2p coins (depending on the scale) as your bases, modern ones have a steel core... can be hard to paint and stick your minis to them but i put a layer of miliput on them for basing / texturing and it works fine then.
I can offer one more tip: extra-thin liquid super glue. Look into brands like Starbond. It runs like quicksilver and seeps invisibly into every crack, but dries clear and can be painted over.
I use it to lock down basing materials and it is absolutely permanent. It seeps around every single particle of sand, dirt, pigment, or rock chip and locks the configuration you've arranged in place.
Ever since discovering this trick I've never gone back to other fixatives.
Oh I use that (zap), different brand, probably a very similar effect! I mainly use it to seal arid earth and other larger loose rocks in place.
I found it reacts very badly to grout and seals to fast, burning a white look onto the result, that and it tints everything to look darker. This is sometimes fine, but I like the dirt colour the way it is :)
I don't paint over things where possible, it gives a more realistic result with natural (ish) materials I find.
That and it's expensive 😄
dont know long term but i just coated some bsses with a mix of spackle, mod podge, water, fine sand, cosrse sand and brown paint. Hopefully the mod podge will help prevent some cracking
ty for the idea of adding paint to the glue
I'm so glad to have found this channel - It's like a leveled up version of Black Magic Craft. Not harping on him/his content, but it was too simple for my tastes. Your content has fueled my creative drive and solves many issues I've had with modular/3D terrain for D&D.
Binge-watching incoming.
Edit: Have been curious on how you play out combat on these tiles, as there isn't clear grid markings? I've been toying with the idea of converting 5tf increments to one inch and playing similarly to 40k's grid-less system.
I use measurement like most wargaming, I played 40k for about a decade and a half :) I talk about it in the very first video on the channel if you're curious
Earth Texture from Vallejo is slightly flexible so doesn't crack. replacing some of the PVA with acrylic medium should help with the cracking
Cheers for the info. I figured there'd be something. I'm gonna keep working on the mix, I've got a theory that mod podge should work better, but we'll see...
Hmm, latex might be an interesting option
I've mixed a bit of green basing flock with a larger portion of dried used coffee grounds that gives a very lush earth effect.
Not related but just wanted to share. I personally go to great lengths to ensure the rim of my model’s bases isn’t covered.
At the end of the Campaign or when Beloved npcs die I’ll paint the rim of said important npcs bases gold, and add them to a special shelf in my game room.
I find it adds to the excitement of when a npc they know from another campaign shows up.
first time running across your channel! VERY cool! I'm excited to view your other videos. Quick question where did you find those food container bins? most of the ones I'm finding online are either too expensive or weird shapes that wouldn't work as well as those look like they do.
Amazon, I should probably put them on the equipment list when I get the chance, but it would be a UK amazon link only unless I can find them on the others...
good vid keep up the good vid you do on your channel stay safe lee
For the cracking, a possible fix might be the use of Wood Glue instead of PVA, Wood Glue doesn't shrink as much so that should reduce the cracking from the glue shrinking. I will experiment with that myself as I have yet to use the grout/dirt mix. I switched from PVA to Wood Glue a little while ago because it dries harder and has significantly less shrinkage (if you use a good quality wood glue, cheap wood glue still shrinks like PVA).
Huh, interesting!
Have you thought of using bottle caps as bases? They're naturally magnetic in the right shape at about the right size ^_^
They are indeed! Not a fan of the edges though 😄
Great video! I love those first bandit looking minis at 0:05, where did you find them??
Thanks! Frostgrave barbarians :)
If you want to make sand smaller or into tiny rounded gravel from larger jagged gravel... get a stone polisher/rock tumbler. ;-)
Didn't expect Hamilton here :o
'They say....' 🎶 😂
Last time I went hiking with a tiny shovel and pots, I've been asked what I was doing, and I pretended to be a biologist collecting samples for some researches. i never ben disturbed after that x')
Quick thinking! 😄
I use to have war duke!!!!!!
And some others!
Hella cool!!!
I’ve been a fan of using snow and mud for bases, because sloppy paint jobs just add to the effect (or so I tell myself).
Man, I can only imagine how much dirt and sand you had to shovel to make that forest trip worth it! #pompomshake
Haha, I did look like quite a weirdo 😁
Forest trip is ots own reward. Gree basing materials is just an added bonus.
Very true, but I really didn't have the time 😄
Oh Interesting, I've never thought about Grout.
My most recent bases were made with Baking Soda and Super glue with some splotches of Old coffee grounds for texture
Before that I used a hobby basing material stuck down with a 50/50 mix of Grey paint and PVA Glue
Then brushed over top with the same mix.
Grout is amazing for earthy texture :)
I love you hill giants but why are they so clean looking? :) Try some washes or other dirt effects on them and they'll look a lot rougher
Oh I know, I've been meaning to for ages, I just keep forgetting - even while using dirt to base them!
Your frostgrave barbarians look amazing. Dont suppose you have a tutorial for them?
Is that what the guy at 7:45 is? A Frostgrave barbarian?
@snarfle thanks man! Not currently, my first attempt at a painting tutorial video wasn't as popular as the terrain, so I stopped doing them. Might start doing them again at some point if I get people showing interest :)
@ksb yep :)
Hi, i was wondering where you got that vampire mini from, it is really cool.
3d printed, loot studios :)
@@RPArchiveOfficial they have great minis, i am sad i missed that month. I will have to see if they sell it separately.
They do :)
Do you ever find the basing technic doesn’t stick fully? I have noticed some shrinkage and lift off from the base (especially at the edges) with the grout mix.
Another awesome video!!!!
thanks man!
The cracking of scenic ground cover should be okay as it could be explained away as natural ground movement or the sines that the local area is drying up resulting in large cracks appearing because of drought or something.
Wouldn't you be able to remove a superglued magnet with a pair of pliers and twisting? Haven't tried it but have heard superglue is weak to twisting
oh you could - but then you'd have to glue it back at the end of the game 😄
What magnetic sheets are you using. What strenght magnets are you using. Will this combo hold for metal minis turned upside down?
See my equipment list for the sheets and advice thereof, 6x1.5mm n52 neodymium magnets , and depends how heavy/unwieldy the mini, but generally, yes. Test carefully, and if its too weak, increase magnet width.
@@RPArchiveOfficial Thx man, I'll have a look.
Where do you get your guard minis (the ones with the capes) from? They are so different from anything I’ve seen and would be super useful for encounters with guards because they don’t look like civilians. If you could let me know whenever I greatly appreciate it. As always, your work is amazing. As a new subscriber I find myself dumbfounded as to why I hadn’t found you sooner!
Thanks man! The guards are games workshop warriors of Dale, LOTR models :)
👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
I personally just modify the 3D-printed bases in meshmixer, but I suppose useing a rotary tool works too.
This is a solution for if you've already printed them, I'd edit them too :)
@@RPArchiveOfficial optimal approach!
For what it's worth, I've never seen Vallejo or Citadel texture pastes crack when used in large patches.
Oh I'm sure there's a trick in them for it, which is why I say it's a good replacement if you plan to texture over it only :)
@@RPArchiveOfficial From what I know, regular PVA glue is known to shrink when drying. So it's possible that Vallejo/Citadel texture pastes may be using something similar but not straight up PVA glue.
Great vid, whats the size on those magnets you used?
Depends on how big the mini is, and if he's somewhere precarious! 😄
Mostly 3x2mm neodymium n52, but if I need more hold I can use 4x2 or 6x2 :)
What rubber sheets are you using that you can get magnets to stick to them directly? The ones I've had in the past will stick to steel sheeting, which U can then stick magnets to, but won't stick to the magnets themselves.
I've linked them in the equipment list here, along with an explanation :) rparchive.wixsite.com/rparchive/rawmaterials
Thanks!
also if you have a thin base mini, you can just buy a washer thats the same diameter as the base, glue it in the bottom, and paint it black or whatever your preferred color of base is
True, though the edge aesthetic would bother me 😂
@@RPArchiveOfficial i think with a bit of work it can definitely be made somewhat aesthetically pleasing
Have you experimented with scratching the surface of the bases to see if that makes the basing materials stick better?
Honestly, I think slightly wetting the base first would do wonders 😄
maybe this was answered, if so i apologize, but i was curious where you get the replacement raised bases?
I believe I put links in the pinned comment.. Or description, or both 😄
There's a buying option and a 3d printer option :)
I LOVE the black bases on the lava-themed minis!! I want to buy some Abyssal or Hell-themed miniatures just so I can base them like this, though I had an idea where I cut cracks around the mini's feet and paint them like glowing lava, as though the creature is causing the magma under the surface to rise up from its mere presence.
Geek gaming base ready man, does wonders 😄
Where do you get those hollow bases?
I once discovered while experimenting that mixing static grass with black ink and letting it dry at the side of the bowl gives you crusty strips that look like burned brushes (as this was 15 years ago tho I don't know if any of the bases survived until now, I'll add some a link with pictures if I find any)
15 years and the static grass still holds strong imgur.com/Ydc4fPU (please ignore the crummy figure)
Oh nice, cool effect man :)
Where are these mini’s from? I wanna know where you got the giants!?
Wizkids unpainted mostly, the frost giant, female hill giant and mouth of grolantor were prepainted minis :)
What kind of cans do you get the steel strips off of? Anything I have found made of actual steel (or other ferromagnetic metals) has been far too thick
Literally soup cans, baked beans, pretty much all tinned food, but not pop (coke) cans. An easy way to check is take a magnet to the cupboard or shops and test some tins :) in the uk at least all the food tins are steel, at least the ones I've ever come across...
Thanks! I don't usually eat canned food so I hadn't thought of that at all but I'm pretty sure the ones in America are steel too now that you mention it. I'll have to test one out.