Dragon Forge Bases article....

I put this up on the Ravening Hordes page. I figured I'd share it here as cut'n and paste'n is easy dog. I am really pleased with the product and the service I got from Jeff at Dragon Forge. I would reccomend him to anyone. Not cheap, but what is....

Hey, I picked up some bases for an Empire project I have planned for a long way down the road. I wanted to start working on them right away to try and experiment with them. I am aiming for a really weathered apporach and I wanted to try and use s new technique, pastel powder, to try and make the mean streets of Altdorf come to life. I chose Dragon Forge bases cause they look great and I think they're more than worth the price. Also I think with these greatly detailed bases and some better painting on the army itself I can really pick up some points in tournies and stuff. I'll need it if I play Empire ever...

So here goes. I preimed them black and basecoated VJ Panzer Grey. I try to base my models with Panzer Grey, SS Black Brown, or any other paint that has a German military reference RIGHT IN THE PAINT! Then they'll be better organized, harder hitting models in the end. What base couldn't use a little more "Schwerepunkt"! Then I had the color choices. I opted to paint the cobblestones in with GW Adeptus Battlegrey so it was a very slight transition. I didn't bother taking a pic after the Panzer grey, this is after the base coat and the first layer of the GW paint...

The first highlight was a VJ Medium Sea Grey, then I put a little RMS Weathered stone on. Just a little, as I am displeased with reaper paints and will likely phase them out after I am done my dwarf project (whenever the hell that will be!).

So then I had to take the Pastel chalk and make some powder. Easy. I just used some of that fool Stash's old movement trays for a pallete. I say old because they used to be Stash's, and now they're my NEW palletes. Take that SUCKA! That's what you get for getting damn dorrito's all over my demon army book fool! The Pic's are pretty self explanatory...

Then I took some turpentine and an old crappy brush. Hopefully it was one of Stash's old brushes! I just mixed a little so the pastel was the consistency of thin paint...

And on the mean streets of Altdorf it goes....

At this point it looks like utter crap. This is the part where you take a rag, Q-tip, clean crappy brush (Grab one of Stash's if he's around!) and wipe some off. I wanted to leave a lot in the recesses and a little on the stones themselves...

And there we are for now. The end result was about 1/3rd darker then I wanted. I am glad I started this experiment early and I think I will base them with the GW paint (Mixed with a LITTLE paint with german in the title.... WEHRMACHT 4 LIFE!) and go one step lighter on the highlights. We'll see how that looks. Likely I will paint the exterior band of the base SS Cam brown so it nicely frames the model and looks a little more generic so it fit's in a little better on most gaming tables. Hope someone found this article useful. Actually that part is not important to me as this was purely for me baby. With this project going to happen so far down the road I wanted a record of what I did, and this was an easy way to do this. Take that internet! Now I got the net working for me...

I really like the finished product. Is it going to stay wet looking, or was it still wet when you snapped it? Hopefully it stays wet, it looks very authentic.

No it'll dry off and look matte. Good idea though... I'll go gloss varnish it and see how I like it. Of course I would have to do that after it's sealed but I think you're right, it would look better. Just like how hollywood always wets down the pavement so it'll photograph better. Good one Cam!

That looks awsome. I agree with Cam on the wet look. In those times people were always peeing out their windows and stuff. Thanks for posting the recipe and your step-by-step. Could you post a link to the site were you got these from? I'm pretty sure they offer some cool 40k bases as well.

Hey Cam (and everyone interested) I was hit hard by your idea of keeping the "wet" look on the bases so i am going to try a couple different things.

-Maybe a "wash" style application of some gloss varnish. Maybe it'll reflect more potently where the medium settles heaviest in the cracks which is ideal I think...

-Full on gloss varnish over the piece then heavy drybrush with Matt over top. Might pull off the same thing.

I hit it with full on gloss varnish last night and it looks terrible. I am really going to strive after capturing the wet look in the last picture, and I thank you for the idea, but CURSE you for making me find a solution.

Well I followed up on Cam's thoughts about keeping the bases wet in the crevices. Easy! I just put some full strength gloss in the cracks, I will take pics but my bastard son stole the camera and hid it somewhere. When he gets old enough to take a punch and not rat me out to teacher or mommy.....

Scott you are by far my favourite poster. Way better than those other guys trying to knock ya down...

TY dawg. I am particularily proud of this post on the great CMON site. Everyone here should be a member there...

http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/viewthread.php?tid=29675

If you've ever been around me after a beer or so you've already heard the story. I have no idea what inside me is so broken that I NEED the attention and approval of people on the net I will never meet. Why didn't you love me, Dad?

Veyure wrote:Scott you are by far my favourite poster. Way better than those other guys trying to knock ya down...

Who are these guys trying to knock Scottie down? Cause that shcit ain't right. And I will stand behind him if he has to fight anybody.....He probably doesn't really needs the help in that department. I was at the bar with him once when he SLAPPED A MAN, and then tryed to head-but him in the chest and actually missed.

Hey good Ol' Goluboff delivered my kids and is their doctor. It's good to know that he is a 'specialist' in that department. In case the need ever arises.

I think thats one of the best stories i have ever heard.