How to do Desert basing

[Backdraft005]

Has anyone ever base a desert theme for their army? If so what are the colors you used or material?

[SGluciousa]

It is pretty easy really. I use either the ground I find outside (if it is fine enough) or the tub of dirt from GW (I like it better). I also use standard PVA glue (also known as elmers glue). That is for the base itself. For the paint I use scorched brown, graveyard earth, and bleached bone.

First I lay down PVA glue on the entire base. If the model is on it try to get the glue around it. Then dunk your base in a tub of the dirt. Let it dry and then take the base and tap it upside down over your tube. This will get rid of any excess sand.

To paint I first put down black. This is mandatory, just like all painting. Then I lay down scorched earth. After that I heavily drybrush graveyard earth. Depending on the sun I scarcely drybrush bleached bone in the direction of light. If there is no desired direction you could just lightly drybrush it everywhere. Spray it with a sealant and maybe lay down a little bit os static grass and you are done!

[Backdraft005]

What's the rim color? I always do the rim in a darker color, its a contrast thing, it helps on my past basing projects.

[SGluciousa]

I like black, but one of the two darker browns could work well.

[Backdraft005]

Used scorched brown for edging.

Took drybrushing one step further, used white to make it look sun bleach ground, inked it with devlan mud to blend them, then drybrushed white again. this is simply a test model but it looks good so far.

[Ifurita]

I take regular playground sand, glue it down with some elmers glue, and then give it a wash with Liquitex Raw Umber. How much you cut the Liquitex with dihydrogren monoxide, will affect how much of the natural lightness of the sand shows through. I follow up with a drybrushing of the equivalent of white and tau sept ochre. Depending on the type of desert you're trying to achieve, you can glue down some arid static grass and some rocks.

[Inquisitor Earl]

Originally Posted by Ifurita

How much you cut the Liquitex with dihydrogren monoxide, will affect how much of the natural lightness of the sand shows through.

I was thinking to myself, whats this guy on? Then i thought some more. H2O lol! \

Nice one.

[Backdraft005]

Originally Posted by Inquisitor Earl

I was thinking to myself, whats this guy on? Then i thought some more. H2O lol! \

Nice one.

Caught me off guard too LOL check out "Dihydrogen Monoxide is bad for the Environment" website, pretty funny.

Thanks for the help so far guys.

[Canew]

Originally Posted by SGluciousa

It is pretty easy really. I use either the ground I find outside (if it is fine enough) or the tub of dirt from GW (I like it better). I also use standard PVA glue (also known as elmers glue). That is for the base itself. For the paint I use scorched brown, graveyard earth, and bleached bone.

First I lay down PVA glue on the entire base. If the model is on it try to get the glue around it. Then dunk your base in a tub of the dirt. Let it dry and then take the base and tap it upside down over your tube. This will get rid of any excess sand.

To paint I first put down black. This is mandatory, just like all painting. Then I lay down scorched earth. After that I heavily drybrush graveyard earth. Depending on the sun I scarcely drybrush bleached bone in the direction of light. If there is no desired direction you could just lightly drybrush it everywhere. Spray it with a sealant and maybe lay down a little bit os static grass and you are done!

This is useful to me, as I've wondered what colors to use. My only quibble is the "black is mandatory" line. There are quite a few people out there who prefer to prime white, grey, or, like me, clearcoat, and get along just fine.

You also mention static grass. Is there a place where one can get something "desert" appropriate? Is there a "scrub brush" or "tumbleweed" flock out there? Putting green flock or static grass on desert wasteland bases seems... wrong

[Ifurita]

Glad people caught the joke. I add the sand after priming specifically so that I don't have to overpaint black. There are tons of colors for static grass. I use both the green and a lighter tan arid color from Gale Force 9 as well as a mix of the two to lighten up the green a little.