I am working on a 1/35 scale Tiger Tank project with infantry. I am planning on basing the tank and the infantry on a Basswood base that will be stained and varnished.
What types of modelling pastes or puttys are suitable for creating a terrain groundwork for a scale model like this? I have used Woodland Scenics Flexpaste, as well as ready-mixed wall filler for other wargaming and miniatures projects(like gaming boards and miniature basing), they work well for creating groundwork.
I also plan to have the Tiger Tank in a muddy setting, so I need something that I can sculpt onto the boots and pants of the infantry, as well as onto the treads and lower body of the tank. I also plan to model tread tracks into the mud material while it is still wet. So really I need something that can be applied and then worked and scultped and modelled while it is still wet, before I set it aside to dry.
What do you use?
Thanks in advance, this is a great forum, lot’s of nice, friendly people!
Celluclay or Sculptamold. The jury is still out. Just don’t use Baking Soda for snow, or this forum will implode [(-D]
Cheapest way is to mix real dirt (cooked to kill micro beasties) with earth toned acrylics and a glue/H2O mix. thickness= oatmeal. Spread and let dry. Add grass material of your choice. I like a blend of Woodland Scenics static grasses and field grasses. Here’s how I did one recently…
Take photos and post 'em here, let us watch your progression.
I use foam for my base then cover it with plaster. I paint the plaster a dirt color then brush on glue and cover it with real dirt. You could position your tank in the wet plaster by putting clear plastic food wrap around it. Then after it is in position add more dirt around it.
I would recommend a more stable base then basswood, just opinion.
What type of wood would you recommend for a base? I want to get one of the pre-cut ones that is ready for painting and basing. Pine wood or something stronger?
I did a short tutorial just recently on here in “Armor”–type in “FINISHED! Hetzer base and figure tutorial” (without the quotation marks)–and you’ll be able to see how Celluclay is easily applied. It has a long working time, but my tutorial explains how to shorten the actual drying time, and how to pre-tint it with acrylic paints.
The only thing I didn’t add in the tutorial was that if you add too much water to it, you can squueze the excess water out of it by plopping it onto a piece of wedding veil and squeezing the water out of it.
MAKE SURE YOU SEAL YOUR WOODEN BASE WITH A WATER-BARRIER SEALANT FIRST TO PREVENT WARPAGE!!! [:D]
BTW, Steve–I’d forgotten about that tutorial you did–EXCELLENT! I 've bookmarked it for future reference!