Miniature basing is the process of painting or decorating the base that a miniature figure stands on. It gives the figure a more finished look, helping it blend into the ground and looking more natural in the setting, whether it be grass, ice, snow, rock, or sand.
What is Miniature Basing?
Miniature basing is the process of adding texture, paint, or other details to the base of a miniature. The base is the flat part that the miniature figure sits on. If a base is left unfinished, it may not fit in with the rest of a scene or diorama.
The process of decorating a base can be as simple or as complex as you wish. For a beginner, however, it’s best to keep things simple and add just as much extra detail as is sufficient to get the base to blend in with its surroundings.
Why Do People Base Miniatures?
People base miniature models for a few reasons:
- It helps the figure to blend into the scene around it.
- It gives the miniature model a sense of place and context.
- It can help to match a shelf, game board, or diorama.
What Materials Are Used in Miniature Basing?
A few materials you could consider using include:
- Sand or fine grit
- Small stones
- Cork
- PVA glue
- Acrylic paint
- Static grass
- Flock
Easy Miniature Basing Ideas For Beginners
How to decorate your miniature depends on the surroundings (for a scene or diorama). If you are storing your miniatures on a shelf, you pretty much have free rein to paint or decorate their base however you wish!
Some ideas for either scenario include:
- Dirt base
- Grass base
- Stone or rubble base
- Snow base
Is Miniature Basing the Same as Making Terrain?
Although these are similar processes that both involve decorating, they are not exactly the same. Whilst miniature basing means decorating around the platform of a model, terrain making is when you design the whole background scenery. For instance, you may add grass, rocks, trees, or sand to a scene.
Think of it like this: basing allows your miniature figure to blend into your terrain.
Do You Have to Base Miniatures?
No, you don’t have to decorate the base of your miniatures, as it’s completely optional. You can absolutely leave your bases plain, especially for quick or first-time projects. However, adding even simple extra touches to a base can help to bring a diorama to life.
Beginner Mistakes to Avoid
Common pitfalls that are best avoided include:
- Using pieces of material that are too big for a base
- Adding too much material or detail, therefore distracting from the model itself
- Not letting glue or paint dry properly
- Using loose materials that fall off easily
- Starting with advanced designs too early
Final Thoughts
Miniature basing is an excellent way to make your models look more ‘finished’, especially in scenes and dioramas. Here, adding texture or other detail to a base allows the model to blend into your scene, instead of clashing with it.