Basing Walkthrough

I've had a few requests for information on how I base my miniatures so here's a walkthrough. First, the contents of my basing materials drawer: grass tufts and static grass of various shades, flocks of various hues, modellers grit of different grades, talus, field grass, torn up wine corks, slate chippings, a bit of my neighbour's old door mat and some dried up sweet chestnut cases.

Two one and a half inch square pieces of cardboard as bases, liberally spread with PVA.
Some slate chippings for rocks on the left (this one will be a lush green base) and some slate and torn cork on the right (this will become an arid base).
Next grit. I have containers with various grades and one which has a mixture of fine and grit and fine talus.

Apply grit to PVA. The base on the left is half covered with fine grit/talus mix and half with very fine grit. The base on the left is completely covered with the fine grit/talus mix.

Note the change in texture on the left hand base. I've added four pieces of slate as well.... for a reason!

Next both get a coating of Burnt Sienna coloured ink.

First the "green" base. The rocks on the left hand base then get a drybrushing

with Foundry Granite B then C.

Then the grit gets a drybrushing of this excellent earth tone paint from Miniatures Paints (I'm not sure that you can still get this... good job I have plenty more).

Then a light drybrushing with Vallejo Model Colour USA Tan Earth.

Now the fun bit. A few grass tufts, dark and light, and a "weed" tuft.

Some dark green flock.

And then some mid-green and light green flock.

Some short bits of field grass glued into the place where the four pieces of slate meet and form a convienient hole to support this material as the glue dries.

Now for the arid base. The rocks get a drybrushing with Foundry Base Sand A, B, and C with a final highlight of Vallejo Model Colour Pale Sand.

Then the gritted area gets a drybrush with Base Sand B followed by Vallejo Model Colour Dark Sand.

Some tufts of straw coloured grass and a few bits torn from a sweet chestnut shell to make a thorn bush.

Now a few bits of my neighbour's old doormat to make this clump of thick dry grass.

Now a few bits of straw static grass.... not much.... this is a hot place!

Finally, paint your base the desired colour. I like black on display pieces but gamers tend to prefer earth tones. It is entirely up to you.

I hope that this has given you some inspiration.