How to base miniatures: texture, tufts and simple scenic bases

A good base finishes a model. It frames the paint job, tells you where the model is (a desert, a forest, a ruined city) and ties an army together when every base matches. It is also one of the quickest parts of the model: a texture, a drybrush, a tuft and a painted rim takes an evening for a whole unit.

This guide covers the simple, reliable way to base, then a few ideas for going further.

Texture: sand or texture paint

Sand, grit and PVA glue. Spread PVA (white wood glue) on the base, dip it in a tub of sand or fine grit, tap off the extra and let it dry. Mix fine and coarse grit, and add a few small stones or cork pieces for rocks. Seal it with thinned PVA once dry, so it doesn't flake. Cheap, and it can look like anything.
Texture paints are paint with grit in it: spread it on, let it dry, done. Some crack as they dry, for dry mud or desert. Citadel's include Stirland Mud, Armageddon Dust, Astrogranite, Mordant Earth and the crackle paints Agrellan Earth and Martian Ironearth. Snow paint such as Valhallan Blizzard goes on last.

Do the texture before or after painting the model? Most painters glue the model on and texture the base first, so the texture runs right up to the feet, then paint the base last so drybrushing dust doesn't matter.

Painting the ground

The quickest earth: basecoat a dark brown, wash it with a brown wash, then drybrush up through two or three lighter browns to a bone or sand colour on the very top. Each drybrush lighter and smaller than the last.

Brand	Dark earth	Mid earth	Light earth	Dry tip
Citadel	GnarlwoodTone Pro · ΔE 8, fair	Gorthor BrownColour: Layer · ΔE 3, close	Necrolith BoneTone Pro · ΔE 6, fair	WraithboneColour: Base · ΔE 5, close
Vallejo	Burnt UmberModel Color · ΔE 5, close	BC Dark BrownModel Color · ΔE 3, close	Camoufl age BrownModel Air · ΔE 3, close	Bone WhiteGame Color · ΔE 5, close
Army Painter	Mud SpatterWarpaints Historical · ΔE 3, close	Cypress BrownWarpaints Air · ΔE 5, close	Charred BoneWarpaints Air · ΔE 3, close	Skeleton BoneWarpaints Air · ΔE 2, close
Pro Acryl	SepiaExpert Acrylics · ΔE 4, close	Drab BrownStandard / Signature / AMP · ΔE 8, fair	Caramel BrownStandard / Signature / AMP · ΔE 6, close	BoneStandard / Signature / AMP · ΔE 8, fair
AK Interactive	S.C.C. No.1A Very Dark Brown3rd Gen AFV Series · ΔE 1, close	British Uniform Base3rd Gen Figure Series · ΔE 3, close	Nº13 Desert Sand (FS30279)3rd Gen AFV Series · ΔE 2, close	RLM 76 Late War Variation3rd Gen Air Series · ΔE 7, fair
Two Thin Coats	Scabbard BrownTriads: shadows · ΔE 5, close	Noble Steed BrownTriads: shadows · ΔE 5, close	Dragon FangTriads: shadows · ΔE 2, close	Vampire FangTriads: highlights · ΔE 4, close
Reaper	Dark ShadowMaster Series Paints · ΔE 4, close	Earth BrownMaster Series Paints · ΔE 3, close	Driftwood BrownMaster Series Paints · ΔE 6, close	Bare BoneMaster Series Paints · ΔE 5, close
Formula P3	Battlefield BrownFormula P3 · ΔE 6, fair	Thornwood GreenFormula P3 · ΔE 16, loose	Cryx Bane HighlightFormula P3 · ΔE 13, loose	Trollblood HighlightFormula P3 · ΔE 9, fair
Golden	Burnt UmberHeavy Body Acrylics · ΔE 2, close	Burnt Umber LightHeavy Body Acrylics · ΔE 11, fair	No close match	Titan Green PaleHeavy Body Acrylics · ΔE 14, loose
Nocturna Models	Slate GreyN-Paint Basic · ΔE 10, fair	Mud BrownN-Paint Basic · ΔE 16, loose	Earth BrownN-Paint Basic · ΔE 9, fair	Sand GreyN-Paint Basic · ΔE 7, fair
Bear Cavalry	Dark Eternal NightBear Cavalry Paints · ΔE 19, loose	Black Rose ImmortalBear Cavalry Paints · ΔE 9, fair	Hunter's QuiverBear Cavalry Paints · ΔE 7, fair	Bison-BeastBear Cavalry Paints · ΔE 15, loose
Scale75	Burnt Sienna UmberScalecolor Artist · ΔE 3, close	Bosh ChestnutFantasy & Games · ΔE 2, close	Cork BrownScalecolor Artist · ΔE 11, fair	Moonray FleshFantasy & Games · ΔE 7, fair
Tamiya	NATO BlackTS Spray · ΔE 10, fair	NATO BrownXF Flat Acrylic · ΔE 2, close	Tan (USAF)AS Spray (aircraft) · ΔE 9, fair	Deck TanXF Flat Acrylic · ΔE 8, fair
Mr. Hobby	Smoke GrayMr. Color · ΔE 4, close	Wood BrownMr. Color · ΔE 2, close	Light BrownMr. Color · ΔE 5, close	IDF Gray 1 (-1981 Sinai)Mr. Color · ΔE 10, fair
AMMO by Mig	Starship Sludge BayOilbrusher · ΔE 4, close	Dark WoodATOM · ΔE 2, close	EarthDio Drybrush · ΔE 6, close	Old BoneIONIC Smart Colors · ΔE 4, close
Green Stuff World	Overlord OliveAcrylic Colors · ΔE 8, fair	Dark BeigeAcrylic Colors · ΔE 7, fair	Coyote BrownAcrylic Colors · ΔE 14, loose	Deck GreyAcrylic Colors · ΔE 4, close

Target colours along the top; under each, the closest paint in that brand by swatch colour (ΔE under 6 is close, under 12 fair). Swatch colours are estimates, so check against the real pots.

Ground	Basecoat	Drybrush up to
Earth and mud	Dark brown	Mid brown, then a pale bone
Desert and sand	Mid orange-brown or tan	Sand, then an off-white
Ash wastes and city rubble	Dark grey	Mid grey, then a pale grey; a rust or brown wash for grime
Rock and stone	Dark grey	Mid grey, then a light warm grey on the edges
Snow	Any ground, then snow paint or white texture	A little blue-white in the shadows

Paint rocks a different tone from the ground, usually cooler and greyer, so they stand out.

Grass, tufts and plants

Static grass: dab PVA in patches, sprinkle the grass on (or use a static applicator so it stands up), tap off the rest. Leave gaps so the ground shows.
Tufts are ready-made clumps of grass on a sticky backing: peel one off with tweezers and press it on. Two or three per base, off to one side, look better than many.
Flowers, leaves and bushes: a few small spots of colour. Use them sparingly, especially on gaming bases.
Pick grass and tufts that match the ground: green for temperate, yellow-brown for autumn or dry ground, and grey or snowy tufts for winter.

The base rim

Paint the rim of the base last, with a neat coat of one colour, and use the same colour across the whole army. Black is the classic: it disappears on the table and frames the model. Dark brown, or a colour that matches the ground, is just as good. Paint it with a medium brush held flat against the rim, turning the base, and do it after the drybrushing so it stays clean.

Going further: simple scenic bases

Cork torn into chunks makes great rock outcrops and cliffs; glue it on before the texture.
Slate or bark broken into flakes gives layered stone and ruins.
Bits from your spares box (skulls, broken weapons, pipes, rubble) tell a story. One or two per base.
Water: paint a dark-to-light pond bed, then pour or brush on a water effect or several coats of gloss varnish.
Mud and blood: Stirland Mud mixed with a gloss varnish looks wet; Blood for the Blood God on boots and blades.

Common mistakes

A base that is brighter or busier than the model. The base should frame the model, not compete with it; keep it duller and lower in contrast.
Too many tufts. Leave room for the ground.
Sand that isn't sealed. It flakes off; seal with thinned PVA before painting.
Forgetting the rim, or painting it before the drybrush. Do it last.

Questions

What is the easiest way to base miniatures?

Texture paint or sand and PVA, a dark brown basecoat, a brown wash, two drybrush layers up to a bone colour, a tuft or two, and a black rim.

Should I base before or after painting the model?

Most painters add the texture first, paint the model, then paint and drybrush the base last so any drybrush dust doesn't land on a finished model.

What colour should I paint the base rim?

Black is the classic and works with everything. Brown or a colour matching the ground is fine too. Use the same one across the whole army.