Squats

[cheetor]

I think you may have just "put your finger on it" there mate- while I am loathe to go back and redo bases I think it may well be the happy medium rather than pushing on with them, all the while having that nagging feeling something isn't quite right.

I have recently rebased a large number of figures and it really is a pain in the ass. I had to take the basing material off the figures that I rebased though, whereas if you take some of theottovonbismarks points on board you will only have to repaint the base which isnt so bad. The process is definitely worth it if it sets off the whole army in a favourable light though and the advice given would still not violate any perceived retro purity: that dark green with some brown basing with black edges is straight out of WD #110 or so.

I think some tests are in order

Dont be shy about displaying those tests either. I get a kick out of watching a relatively minor tweak (potentially) change the entire aspect of some figures I hope that it works out.

 

[Count Von Bruno]

I quite literally just did this...

(pardon the blotch of lighter brown at the front)

 

[cheetor]

I quite literally just did this...

It definitely looks like an improvement to me (but Im not keen on Goblin Green bases anywhere really). I like it

What do you think? Is there another photo of that ancestor around that can be compared?

 

[Asslessman]

Though it lacks the 2nd ed vibe now, I really prefer bases this way. The brown can go on a lot of tables an dfeels far much realistic. It also goes better with the reds and yellows you've used for your squats, definitely a good move for me.

 

[Count Von Bruno]

I've just done a couple of others which have more green on them and I definitely feel this is the way to go.
I've also recently touched up all the stunties I had done previously, which upon closer inspection fell a bit short (haha) of acceptable...

Thanks A-man, I think it's best to let the green bases go-even if it's just this once
I suppose 2nd edition wasn't really a very happy time for Space Dwarfs anyways...

 

[theottovonbismark]

Definite improvement there, the more sombre black base helps a lot with the bold primary colours of the uniform. The yellow stands out in a much nicer way now where it was drowned by the light greens before. I would like to see another model with the brown base surface painted a pure dark angels green (Orkhide?) or other dark green colour beside this one.

Dry brushing the base surface to create some highlights really helps a whole lot with bases - lately I have been just been painting the sand different colours in patches on the bases and drybrushing as I find it quite pleasing and quick to get done, here is a good picture of what I mean:

My feeling is that some base decoration such as tufts, stones, flock would work well with the brown base colour. Any kind of small flora or fauna, which use colours from the army uniform colours, when added to the base will help to emphasis the aptness of their uniforms - you show that the colours on the uniforms exist in nature for their theater of operations.

 

[Count Von Bruno]

Those frogs are lovely

To be honest with you I couldn't be arsed to go to all that effort on the bases though-not with 11 + squads of the little bathtards
I 100% see the merits of going the extra mile on the bases but I'm leaning towards simple, lest I spend 10 mins on each base...
Here's how it looks ATM, not quite there yet I think an application of a wash might top it off?...definitely happier than with the green though.

 

[Chico]

New bases are great, maybe muddy there boots?

 

[Orjetax]

I like this approach CVB.

And I'm with you - keep the redone bases simple so you don't make yourself crazy.

 

[Asslessman]

The redone bases are worth every millisecond you've put into. I wouldn't add a wash, maybe a drybrush (quicker and it offers more contrast).

 

[cheetor]

And I'm with you - keep the redone bases simple so you don't make yourself crazy.

And Im with Orjetax: get the lot rebased to this standard and when thats finished then stand back, enjoy the sensation of a job well done and then consider whether you need to do any more. A tuft or patch of gravel/flock to every second guy or maybe a very quick drybrush on the bases of the lot would probably be worth it, but only if you think that they need it at that stage.

 

[theottovonbismark]

Those frogs are lovely

Thanks very much, of course they are at their best with a light wine sauce .

And I'm with you - keep the redone bases simple so you don't make yourself crazy.

And Im with Orjetax: get the lot rebased to this standard and when thats finished then stand back, enjoy the sensation of a job well done and then consider whether you need to do any more. A tuft or patch of gravel/flock to every second guy or maybe a very quick drybrush on the bases of the lot would probably be worth it, but only if you think that they need it at that stage.

This is definitely the way to go with them, batch basing on the lot. If you feel like it at the end then a little bit of drybrushing will go a long way when it comes to revisiting the bases.

 

[Count Von Bruno]

Thanks for the sound advice, comments and feedback guys, much appreciated.
I feel so much better about the little dudes now they've had a base colour change and a few touches here and there.

 

[cheetor]

The redone bases are worth every millisecond you've put into.

I agree. Those group photos that you have put up since are far more flattering to your work than the earlier ones. I keep seeing guys in your army that I want now too, which is a drag as I am broke

The guy in the middle of this image below is particularly cool. I never really rated him before. Even with the "star-jump" pose, he looks like he means business.

I wouldn't add a wash, maybe a drybrush (quicker and it offers more contrast).

JB and I are in agreement here again. A quick drybrush of a warm mid brown (not too washed out. A bone colour would be a bit stark Id say) with a large brush would be the best return on time spent I reckon. Not that you should feel obliged to take my advice obviously: do what you want

Im really enjoying watching this process. It like those awful makeover programs where overweight people are forced to stop eating cakes and to run around the block until they have to buy smaller trousers, except this project is more interesting and less exploitative.

 

[Asslessman]

Im really enjoying watching this process. It like those awful makeover programs where overweight people are forced to stop eating cakes and to run around the block until they have to buy smaller trousers, except this project is more interesting and less exploitative.

Same here, replace the pathos and brazillions of OMGs by paint and squats and it becomes an interesting program actually.

 

[theottovonbismark]

My favorite was always "Space Marine's Eye for the Imperial Guard Guy".


Squats are looking much better presented now . Will be cool to see them in the group shot when you get a bunch of them done.

 

[Count Von Bruno]

The redone bases are worth every millisecond you've put into.

I agree. Those group photos that you have put up since are far more flattering to your work than the earlier ones. I keep seeing guys in your army that I want now too, which is a drag as I am broke

The guy in the middle of this image below is particularly cool. I never really rated him before. Even with the "star-jump" pose, he looks like he means business.

I wouldn't add a wash, maybe a drybrush (quicker and it offers more contrast).

JB and I are in agreement here again. A quick drybrush of a warm mid brown (not too washed out. A bone colour would be a bit stark Id say) with a large brush would be the best return on time spent I reckon. Not that you should feel obliged to take my advice obviously: do what you want

Im really enjoying watching this process. It like those awful makeover programs where overweight people are forced to stop eating cakes and to run around the block until they have to buy smaller trousers, except this project is more interesting and less exploitative.

You know I thought Gol Orta/Star Jump Dude was a frankly craptastic mini before I painted him! He has since been elevated to Warlord/Hearthguard Captain status...the "Bob Olley Effect" strikes again!
The colours I've used so far are dark flesh (doombull brown) and snakebite leather drybrushed over the sand- it looks okay in person but under macro image I can see it's not quite there yet and one teeny step more is needed.
When I finished the Adventurers I got these guys out of the drawer and had a close look at them and while I thought they were great 6 months ago, there was a bit of tut tutting at how slack I'd been with them (little to no highlighting, patches of bare metal/undercoat)
I'm certainly no super great painter now but I comparing then to now is a prime example of how painting everyday or often (and a bit of advice/studying other people's) improves your work before you know it.

Sort of on topic, aren't those shows the ones that get a long haired bloke and give him an emo haircut, skinny jeans halfway down his ass and put him in a pink shirt?
I can imagine the poor Squats getting fussed over in "Space Marine's Eye for the Imperial Guard Guy" and all coming out shaved, waxed and god knows what else

 

[Asslessman]

...and god knows what else

Well, transplantation of a spare kidney, heart, lung with some added psychosurgery and all sorts of crazy things...

 

[Count Von Bruno]

Well played sir

 

[cheetor]

Sort of on topic, aren't those shows the ones that get a long haired bloke and give him an emo haircut, skinny jeans halfway down his ass and put him in a pink shirt?
I can imagine the poor Squats getting fussed over in "Space Marine's Eye for the Imperial Guard Guy" and all coming out shaved, waxed and god knows what else

I sat through a few episodes of Queer Eye for the Straight Guy a few years ago and the phrase that stuck with me was "manscaping", which is apparently how beauticians use a clippers to style body hair to accentuate aspects of muscle tone, body shape etc... like a poodle. That sounds like something that the rather hirsute squat sub-species could benefit from I think, in addition to the de rigeur drastik-plastik organ implantation surgery plus welding a bionic eye made from half a boiler plate to the skull of course.

You know I thought Gol Orta/Star Jump Dude was a frankly craptastic mini before I painted him! He has since been elevated to Warlord/Hearthguard Captain status...the "Bob Olley Effect" strikes again!

Yep. Despite the weirdness, Olleys work has a je ne sais quoi that still works today. Unusual and hard to measure but in Gol Ortas case definitely evident.

The colours I've used so far are dark flesh (doombull brown) and snakebite leather drybrushed over the sand- it looks okay in person but under macro image I can see it's not quite there yet and one teeny step more is needed.

An hours work doing a quick brybrush to the whole lot of bases in front of the TV some evening and its done. It will be worth it