Basing! Let's turn that frown upside down.

I have to say, I hate basing! I put it off as long as I can, but this time I have even impressed myself. Having literally run out of room to paint due to unfinished bases, it couldn't be put off any longer.

To help with the mental block of facing a lead mountain, I thought it best to just take a small number of bases to the table at a time. These poor Warg riders have been pushed around on the painting table for what must be over a year.

I don't mess around anymore with painting bases, these are based with Luke's APS ready mixed basing materials. Arid earth fits very well with my original painted bases and a base can be completed in a fraction of the time. After the grit comes patches of grass flock, then some mixed herbs. Finally a few Tufts are stuck on to give the impression of long grass.

 I find getting the flock box out a real chore, even though the results are very good. Maybe when all is done I might give everything a quick blitz on the flock box, we'll see...

Some 6mm Tufts really help to add variety to the bases. I always had the idea of these Warg riders stalking through long grass. I always rip the Tufts in two to spread around the base. Somehow it feels like I'm getting more for my buck by doing this and some tufts can be quite large from the packet.

The odd twig from the garden is always good for these woodland type bases. Make sure you coat the dry herbs in a watered down wood glue as they can easily come loose in battle.

Some of these new Tufts are cheap ones from eBay and they can look quite shiny. I may have to dry brush these with paint to take the gloss off them.

 Well, the first batch of bases are done and it wasn't that bad. I even quite enjoyed it once I got into the swing of things.

UPDATE: Yep, the Tufts look a lot better once dry brushed with some bone coloured paint.

Just noticed the Elven host in the background, they definitely look autumnal and golden. I'm so relieved to have figured out a colour palette for them, it makes them a lot easier to paint. A bit of research and a couple of test figures at the beginning of a project can really make the difference.

I was giving some thought to a King figure, but then just thought he would dressed in the same colours as his people. It takes the worry out of painting new units and like the grey clad Gildor, a slight tweak can create a different unit easily.