AmishLuvah Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 (edited) I was just wondering how many of you out there paint your bases and minis separately then attach them later. I can see arguments for both but I just wanted to give you folks a chance to make your case one way or the other. We have a lot of very talented painters and modelers on these boards so I'm curious to see how the voting goes. Edited October 8, 2009 by AmishLuvah Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bubba Ho-Tep Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 MOstly I paint them seperate, but there are occasions that I don't, it just depends on what I am doing with the base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gregdorf Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 I usually paint the base separately, and only after I have finished painting all the models. But if I am painting stuff for mass combat systems then I paint the model and base at the same time and as one piece. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EricJ Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 I'm about 60/40 probably, painting separately/painting together. It really has to do with the complexity of the piece and if there is any sort of interaction between the model and base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MontanaJeff Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 Don't know if anyone else has tried this but I use hemostats to hold my minis while I paint them...hemostats also work great for removing your fly from a trout's mouth.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmishLuvah Posted October 8, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 I used to use hemostats for that exact purpose but now I use this. [ame=http://www.amazon.com/Helping-Hands-w-Magnifying-Glass/dp/B0009VXFFC]Amazon.com: Helping Hands w/ Magnifying Glass: Everything Else[/ame] I had to modify mine a tiny bit (I just put it on a larger base) but after that it was perfect. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Entiago Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 I always paint them seperate- I used to even paint pieces (minis) seperate, I still do depenting on how they fit together. to hold my mini I have a base that I pin the minis to. the base is a basic 30mm round that i fill with green stuff to the lip. this way when the base is all used up (no more good spots to pin in) I use it for a base for another mini. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AoM Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 pins in the feet, and a pin vise or exacto handle to hold it. base work is done separately, with the model placed prior to the pin (but after the hole) so i can drill the matching hole in the base before painting. also have a few hemostats (curved and straight) floating around from my days are a body piercer, and they get pressed into service from time to time as well. I've also got a nice fat wine cork, and a tapered cork attached to a 40mm base for holidn models. When I was painting my Otergas, I had 3 pin vises (they've just shown up or been left with me over the years), an extaco handle, and a pair of hemostats holding the models since I was going to be doing their denim at the same time to keep the colors consistent. Witch Hunters saw 3 pin vises, an exacto, and a cork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WEiRD sKeTCH Posted October 8, 2009 Report Share Posted October 8, 2009 I'm about 50/50 myself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AmishLuvah Posted October 9, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 It's really interesting to hear about the different methods people use to get their painting done. 3 pin vises, a cork and an exacto handle? I'm trying to imagine that setup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Magno Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 100% paint on the base. I can imagine EricJ painting the bases seperate, because he's really painting the bases, like he's painting a canvas piece. I glue magnets to the bottom of all my bases before I base them. Then I base them and attach the figure. I then have bottle caps with metal washers glued to them so that I can place the magnetized model+base on the bottle cap. Maybe a little bit of sticky tack too. The nice thing is that your hand has a larger area to grip and turn the model as opposed to an exacto or drill. Stupid easy to transfer the mini when all is done and it can easily be set down anywhere you like. Now I use dice containers with magnets glued underneath so I can enclose the mini completely when I'm not painting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thewartoad Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 I've always done mine separately...the figure 1st, that way it gives me more ideas on how to do the base. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheBugKing Posted October 9, 2009 Report Share Posted October 9, 2009 I actually paint about 90% of the mini and 90% of the base and then finish them together usually. Frequently my minies interact with the bases rather heavily though. Also, any OSL work benefits from this method. If you need your figure to be slogging through gook it helps a lot too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Garthon Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 I'll paint the mini seperately, usually super glued to an temporary base and/or blue-tacked to an old empty paint pot. If it requires pining to the base I insert the pin at this point. When the mini is just about done I rough in and basecoat the base. After that I pop the mini off it's temp base and attach it to the real base, at this stage I can finish of the base and final touches on the mini keeping lighting and such consistant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gloom Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 I'm about 60/40 probably, painting separately/painting together. It really has to do with the complexity of the piece and if there is any sort of interaction between the model and base. Flip Eric's numbers and that's me. 60% of the time I do them together, the other 40% separate, but I'm a mediocre painter anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Waaagh_Fangrot Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 depends on the model for my oprk 40 k army for the normal rank and file they get base's done as im painting them characters get theres done separate and usualy first lol,but for show peice's like bruma the bone whisperer i will do hers seperate as im thinking of doing some sculpting for it same with my heresy necromancer when i get round to him Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bexley Posted October 31, 2009 Report Share Posted October 31, 2009 Just about never. Maybe sometimes on GW style bases. But I only use those for figs I intend to use, in a game where the base size is important, like 40K. My Blood Bowl team is based on the 30mm Wyrd rounded lip bases, since the size doesn't reall y make a difference in the game. For the Wyrd style, I cut .010" thick circle out of styrene, and make an "insert" of sorts. I set the plastic circle in an old scrap base , and I build up the base with Milliput or Apoxie. (Talc the base first, so the putty won't stick.) Then when it has cured, I pop it off the base. If I need the figure to be integrated into the base somehow, I'll make just a thin blank with the putty, to get the form and so it fits the inset of the base. Then I'll remove it from the scrap base, add the figure (or more putty, and then the figure, depending on what I'm going for) then prime them together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mort Posted November 1, 2009 Report Share Posted November 1, 2009 I usually paint with the fig on the base, but not always. Really just depends on the fig's 'shape' - if it's a fig that seems like it will be easier to paint separately, I do. But most of the time, my figs are on the bases first. -Mort Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DireTrollJake Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 I just started doing this on my commission work, but really it doesn't make that big of a difference in the final product for me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
redstripe Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 I paint after everything is assembled. My highly refined painting style values brevity over quality. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
supervike Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 I need a sometimes option! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Black_Mamba Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 I consider myself fortunate if I can field a fully painted force in most of the mini games I play. So, I attach my minis to their bases right away so I can get down to playing with them. Later, I come back and paint them, while on the base. One thing I like about Malifaux is that the small crew sizes means that I have time to catch up on my painting so that I'll be able to field a fully painted crew. Perhaps it will free up some time so that I'll start to paint the minis separately from the bases. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wetdigestive Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 I always mount the fig on it's base before painting anything. I use the base to hold onto while painting. Never use magnifiers or anything like that ( the scene from Ronin with the guy using the big magnifying lamp to paint his figures leaves me rotfl ). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sneek Posted November 2, 2009 Report Share Posted November 2, 2009 Tend to do the bases at the same time. Only if the figure and base interfere with each other (more than simply standing there) will I do otherwise. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Posted November 4, 2009 Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 I usually attach the base to the mini, to hold it while I paint. After I've painted the mini, I detach the base, so I could do the base seperatley. But this depends on what kind of mini i'm working on.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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