Techniques · Base and display
How to base miniatures with sand and grass
A textured, painted base is the quickest way to make a miniature look finished. This is the simple sand, paint and grass method most painters start with.
What you need
Sand or fine model railway ballast, craft (PVA) glue, an old brush, a base colour, a brown wash, one or two lighter paints for drybrushing, and static grass or tufts.
Reaper's assembly guide suggests ordinary sand as one of the cheapest options and recommends a mix of fine, medium and coarse ballast for a more natural look.
Step by step
Spread a thin layer of slightly thinned PVA glue over the base with an old brush or toothpick, keeping clear of the figure's feet.
Dip the base in the sand or ballast, press gently, and tap off the excess. Let it dry fully.
Paint the texture with a mid-brown or grey base colour, slightly thinner than usual so it gets between the grains.
Run a brown wash over it so the gaps go darker.
Drybrush with the base colour, then lightly again with a paler tone, so the tops of the grains catch the light.
Add greenery last: a few patches of static grass or tufts fixed with a dot of glue.
Paint the base rim a neat solid colour; black or dark brown is common bench practice.
When to base
Some painters texture the base before priming so the sand is primed with the figure; others add it after painting the figure. Reaper puts its ballast on before priming and paints it with the figure. It also notes that some varnishes can make unpainted sand go semi-transparent, so if you leave sand unpainted, paint the base underneath it a sandy colour first.
Keep it in scale
Common bench practice: use fine sand or fine ballast for ground, and save larger pieces for a single rock, as very coarse grit looks like boulders next to a 28mm figure.