Creating static grass bases for minis, in my case Space Wolves.
The first step is to apply masking paint (or liquid latex) to the sides of the base.
This protects the edges from getting discoloured or marked during the subsequent steps. With the sides protected, an olive green/brown mix is applied to serve as a base soil colour.
Once the base colour paint and masking on the side is dry, the top is then coated with an appropriate basing glue (I use watered-down PVA wood glue, 10:1 water to glue ratio, as used for desert bases) and WWS 1mm ‘patchy’ brown static grass is sprinkled over it using a static grass applicator.
Make sure to hold the ground wire near the area being covered as this helps the grass to stand up. The brown colour of this grass gives the eventually finished grass a deep base layer.
Put the base covered on a sheet of paper so you can pour the excess grass back into the container. See my round up on static grass applicators if you don’t have one.
Next, I spray the base with hair spray and apply a mix of 1mm and 2mm Alpine colour grass again using an applicator.
With this done, tip the base upside down to remove excess grass. Tapping it lightly with a spoon will dislodge fibres that aren’t well secured and will fall off in time anyway.
I then apply another coating of hair spray and apply a light dusting of 4mm length spring colour grass.
The difference in colours from the patchy brown at the start to alpine green in mid lengths and light spring green in long lengths mirrors real grass, with the grass being greener as it grows taller.
As before, I hold the base upside down to shake off any loose fibres. If there are any strands not completely vertical, hold the applicator above them and turn it on to create a charge and pull them upright.
Finally, I peal off the mask from the sides to reveal the black contrast and position the mini on the base. To hold it in place, I use Gorilla Glue Gel. This can be carefully placed and unlike other liquid glues doesn’t run, damaging nearby grass in the process.
What you’ll need
- Various lengths of static grass – 1mm, 2mm and 4mm lenghts.
- A static grass applicator. Read my review of the best static applicators available.
- Gorilla Glue Gel
- Optional: liquid latex.
Conclusion
This quick, 15-minute, technique for making base miniatures with static grass is really effective and makes minis pop. Doing multiple bases at once speeds up the process even further and allows you to quickly base your armies with grassland or forest ground cover.
Andy is a lifelong modeler, writer, and founder of modelrailwayengineer.com. He has been building model railways, dioramas, and miniatures for over 20 years. His passion for model making and railways began when he was a child, building his first layout at the age of seven.
Andy’s particular passion is making scenery and structures in 4mm scale, which he sells commercially. He is particularly interested in modelling the railways of South West England during the late Victorian/early Edwardian era, although he also enjoys making sci-fi and fantasy figures and dioramas. His website has won several awards, and he is a member of MERG (Model Railway Electronics Group) and the 009 Society.
When not making models, Andy lives in Surrey with his wife and teenage son. Other interests include history, science fiction, photography, and programming. Read more about Andy.