Artistic approach to bases

[kurtj]

I am trying to get back to figures after a VERY long absence. I have been looking at the many figures here and also on Paint and Putty. They’re all amazing. Some of the ways the figures are displayed are even more so. I had the pleasure to meet a gentleman, Henri Lion, who was a former stage designer for the theater ( I met him about 1980 ). He used those talents in his approach to his displays. Unfortunately I have forgotten a lot of how he went about it. Is there a source for the approach to the displaying of a subject from an artistic point of view? I’m sure that most of the really great displays are done by artists with some degree of formal training. My internet searches and on this forum have come up dry.

Thanks,

Kurt

 

[Forté]

Bit confused as to the question to be honest.

Do you mean displayed in a cabinet together or a single miniature on a plinth with basing?

 

[socko47]

He wrote a book called "My Way" with Valentine Bean in 1977. Shows up in Amazon when you use Valentine Bean's name.

He used PVA glue, sand, hobby grass, old brushes for taller plants,stones and pebbles for his ground cover.

My Way - A Method of Selecting, Preparing & Painting Model Soldiers Paperback – January 1, 1977
by Henry with Valentine Bean Lion (Author), Illustrated (Illustrator)

 

[yellowcat]

He wrote a book called "My Way" with Valentine Bean in 1977. Shows up in Amazon when you use Valentine Bean's name.

He used PVA glue, sand, hobby grass, old brushes for taller plants,stones and pebbles for his ground cover.

My Way - A Method of Selecting, Preparing & Painting Model Soldiers Paperback – January 1, 1977
by Henry with Valentine Bean Lion (Author), Illustrated (Illustrator)

Here is my beat-up copy from the late seventies. A very nice book but it does not show you how to stage the figure onto the base artistically. There is one on flea bay asking for $88.

To place a figure onto a base with ground work and to make it look nice visually, you really need to understand how basic design work. It all comes down to how elements work together.

To simplify this, it all base on Big and Small, Positive and Negative and White Space Balance. Visually all three will affect one another. It is just like Japanese Ikebana or traditional Chinese painting.

 

[Forté]

So are you looking for the book of techniques for basing your miniatures? Things have really moved on quite a bit since 1977, especially if you look at scenic basing being done by the diorama, AFV, and fantasy genres.

Have a look through the WIP and bench areas here. See things you like then just ask the person who made it how they did it.

 

[kurtj]

I had the My Way book, but it disappeared somewhere over the years and moves ( along with my Rousselot prints and Campaigns issues). I’ve seen the ebay copies, but it’s not worth the price they’d asking. I remember that there was some rules about composition and placement and such, that shouldn’t have changed that much. The physical how too do it and techniques have changed and I know most of that. They seem to cross over into other hobbies, and I’ve always been in some form of scale modeling or another. I’m talking about the presentation of individual figures. The same beautifully painted figure can look stilted or really spectacular. I think the truly greats where artists first who turned their talents towards miniatures, rather then the other way around. Of course there are many people who discover they have a hidden talent they didn’t know existed. Yellowcat, described what I was driving at.

Talking about things changing, I finally located a real brick and mortar artists supply in my area! There used to at least half a dozen, but then there used to be hobby shops too. Michaels doesn’t really count.

Kurt

 

[Forté]

If you're looking for rules on composition for scenes and layout, honestly there aren't hard and fast rules. Much of it is trial and error and making adjustments. Creating miniatures and scenes based on a set of "rules" will only limit your creativity.

You could look for subjects online for things like "composition in art" but I also highly recommend the Massive Voodoo blog as there is a huge amount of tutorials and articles talking about basing ranging from making cheap plinths, through composition, end even things like water effects. Many written by Roman Lappat who is incredibly creative.

 

[kurtj]

Forte,

Thanks for the resource, I have to build up a list of them.

Kurt

 

[Richie]

Hi Kurt,
I'm not familiar with that publication albeit it looks dated. For me whether it's single figures, vignettes or diorama's you should study and take inspiration from modeller's like Mike Blank, Mike Good, Shep Paine, John Rosengrant and Bill Horan. They have done articles, some have published books. There compositions effortlessly combine the stances of the figures with their surroundings.
Their skill sculpting, painting and compositions make the artistry and tell the story and what's more historically accurate.
cheers
Richie

 

[arj]

Shep Paine's book on building dioramas is very useful:-
https://books.google.co.uk/books/ab...=frontcover&source=kp_read_button&redir_esc=y

Cheers,
Andrew

 

[kurtj]

Thanks guys,

I have Bill Horan Masterclass book and read all of Shep Paine’s stuff ( actually had the privilege of meeting him once). I think I’m really looking for more information about classical artistic composition to see if there is anything that I could use. Really just trying to fill in a twenty year gap, and to jump start my return to the hobby. One thing for sure, the internet makes one heck of a difference!!
Kurt

 

[Alex]

hmmm.. interesting question and not an easy one to answer

first of all, everything matters when 'designing' an art piece including miniatures.
and you need first of all a good wood base.
with the right color, height, length and so on.
this is why I now make my own wood bases and design them always with a particular figure in mind.
I can make 3 or 4 different bases for one single figure !
My go to base is now a glossy black birch wood base. By being black it is much easier to match any figure with it.
The groundwork should embellish the figure while not hiding it.

 

[Blind Pew]

I've always said that the enemy of a modeller is dead space. Try to include something everywhere on the base.

 

[kurtj]

I don’t think I’ve ever actually seen black birch as a finished wood. They do grow in the area I live but I can’t recall ever coming across the wood. My favorite was always cherry, with a black beveled edge on the top.

Kurt

 

[Forté]

Well black birch isn't black so you likely have seen it in use.

 

[kurtj]

I know but I’ve done a reasonable amount of woodworking and did a lot of carving and none of the specialty wood sources I’ve used offered it that I can recall. It’s funny because it’s plentiful here in the northeast states so you would think it would be.

Kurt

 

[Forté]

Not sure. Most of the makers I know are in the UK and Italy.

 

[Alex]

Staining birch very dark with black water based stain is an art in itself but will give you a very nice plinth. Typically, I will then apply 6 or 7 coats of a gloss acrylic varnish.
I also make bases using American walnut, Mahogany, Sapelle, Olive wood, etc with Shellac or real Tung Oil.

 

[Nap]

Not sure. Most of the makers I know are in the UK and Italy.

I seem to remember on FB there's a US guy called "Bases by Bill"

Nap

 

[Forté]

I seem to remember on FB there's a US guy called "Bases by Bill"

Nap

You need a list of plinth makers? ;D


**Australia:**

Jim's Bases ( https://www.facebook.com/jimsbases/ )

**Canada:**

The Plinth Store ( https://www.facebook.com/ThePlinthStore/ )

**Europe:**

CrazyWenky.de ( http://crazywenky.de/ )

Franco Serra (https://www.facebook.com/franco.serra.391 )

Green Stuff World ( http://www.greenstuffworld.com/ )

PD Models (Dino) ( https://www.facebook.com/pivatodino/ )

Sockelmacher ( http://sockelmacher.de/ )

Zwerg von Nettenscheid ( http://www.sockelandbases.de/shopneu/index.php )

**UK:**

Darkmessiah Bases ( http://darkmessiahbases.com/shopfront/ )

Model Display Products ( http://www.modeldisplayproducts.co.uk/ )

Oakwood-Studios ( http://www.oakwood-studios.co.uk/ )

Pete's Bases ( https://www.facebook.com/pete.watson.7921 )

The Rugged Model Base Company ( https://theruggedcompany.co.uk/product-category/the-rugged-model-base-company/ )

Wamp ( https://wampstore.com/store/ )

**USA:**

CK's Wood ( https://www.facebook.com/OurWoodIsOnDisplay/ )

Competition Minis ( http://www.competitionminis.com )

Display My Minis ( http://displaymyminis.com )

Michigan Toy Soldiers ( https://www.michtoy.com )

Orthober Studio ( https://www.facebook.com/OrthoberStudio )