Lab Rat Tango

Fugglers Dolls Miniatures Models Home

Forest Bases

In 2019, I made a bunch of different "forest" bases for use in making photo and show scenes.

I gathered a bunch of interesting sticks on my walks and cut some wood scraps into irregular shapes.

After plotting out the placement of the tree, I put down a big glob of hot glue and propped the trees in place until the glue cooled.

After all the trees were in place I started adding rocks and other foresty items.

Once I was satified with all of the items, I started adding more glue to form the "earth" by first making a ring of hot glue around the edge of the base.

I then started roughly filling the rest of the base with glue.

It doesn't have to be particularly even.

After the first layer had mostly cooled, I started with the second layer, using it to make roots or hillocks.

When the glue had fully cooled, I began painting it with the base colour, really glooping on the glue.

The next step requires some PVA glue.

Just pour a big puddle on somewhere.

Using a paintbrush, spread the glue thickly all over the base.

For the first layer of ground covering, I like to use old tea.

Sprinkle it thickly over the base.

Leave it to dry completely.

Once dry, tap off the excess over a piece of paper to salvage the extra scatter.

A nice soil covering.

Using the gluey paintbrush, daub random patches of glue all over the base and add your next layer of scatter.

Do this for several more layers; I like to end with dried herbs for dead leaves.

For the grass layer I used static grass and this inexpensive applicator. Just daub glue where you want grass, and scatter away.

Then it's time for the slow and painful part, adding the greenery. I use a jar lid to hold a small pool of glue and dip my bush clumps into it before applying to the base.

Building up greenery on my bush twigs.

Mostly finished bases. I later added some flowers and hand sculpted birds to some of them. Other bases have puddles or tiny streams made with water effects paste.