Hedge Figure Base for Beginners

Let me start this off by thanking Mike for this feature.  It started out as a thread on the forum, but I have taken it out to use as a small feature in our Basics for Beginners section, and how to make a simple base for a figure or two.  Aimed at the beginner wondering where to start, Mike takes us through a simple little project to try your hand at.  Robin

 

A Figure Base for Beginners

Here's a quick and easy project for a Sunday morning, an easy figure base.  I do enjoy modelling scenery especially the edges of fields and fence lines here there is an assortment of weeds and where junk is often deposited. This adds interest to any scene.

I made up a simple L shaped base and backdrop from 60 thou plastic card, using a scrap piece of plastic box section you keep it square and to add support (Pic 1)

which was then given a solid coat of primer (Pic 2). 

and then and a coat of matt black (pic 3).


I stuck a section of rubberised horsehair to the backdrop (pic 4) ...

and then I pulled off the outer layer to thin it down and make it uneven. (pic 5)

Then I sprayed it with glue (pic 6) and sprinkled on dried oregano before spraying glue onto the base and sticking on a section of Busch Meadow Grass (pic 7).

I picked out any obvious twiggy bit and sprayed Vallejo Matt Varnish from a rattle can to further secure the oregano "leaves" , then gave the hedge a coat of Tamiya XF5 Flat Green as a base coat (pic 8).

This was followed by Tamiya X28 Park Green sprayed downwards at an angle of 45 degrees (pic 9).

Then Tamiya XF59 Desert Yellow was sprayed in patches, again downwards at an angle of 45 degrees, and over the grass to blend the two together (pic 10).

I glued on some Woodland Scenics Foliage medium and light green which can be teased out later for a better effect and Great North Roads "Tufts with Leafs Green" (pic 11).

Then I added some longer Greenline grass tufts, Great North Roads flowers and anything else which was handy (pic 12).

Finally, I posed a couple of figures in front of it to see if it "worked" in scale.

There are lots of alternatives in how you make scenery, as different countries, climates and seasons all make for an infinite variety of possibiities when it comes to hedges and the like, cultivated or wild.

However, for a simple base to display a figure or two, I hope this helps those who may just want some help in where to start and try something basic like this. 

Using these basic techniques, try different colours, materials to suit whatever scenario you want to try and re-create.

Hope this helps.

 

Mike