Help painting Verlinden Diorama Bases

Hi!  I've built  6 of their resin diorama bases (with as many not built) and am very satisfied with the results.  I agree that you will  get a more realistic look using the methods suggested by some of the other guys in this post (I personally use both methods depending on how much time I have to spend on the build).   I have won awards at regional IPMS model contests with 3 of them and I'm just an average modeler so they can't be all that  bad.  Sorry I don't have a digital camera to post any pictures of them but you can get a good result if you take your time.  I've also had problems with scale on some of the buildings like windows being too big and doorways being too small so look it over really well before you start building. 

I always start off painting the base with black car primer.  I  then drybursh Humbrol enamal onto the buildings, groundwork etc.  The black primer stays in the underlying detail  just like it would on a vehicle.  I then use washes to dirty things up as well as MIG pigments for loose dirt on the buildings and cobblestone road beds.  Again, it's not for everyone but it works for me.

Hope this helps some - Good Luck

Charlie

That looks great AJ....I hope I can produce half the quality of that.

As for the two bases I have to paint, they are both resin.  I can feel the mold release on them, so I know they'll require a lot of time and elbow grease to wash those off.  Glad to hear they don't need to be primed.  I guess the best course of action is laying down dominant colors with the AB and then just doing highlighting and shadows almost like a figure model.  I guess I may have to tap the bank account before classes start so I can get some Vallejos acrylics.....been needing them for figure anyways because Tamiya just won't cut it. 

Thanks for all the replies.

Is the base resin or ceramic plaster? Resin will require a more thourough time with soap and water before painting, especially if you're using acrylics. You can pretty much start spraying your base colors on the ceramic/plaster ones.

I haven't done all that many verlinden bases, and the last one I did, came with their 10 inch sea coast mortar. I airbrushd the soil an earth color, the log supports a dark gray and the wooden planks gray. No need for primer. I then used washes and drybrushing shadows and highlights.

Here are the results

Yeah I actually have a lot of kits to build dioramas with and hadn't been bit by the bug to build them until I saw your diorama.  I think it looks great.  As far as painting your base though, did you apply a base coat (laquer base) with an airbrush and then spray the most dominant color, or did you brush paint all that detail into the base?

I guess I'm looking for a way to attack the paint more than anything else.  I'm sure lots of washes are in order, but as far as future dull-coats and if or when to do them have me at a loss.  I'm an aircraft modeler at heart, and not a very good one at that!

 

Thanks for the responses.

I personally don't realy use any AM parts because of the cost.  I try to do whatever I can to limit the expenses.  Most of the time, the only cost I ever encounter is the cost of the kit, because I have all the plastic stock, balsa, cardboard, celluclay, and palster allready.  I'm almost done with a plaster, cardboard, and wood dio, here it is:

http://finescale.com/FSM/CS/forums/653492/ShowPost.aspx

 

 

This isn't going to help you right now, but I'd suggest making the bases from cardboard, wood, and plaster.

 

Good luck though!