BASING AND TEXTURING YOUR TERRAIN

This article looks at not only how to base your terrain pieces, but also, the different types of terrain
settings and how to produce several different effects.

Presented below are the two key stages in the building of your terrain projects: Basing and Texturing. Simply
click on the linsk below to find out how to get started on your own terrain and scenery masterpieces.

Basing Your Terrain Texturing Your Terrain

Nearly every piece of terrain is going to need some sort of base for stability. Besides, a base can really enhance
the look of a finished terrain piece. Below are three types of the most commonly used materials a base is
normally constructed from.

The first type, hardboard or masonite board, is the most preferred as it will resist warping best and weather the
rigours of time. Then there is foamcore, a great cheap material that is easy to work with, but tends to warp if
too much glue is used over its top surface area. Finally there is the king of cheap materials, cardboard. This
stuff is everywhere and makes for a good terrain base, though it requires a bit more work to begin with. So
check them all out, choose one and get to work!

1. Start by using a jigsaw to cut out an approximate square chunk of hardboard that will encompass your
terrain piece. Using a marker, draw out the final shape of the terrain base and get ready to use the
jigsaw again.
2. Using a jigsaw, carefully cut out the shape of the base that you drew with a marker. As you may be
dealing with power tools, it's important to always take the necessary precautions. Wear
safety goggles, ask a parent to help you, and always be very attentive and careful. Jigsaws
are no joke and will clip a finger off if you are not careful. Please be safe!
3. Once your shape has been cut out of the hardboard, use a hobby knife to roughly bevel the edges. After
the edges have been roughly bevelled, tighten things up by using a coarse grade sandpaper followed by
a fine grade sandpaper to smooth out the edges.
 1. Start by using a sharp hobby knife to cut out an approximate square chunk of foamcore that will
encompass your terrain piece. We used a thicker foamcore, approximately 1/2 an inch, so as to prevent
warping. Using a marker, draw out the final shape of the terrain base and cut along the line.
2. Next, cut into the foamcore at an angle to create a bevelled edge. Use a sharp, fresh hobby knife to do
this as it will bring about the best results. Use caution when cutting! Finally, use a fine grade sandpaper
to smooth out the bevel and finish off the base.

1. Cut out three or so squares of thick cardboard that will encompass your terrain piece. You should be
able to dig up some cardboard with no problem at all, we used an old Mail Order box! Using some
superglue (it's faster!) glue the squares together and wait for it to dry.
2. Next, cut into the cardboard at an angle to create a bevelled edge. Use a sharp, fresh hobby knife to do
this as it will bring about the best results. Finally, use a fine grade sandpaper to smooth out the bevel.
Use caution when cutting!
3. Find some filler and fill the corrugation of the cardboard with it. Do this all around the base. It is OK to
use an excess amount because it can all be sanded down later. Let the filler dry completely before
moving on. Once it is dry, use sandpaper to smooth out the bevel and ready the base for your terrain
piece.

Texturing a model's base or a terrain piece is very important in that it can make or break the finished look of a
project. So to help you out, we are going to show you how to do it right from start to finish. Plus we'll show you
a bunch of different earth tones so as to help you decide which one is right for your army or gaming terrain.
Games of Warhammer and Warhammer Skirmish are filled with examples of making a special objective terrain
feature or even gaming board, and then playing with them. In order to do so, you need to know the basics, and
texturing an item is a fundamental basic of terrain making.

The basics of texturing can be learned by clicking the first image on the top left. Once you have these skills
down, choose any of the texture swatches below and you'll be shown how to achieve the effect through a page
of step by step instructions. These are results anyone can achieve, just take your time and things will work out
fine. Before you get into the actual project, it might be a good idea to check out the supplies you'll need.
To create interesting textures and then paint them, you'll need a few supplies at hand. So try and gather up all
the stuff below before you begin!

FINE SAND: This type of sand is readily available at hobby stores, hardware stores, the online store and
any nearby beach. It is very fine and for the most part very consistent.
COARSE SAND: You can make your own mix of coarse sand by combining fine sand and larger gravel. You
can buy different grades of gravel at a hobby shop or the online store and mix everything together.
Some folks find that the best coarse sand is found right below your feet on any street. Just have a look
for yourself, in a parking lot for example, and you'll find some!
DEBRIS AND RUBBLE: Try looking through your bits box for interesting titbits to use as debris. Old wagon
wheels, daggers, bones and stuff like this can make for cool textures. Also, try breaking up balsa wood
sticks as this creates some convincing planks and hunks of destroyed wood.

OLD BRUSHES: As most of the work you'll be doing involves either spreading around glue or heavy
drybrushing, it is a good idea to find some crummy old brushes rather than destroy your nice new ones!
STATIC GRASS: This is not a necessity for creating textures, however it certainly does help with the
overall look of things. The basic green static grass is available from the online store, and hobby stores
will generally have a few other types in stock for you to choose from. This stuff goes on easy and looks
great when done right.
PAINT: Although this is a no brainer, keep in mind that you are only going to need a few colours. Stick to
earthy tones, greys, and greens so you don't clutter your work area with tons of paints you don't need!
 PVA OR WHITE GLUE: These glues work well for gluing down sand and keeping it there. Your can pick
some PVA glue up in the online store, or you can find white glue just about anywhere. They even sell
the stuff at supermarkets!
WOOD GLUE: When you are dealing with thicker or really coarse sand, it may be a better idea to use
Wood Glue. This stuff is really tough and keeps large chunks of sand in place forever. This type of glue
is readily available in hardware stores.
BUCKET OR LARGE FLAT CONTAINER: As you will be dumping sand all over the place, it may be a good idea
to catch most of it for later use. No point in wasting sand, or making a mess. So when you dump sand
onto a piece of terrain make sure the bucket is underneath it to catch excess sand.

BIG OL' BUCKET OF WATER: You'll need to water down glue on the fly and clean off large amounts of paint
of your brushes, so a big container of water is quite useful.
PAPER TOWELS: You are going to need these for drybrushing purposes, wiping glue off of your pants, and
just plain keeping things neat and tidy. A hobby must-have item!
SOMETHING TO WORK ON: Since you'll be making a bit of a mess, it is necessary to work on some sort of
disposable surface. A large hunk of cardboard, a hobby mat, an old table; all these things will work fine.
Just don't do this kind of stuff in your living room, you will inevitably spill something at some point
somewhere!

BASICS
On this page you will find two examples of how to texture or flock terrain and model bases as well as some
further examples of interesting texture variations. The first example shows how to create a fine, even texture,
while the second details how to make a coarse and rocky texture. The pictures read from left to right with the
corresponding numbers below the images.

To start things off, slightly water down some PVA or wood glue. A 1 to 4 part mix of water to glue will work
just fine. Optionally you can water it down on the fly by repeatedly adding water to the glue as you go.
Use an old ragged brush and spread the glue over the area to be textured. Work fast and cover small
sections at a time as the glue will begin to dry up a bit if you work to large or slow. If you really need to
cover a large area, mix up a bunch of watered down glue ahead of time and use a large brush to spread
the glue around. Either way move quickly or the glue will not be as tacky as it needs to be.
Before you add the sand, it is a really good idea to place some sort of bucket or flat container underneath
the object to catch the excess sand. Now, using some fine sand, sprinkle a handful of it over the glue
covered area to be textured. Gently shake off the excess sand into the bucket after each application of
sand. If you are working in small sections, simply repeat the process until the area is completely covered.
Once the piece it textured, let it sit for a bit - your best bet is to be patient and wait over night. However,
you impatient folks can usually get away with waiting a mere 2 hours or so. The sand will now be firmly
attached and ready for a base coat of paint. So, grab a large brush and start applying some Chaos Black
paint! You can use a spray can to speed things up if this is a viable option. You are now ready to paint.
 Coarse texture is best created by using wood glue as the stronger bond helps keep the larger granules of
sand in place. Spread the glue onto the area to be textured, using a 1 to 4 ratio of water and glue. Work
fast and cover small sections at a time as the glue will begin to dry up a bit if you work to large or slow. If
you really need to cover a large area, mix up a bunch of watered down glue ahead of time and use a large
brush to spread the glue around. Either way move quickly or the glue will not be as tacky as it needs to
be.
Before you add the sand, it is a really good idea to place some sort of bucket or flat container underneath
the object so as to catch the excess sand. Now, using a coarse sand mixture, sprinkle a handful of it over
the glue covered area to be textured. Gently shake off the excess sand into the bucket after each
application of sand.
Once the area is covered, it is good practice to place a drop of glue over really large pebbles and bits. This
will ensure that it stays put and doesn't fall off during painting. Use a 50/50 ratio of glue for this. Now,
wait for it to dry and then lay down a basecoat of Chaos Black paint.

Above are just some examples of additional ways you can texture a piece. The first one is a simple combination
of fine sand and coarse sand dispersed in a random fashion. It breaks up the uniformity of a fine texture with a
few clumps of rocks here and there.

The second example uses a few broken balsa wood sticks and larger sand grains to create a debris filled area.
Balsa wood is really just a starting point, because you can use wagon wheels, knives, barrels and more to give
off a debris strewn feel. When using large piece of debris, you may want to use superglue or go back and place
a drop of glue over really large pebbles and bits to ensure they stay in place.

GRASS PLAINS
Following the steps below will reward you with a simple green tone resembling a slightly muddy field. Between
the drybrushing stages, it is helpful to just keep the colour you currently have on your brush and dip into the
next colour. This helps blend the two colours of paint in a natural fashion while you drybrush. However, you
don't want to do this if the two colours are radically different. If you have no clue how to make this texture,
visit the basics section and learn how!

To start things off, drybrush Scorched Brown over the entire area. This will give the piece a good earthy
undertone.
 Next, heavily drybrush Dark Angels Green over the area. Heavy means to have a decent amount of paint
on your brush.
Continuing on, use Snot Green next. You will begin to see some results at this point as you drybrush.

Now, grab some Goblin Green. Drybrush the area pretty thoroughly, though it will help the overall effect if
you concentrate on certain areas and leave some areas alone. This will help distribute the colour so it
doesn't look too even and unnatural. At this point you can consider everything done.
This last step is completely optional, though it doesn't look half bad! Using a very light drybrushing of
Bleached Bone on a few select areas, you can create a more pleasing effect. That's about it!

OTHER IDEAS: Variations on this colour scheme can involve more vibrant greens like Scorpion Green or duller
tones can be produced by adding another deep brown, like Dark Flesh, to the earlier stages.

BROKEN GRASS PLAINS

Following the steps below will produce a green field with clumps of rough ground. Between the drybrushing
stages, it is helpful to just keep the colour you currently have on your brush and dip into the next colour. This
helps blend the two colours of paint in a natural fashion while you drybrush. However, you don't want to do this
if the two colours are radically different. If you have no clue how to make this texture, visit the basics section
and learn how!

Start off with a coat of Scorched Brown over everything, extra heavily drybrushing the rocky areas. Once
this dries heavily drybrush Dark Angels Green onto the grass areas only, avoiding the rocky bits. It will
help to have a separate brush ready for each colour as you go. Things will move quicker and the colours
will be better.
Drybrush Snot Green on all the grassy areas and then use Dark Flesh for the rough ground. Be careful not
to be sloppy and get green where you want brown!
Moving along, step up to drybrushing Goblin Green and Bestial Brown onto their respective areas.
 Carefully drybrush the larger rocks with Bubonic Brown and generally hit the rough areas as well. Just pay
a bit more attention to a few rocks. The green areas are pretty much done with, so go back and touch up
any sloppy painting now.
To finish, use Bleached Bone and a slight Bubonic Brown mix to highlight a few of the more interesting
rocks. Also, if you wish, very lightly drybrush Bleached Bone on the green areas. At this point you can
consider yourself done.
As an interesting option, use some sort of static grass. There are tons of different colours out there, just
find one you like and use it. Applying static grass is a simple matter of spreading some glue in the desired
area and then sprinkling static grass on the spot. When placed in strategic patches here and there, the end
result is quite pleasing.

OTHER IDEAS: Various greens could be used for different grass effects, and some of the rocks could be picked out
with a separate colour like Codex Grey for example. Or you could just paint the rocky areas using the Coarse
Ash Plain colour scheme.

FINE EARTH
Following the steps below will produce an earthy, dirt plain. Between the drybrushing stages, it is helpful to just
keep the colour you currently have on your brush and dip into the next colour. This helps blend the two colours
of paint in a natural fashion while you drybrush. However, you don't want to do this if the two colours are
radically different. If you have no clue how to make this texture, visit the basics section and learn how!

To start things off, drybrush Scorched Brown over the entire area. This will give the piece a good earthy
undertone.
Next, heavily drybrush Dark Flesh over the area. Heavy means to have a decent amount of paint on your
brush.
Continuing on, use Bestial Brown next. You will begin to see some results at this point as you drybrush.

Using Bubonic Brown, drybrush the area pretty thoroughly, though it will help the overall effect if you
concentrate on certain areas and leave some areas alone. This will help distribute the colour so it doesn't
look too even and unnatural.
Finally grab Bleached Bone and lightly drybrush a few areas selectively. At this point you can consider
everything done.
As an interesting option, use some sort of static grass. There are tons of different colours out there, just
find one you like and use it. Applying static grass is a simple matter of spreading some glue in the desired
area and then sprinkling static grass on the spot. When placed in strategic patches here and there, the end
result is quite pleasing.

OTHER IDEAS: To create a darker earth tone, just ignore the Bubonic Brown and Bleached Bone stages. Instead
mix Bubonic Brown and Bestial Brown together for a final highlight. If you want to incorporate some rocky
areas into the mix, check out Coarse Earth step by step page.
COARSE EARTH
Following the steps below will produce a coarse, earthy feel. Between the drybrushing stages, it is helpful to
just keep the colour you currently have on your brush and dip into the next colour. This helps blend the two
colours of paint in a natural fashion while you drybrush. However, you don't want to do this if the two colours
are radically different. If you have no clue how to make this texture, visit the basics section and learn how!

To start things off, drybrush Scorched Brown over the entire area. This will give the piece a good earthy
undertone.
Next, heavily drybrush Dark Flesh over the area. Heavy means to have a decent amount of paint on your
brush.
Continuing on, use Bestial Brown next. You will begin to see some results at this point as you drybrush.
Concentrate on large rock clusters as these will pick up the paint really nicely.

Using Bubonic Brown, drybrush the area pretty thoroughly, though it will help the overall effect if you
concentrate on certain areas and leave some areas alone. This will help distribute the colour so it doesn't
look too even and unnatural.
Lastly, use Bleached Bone to hit a few of the more interesting rocky bits. At this point you can consider
yourself done.
As an interesting option, use some sort of static grass. There are tons of different colours out there, just
find one you like and use it. Applying static grass is a simple matter of spreading some glue in the desired
area and then sprinkling static grass on the spot. When placed in strategic patches here and there, the end
result is quite pleasing.

OTHER IDEAS:To create a darker earth tone, just ignore the Bubonic Brown and Bleached Bone stages. Instead
mix Bubonic Brown and Bestial Brown together for a final highlight.

FINE DESERT
Following the steps below will produce a coarse, earthy feel. Between the drybrushing stages, it is helpful to
just keep the colour you currently have on your brush and dip into the next colour. This helps blend the two
colours of paint in a natural fashion while you drybrush. However, you don't want to do this if the two colours
are radically different. If you have no clue how to make this texture, visit the basics section and learn how!
 To start things off, drybrush Scorched Brown heavily over the entire area. This will give the piece a good
earthy undertone.
Next, heavily drybrush Dark Flesh over the area. Heavy means to have a decent amount of paint on your
brush.
Continuing on, use Bestial Brown next. You will begin to see some results at this point as you drybrush.
Again, use a heavy hand and drybrush heavily.

Using Bubonic Brown, drybrush the area pretty thoroughly. Try to lay the paint down in an even manner.

Next use Bleached Bone to apply another heavy coat of even drybrushing. You'll begin to see the desert
effect come to life at this point. Next use Bleached Bone to apply another heavy coat of even drybrushing.
You'll begin to see the desert effect come to life at this point.
To finish things off, apply a fresh coat of Skull White. Drybrush lightly and thoroughly for the best effect.
You will now have a finished desert texture.

OTHER IDEAS: You could add a few plastic skeleton bits and skulls to enhance the arid feel of a lifeless desert.
Also, you could place some small patches of dried up brownish static grass or even use lush green static grass
to simulate the edge of an oasis.

COARSE DESERT
Following the steps below will produce a coarse, earthy feel. Between the drybrushing stages, it is helpful to
just keep the colour you currently have on your brush and dip into the next colour. This helps blend the two
colours of paint in a natural fashion while you drybrush. However, you don't want to do this if the two colours
are radically different. If you have no clue how to make this texture, visit the basics section and learn how!

To start things off, drybrush Scorched Brown heavily over the entire area. This will give the piece a good
earthy undertone.
Next, heavily drybrush Dark Flesh over the area. Pay attention to large rock clusters as they will produce
interesting results.
Continuing on, use Bestial Brown next. You will begin to see some results at this point as you drybrush.
Again, use a heavy hand and drybrush heavily.
 Using Bubonic Brown, drybrush the area pretty thoroughly. Try to lay the paint down in an even manner.

Next, use Bleached Bone to apply another heavy coat of even drybrushing. You'll begin to see the desert
effect come to life at this point.
To finish things off, apply a fresh coat of Skull White. Drybrush lightly and thoroughly for the best effect.
Try and hit the large rock clusters with the most paint. At this point you can consider yourself finished!
As an interesting option, use some sort of static grass. There are tons of different colours out there, just
find one you like and use it. Applying static grass is a simple matter of spreading some glue in the desired
area and then sprinkling static grass on the spot. When placed in strategic patches here and there, the
end result is quite pleasing.

OTHER IDEAS: You could add a few plastic skeleton bits and skulls to enhance the arid feel of a lifeless
desert. Also, you could use lush green static grass to simulate the edge of an oasis.

ASH WASTES
Following the steps below will produce a dead, blasted plain. Between the drybrushing stages, it is helpful to
just keep the colour you currently have on your brush and dip into the next colour. This helps blend the two
colours of paint in a natural fashion while you drybrush. However, you don't want to do this if the two colours
are radically different. If you have no clue how to make this texture, visit the basics section and learn how!

To start things off, drybrush Scorched Brown heavily over the entire area. This will give the piece a good
earthy undertone.
Next, heavily drybrush Codex Grey over the area. Heavy means to have a decent amount of paint on your
brush.
Continuing on, use Fortress Grey next. You will begin to see some results at this point as you drybrush.
Again, use a heavy hand and drybrush heavily.

To finish up, use Ghostly Grey to evenly drybrush the surface. If you wish, a little Skull White can be
mixed in with the Ghostly Grey used to enhance the effect. At this point you can consider yourself finished!
 As an interesting option, use some sort of static grass. There are tons of different colours out there, just
find one you like and use it. Applying static grass is a simple matter of spreading some glue in the desired
area and then sprinkling static grass on the spot. When placed in strategic patches here and there, the end
result is quite pleasing.

OTHER IDEAS: You could add some clumps of rocks using a coarser grain of sand before painting to break up the
flat, even surface.

COARSE ASH WASTES

Following the steps below will produce a rocky ash waste. Between the drybrushing stages, it is helpful to just
keep the colour you currently have on your brush and dip into the next colour. This helps blend the two colours
of paint in a natural fashion while you drybrush. However, you don't want to do this if the two colours are
radically different. If you have no clue how to make this texture, visit the basics section and learn how!

To start things off, drybrush Scorched Brown heavily over the entire area. This will give the piece a good
earthy undertone.
Next, heavily drybrush Codex Grey over the area. Pay attention to large rock clusters as they will produce
interesting results.
Continuing on, use Fortress Grey next. You will begin to see some results at this point as you drybrush.
Again, use a heavy hand and drybrush heavily.

To finish up, use Ghostly Grey to drybrush the surface. If you wish, a little Skull White can be mixed in
with the Ghostly Grey used to enhance the effect. Target clumps of rocks for the best results. At this point
you can consider yourself finished!
As an interesting option, use some sort of static grass. There are tons of different colours out there, just
find one you like and use it. Applying static grass is a simple matter of spreading some glue in the desired
area and then sprinkling static grass on the spot. When placed in strategic patches here and there, the end
result is quite pleasing.

SCATTERED DEBRIS
Following the steps below will produce a debris filled area. Between the drybrushing stages, it is helpful to just
keep the colour you currently have on your brush and dip into the next colour. This helps blend the two colours
of paint in a natural fashion while you drybrush. However, you don't want to do this if the two colours are
radically different. If you have no clue how to make this texture, visit the basics section and learn how!
 To start things off, drybrush Scorched Brown heavily over the entire area. This will give the piece a good
earthy undertone. The wood planks were essentially painted with Scorched Brown.
Next, heavily drybrush Dark Flesh over the area. The planks were heavily drybrushed from all angles.

Continuing on, use Bestial Brown next. You will begin to see some results at this point as you drybrush.

Using Bubonic Brown, drybrush the area pretty thoroughly. Hit the tips of the wood planks and pay
attention to the hard edges as they will pick up the paint nicely.
Next use Bleached Bone to apply another coat of paint. There is no need to be heavy handed, just lightly
drybrush specific spots and the edges of the wood planking. At this point you can consider yourself
finished!
As an interesting option, use some sort of static grass. There are tons of different colours out there, just
find one you like and use it. Applying static grass is a simple matter of spreading some glue in the desired
area and then sprinkling static grass on the spot. When placed in strategic patches here and there, the end
result is quite pleasing

OTHER IDEAS: There are tons of other things you could do to create cool debris effects. Just have a look in your
bits box and you should find some interesting items to clutter the piece with. Get creative and when it comes
time to paint them, take your time. Don't rush!