Big time basing

So, with the two massive bases constructed and primed, it's time to get some paint on them!

Let's begin with the shaded basecoat phase.  I have a few nicely worn #8 round craft brushes, and a filbert brush.

I have a variety of colors available.  Some grays, light greens and an ochre color.

I started out with a bit of the ochre mixed in with a dark gray.  Just like the previous base designs I have been making, this will have a greenish gray rock surface.

And thus we have green and gray together at last!  The filbert brush allows me to apply this color lightly over a broad area very quickly.  The rounded edges of the brush mean the strokes can be feathered as the are applied.

More of the seafoam green is added to the mix.  Next to the warmer background tans, it appears quite cool.

As the layers get progressively lighter, you will notice that I am trying to create a center of interest, or focus, by making one area lighter than the rest.  It's almost like a spotlight.

When I shade other areas darker in the glazing stage, this effect will be even more pronounced.

Lighter shades of tan give some depth to the value pattern, or division of dark and light colors on the surface.  In another sense, it will make the dirt look more like... dirt.

The little extras are also lightened, such as the skulls and skeleton!

The final applications of light colors in the grays means that the shaded basecoat is nearing completion.  That feathering of brush strokes that I mentioned earlier is very crucial... as a light touch will keep my darker shades preserved.

I also added the lighter tans to the tree branches.  The whole concept behind the shaded basecoat technique is to create a generic set of lighter colors which I can tint and shade with later glazes.

I can keep color mixtures simple this way.

Some lighter shades are applied to the ruined Fire Bringer as well...

Coming up next... the usual suspects!  Stay tuned.