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Painting Golden Aztec Bases Made Easy

By Drago | December 5th, 2017 | Categories: Age of Sigmar, Airbrushing, How To Tutorial, Videos

aztec base 1This beginner’s guide to painting bases will help make any model you’re doing pop and stand out. Take a look on how to paint golds and dirt easily!

Following up on our building custom base video, now is time to paint the base up to look fantastic – with golds! After setting up any custom base with all the bits and putty, and letting everything dry completely, the next step is to paint it up to fit with the theme of your model and army. This tutorial focuses on golds and jungle themes, but can work for many different applications. While the steps in this tutorial are using the airbrush, each step can be completed with a paintbrush as well.

Base Coating

aztec base 2

Since the previous tutorial, where this base was built, it has been primed with black primer. As the model this will be fore is very blue, with gold trim, the base needs to be planned to contrast with the model but not overpower it. The first base color will be Mechanicus Standard Grey by GW and applied by the airbrush. The grey is perfect to set a base for the volcanic ash appearance that will contrast nicely with the blues. For the golds, Army Painter True Copper is sprayed on all the spots we are wanting gold. Apply this section tightly to block out the gold, trying not to get them on the ground areas.

Detail Work

aztec base 3

Once the base coats are down, cut back on both the greys and golds with a brush to clean up any unwanted color splatter. Dirt can go over metal, but metal not over dirt. Mixing Army Painter’s Bright Gold and True Copper together, use the brush to hit over the higher points to block out highlights. With that same mix, add some Shining Silver to highlight just the edges to help pop all the edges and bring out the highlights.

Applying Wash and Dry Brushing

aztec base 4

Reikland Fleshshade Gloss plus Druchii Violet is mixed and brushed over the top of the golds. The Druchii Violet adds a great color to the gold, giving it a tone of being older. As well, Nuln Oil is brushed over all the grey areas to start bringing depth into the ground.

After the washes dry, time to get more highlights on. Celestial Grey is a great colour, but be sure you get as much paint as you can off before dry brushing, or it will be too obvious. Stay off the gold during this. Build up the peaks a bit more with Ulthuan Grey to apply the highlights where light would really shine.

Final Details

aztec base 5

The base is pretty much done. You can put your model on now, or continue to add details. In this case, tufts of hobby basing grass are dunked into glue and applied where you want. As this base is jungle themed, in a place with heavy vegetation, the tufts are applied liberally around the base. The final step is to lip the base with either black or Steel Legion Drab, depending on what effect you want at the end.

The custom base is done and ready for a model now! To see each step in detail, be sure to press play on the video below!

About the Author: Drago