base WIP: Griffon (Nolzur 72574), base trouble

[Dae]

I planned to go for the coloring suggestion on the box, except with brighter feathers. After base coat and a wash it seemed to turn rather plain. I keep the underside this way, while for the top side of the wings I started adding some variation to the feathers, gradually daring to add more detail and contrast. Took a while to get there, but in the end I was happy and called it finished. I even took a fun picture with it:

 

 

 

 

But now that I'm a few minis wiser, I demoted him from finished to lacking base. And this is where I am stuck now. 

 

I had this plan of making a sandstone cliff looking base. I positioned him and started building up terrain, working carefully not to damage the finished mini. I colored some stones of various sizes in a few colors so I don't need to paint as much around the mini and I started to glue my rocks carefully around the base. 

 

 

I kept working on it for hours thinking I am getting somewhere, but once I took a break and looked at it again from all sides... I stand by my rocks, I think in a few steps they'll look great, but the scene makes no sense. These are not cliffs, more like a stone quarry, what would a griffon be doing there? - that's too specific and unlikely.

 

Time to "delete" this somehow and start over... Wish me luck!

 

https://pocketsizedadventurers.wordpress.com/2019/12/18/griffon-wings/

 

Edited January 19, 2020 by Dae
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[Inarah]

Your griffon looks nice. Try working with layered sheet cork (from a hobby or auto supply) to make cliffs.  That is what was used in the photo you referenced.  

 

 

[Dae]

Thank you :) 
 

I've done a couple of terrain tiles using cork to try it out and it does work nicely. The one used in the picture above is made by my partner in mini-crime, @Captain Tweet  

 

I probably should have removed the mini from the rock base it comes with, but I was afraid to cut it off, so I just built around it. That's why I didn't think of cork. I will definitely start considering the base earlier in the process and I'm happy to receive any suggestions, I'm very new to this. For now, I'm trying to "delete" what I've done with what I have at hand: air dry modeling clay. 

 

I am also thinking of using it to fix the hole on his back side:

 

 

 

I started by making the top surface straight-ish and adding more straight surfaces here and there, without covering everything. I'm hoping to maintain some benefit from the pattern I created earlier. It will need more work, but I want the layers I made now to dry first... And it's late... and I'm at the end of my patience with this base for now 

Will update soon  

 

 

[Standifer]

So far looking good!

[Glitterwolf]

I agree!

 

[Dae]

WIP old and current base "versions":

 

  

 

 

 

 

Have to admit I got rather angry about the first result. I worked for hours, sometimes focusing one a rock at a time, and I still didn't realize I was going in a wrong direction. I just wasn't noticing the overall image and ended with a pebble-mound... And then, after all the work, it was hard to accept I needed to erase it. And I wasn't sure how.

 

But I seem to be back on track now. DAS clay worked well to erase/rebuild the base (which is great since it's my only sculpting material  ).  So I continued adding clay and sculpting flat rock surfaces all around (small ones, want a layered, yet weathered & broken look for this peak). Next, I gave it a quick pass with random colors to make it easier to see if I like the shape I am getting to. I found a few spots I want to improve, but I think I'm nearly done sculpting. On the bright side, this will be faster than the small rocks were - much easier to paint/drybrush on the clay, so I should be finished in no time.

 

 

 

[Dae]

All done!

 

Now that I look at it finished -- I should have used cork like suggested, and I should have build it up more, have the mini placed higher. Lesson for next time. And it helped that I felt obliged to post, or I might have shelved it a while again before finishing.  So, thanks for replies!
 

Posted to the appropriate board (Dae's Griffon) and here's a preview of the base:  

Still not entirely sandstone-y, but much better looking, I hope :) 

 

[Peithetairos]

It looks very good. If you want full control over your rock face start with XPS, carve it roughly, cover i filler and work it with a spatula while wet. Sand and texture after drying, paint it and you have a convincing rock face. Example below: