Making Rotten Wood Bases with Artistic God of Modesty Danny Samuels

YOOOOOOOOOOOO, HOBBYYYYY PEEEEPS!  Danny Samuels here—or, as they call me at Privateer Press, the Blessed One. Today, I am here to show you a quick and easy way to create rotten wood bases for all your miniature needs.

To begin, I always cover the slot of the base with tape. It’s the easiest, fastest way I have found to cover a slot.

Next, I take a coffee stirrer and use my knife to add some nicks and dents to the edges. This will make it have a more worn look and will also help the eye separate the board lengths from a distance, which is important from across the table.

I use clippers to clip lengths of wood to fit the base. I didn’t make them go all the way to the edge on one side to add some asymmetry. (I will address that space later.) Using a nail that I dulled with a file, I drew in some exaggerated and stylized wood grain lines. This is a good tool and shape for this because, depending on how hard you press and the angle you hold the nail at, you can create different line weights and thicknesses in the grain.

I then use pumice gel to break up some of the boards further and add some more dynamic visuals.

I also take a tiny root from outside (the real outside) and gently glue it onto the base for some growth and to add variation to the texture.

Because this is for Riot Quest, I tried to hand paint some more stylized wood lines into the boards. I also added some fine flocking mixed with white glue to make a paste onto the base for some moss.

AND BOOM! THE LORD SAID LET THERE BE WOOD, AND THERE WAS WOOD! AND IT WAS GOOD! GOOD WOOD!

SEE YOU NEXT TIME, FELLOW NERDS!