Xandria Azurebolt - Base Step by Step

Well, as I had already done the step by step on the armour I thought it would be a neat idea to show the process on how I did Xandria's base.

STEP 1 - Build the structure

I used Greenstuff to built the structure that would become the snow blowing into the wind. I find Greenstuff ideal for this as it's very elastic, this doesn't need to be pretty.

STEP 2 - Cover the base with Basing Paste

I use Vallejo Dark Earth paste to cover the flat sections of the base and painted the now dry greenstuff with Corax White, this is so no green shows through the snow.

STEP 3 - Overbrush

Overbrush the texture paint carefully using VMC Buff.

STEP 4 - Wash

Apply a wash of Agrax Earthshade over the texture.

STEP 5 - Glue down Leaves

I used Oak leaves from AMMO Mig, these are absolutely stunning but ridiculously expensive. I glued them with PVA in the most dynamic way possible. I used some very fine tweezers for that.

STEP 6 - Paint the Leaves

At this level of painting, EVERYTHING you glue to your base should be painted, EVERYTHING. In this case the leaves where also very dull you can see how much of a difference painting them makes. This is the process.

Yellow Leaves:

• Averland Sunset
• Xv-88 shadows
• Highlights of Zamesi desert and Ushabti Bone
• Glaze with Iyanden Yellow
• Highlight again with Ushabti Bone

Orange Leaves:

• Skrag Brown
• Shade with Doombull Brown
• Highlights with Deathclaw Brown and Bestigor Flesh
• Glaze with Gryph-Hound Orange
• Highlight again with Bestigor Flesh and Ushabti Bone

STEP 7 - Apply Tufts

To add some more variation to the base and also to add even more movement, I glue some tufts. I first cut part of them so they glue leaned into the wind direction and once gkued I smash them down with the flat side of my tweezers to accentuate that even more.

As with the leaves the Tufts are also painted, its very simple but the difference is massive:

• Shade the bottom of each tuft with Agrax Earthshade
• Overbrush the top of each tuft with Screaming Skull

Step 8 - Apply Snow

Its now time to apply the snow, I used a product that I had laying around, looks like some kind of crushed glass, its basically a very bright and sparkly powder. It's about 20 years old, so I don't know who made it sorry.

I take that powder and mix it with water, PVA and a drop of White Ink, until I have a good consistency to spread it and I place it using a very old brush on the base.

Once placed and while it's fresh, I take some Aethermatic Blue and thin it down A LOT, more than you think, trust me, you have it VERY thin now? THIN IT MORE. Apply this very carefully to add some shadows into the snow, just smalls touches with a brush, be very delicate.

STEP 9 - Final Touches

Finally I just added some more leaves on top of the snow and painted them in the same way as before.

With the rim painted black, the base and the whole model is DONE!

Hope you guys liked it!