Dire Wolves on big rocks and painting tips, please

[Diezta]

Relatively new player here, relatively terrible painter here.

I've been periodically painting up my VC army now for the past six months or so, yet I've never really felt happy with the quality I've been able to achieve. I've now decided to up my game; I recently ordered a bunch of new paints and washes to be able to create some new effects, and am planning on buying even more in a few days when I figure out exactly what I'm going to need.
Now, what made me want to become a better painter, and have a better-painted army, was the fact that I got my hands on some styrofoam - oh God, the mess! - which I have used, somewhat succesfully, to create a few flint-like rocks that I would love to have as an essential part of some of my bigger bases for my miniatures.
Unfortuantely, with the way that GW's Dire Wolves are - with their big-ass platforms attached to their feet - I'm not sure I'll be able to have them jump off these rocks and cliffs and whatnot without having the base look strange and deformed around their feet. Do you guys have some awesomely creative ideas that you feel like sharing? I'd really appreciate it if you do.
Also, I'll attach some pictures of the first wolf I've created following this new and improved base work, and I would love for you guys to give me all the constructive criticism that you can think of - this goes for the base as well as for the wolf. And don't worry, I expect there to be quite a lot.

Sorry if this post is a tad bit long; this is like my second post on a forum ever, so I'm still not
quite sure about proper etiquette and such, so please bear with me.

 

[Blutsauger]

Welcome to the forums! First of all, don't be too hard on your painting skills, that wolf looks really good! Secondly, I appreciate that you've put a lot of work into making your styrofoam rocks, but you'll generally good results for practically no effort by using pine tree bark, or cork bark, both of which are usually available for free locally (I got mine from some trees nearby) or from pet stores or parks.

With regard to the wolves, you can just use clippers and a knife to trim the platform off from their feet. It's a bit of work, but it shouldn't be particularly difficult

 

[Angie]

That wolf looks great!

Another way to get cheap cork is by getting a set of pan coasters and tearing those up.

 

[Diezta]

Welcome to the forums! First of all, don't be too hard on your painting skills, that wolf looks really good! Secondly, I appreciate that you've put a lot of work into making your styrofoam rocks, but you'll generally good results for practically no effort by using pine tree bark, or cork bark, both of which are usually available for free locally (I got mine from some trees nearby) or from pet stores or parks.

With regard to the wolves, you can just use clippers and a knife to trim the platform off from their feet. It's a bit of work, but it shouldn't be particularly difficult

Why thank you! I've seen some great bark and cork-based results around the internet too, and I definitely have plans of using these materials when I get to making bigger terrain. The reason why I'm using styrofoam for my miniature bases is because it seems easier manipulated in regards to the stance of my figures - the wolf I attached, for example, had to have two different levels of standing-ground in order for its feet to seem naturally positioned. When you use cork and bark, do you cut it with a knife to make it fit better or simply tear it?
When you say I can simply trim the platforms on their feet do you mean actually removing them entirely or simply smoothening them down to a much smaller platform? In case you mean removing it completely, will this not affect how well the miniature is attached to the base, or the styrofoam, rather?

 

[Angie]

When you use cork and bark, do you cut it with a knife to make it fit better or simply tear it?

I generally use a combination of tearing out larger chunks and making them rockier by plucking out little bits and pieces of it. If I need a specific height I carve then at roughly the size I want them and glue some pieces together or on top of each other. To make the model fit perfectly I use a bit of green stuff.

 

[The Sun King]

Awesome wolf! You did a really good job mate!

 

[Blutsauger]

Why thank you! I've seen some great bark and cork-based results around the internet too, and I definitely have plans of using these materials when I get to making bigger terrain. The reason why I'm using styrofoam for my miniature bases is because it seems easier manipulated in regards to the stance of my figures - the wolf I attached, for example, had to have two different levels of standing-ground in order for its feet to seem naturally positioned. When you use cork and bark, do you cut it with a knife to make it fit better or simply tear it?

It depends on the type of cork bark we're referring to.

I prefer to use this sort of stuff, but you can also make neat bases out of this kind of stuff (which you can pull off a corkboard and tear into pieces, and then you can glue the pieces on one another to make a nice looking rocky pile).

I tend to tear it into the shape I want, then I use a file or wood rasp to give it the angle I need on the bottom, so that it sits at the angle I want on the base.

When you say I can simply trim the platforms on their feet do you mean actually removing them entirely or simply smoothening them down to a much smaller platform? In case you mean removing it completely, will this not affect how well the miniature is attached to the base, or the styrofoam, rather?

I mean totally removing it, which if you're using styrofoam is a problem since the foam has very little rigidity, and will likely simply tear if the model is glued directly to it. Bark is much tougher, and easier to attach a model to.

Your base definitely looks good though, so don't feel bad about whatever way you decide to do things!

 

[Diezta]

Okay, so it's been some time since I posted here and, frankly, I should have had these painted up long ago, but I've been laz-.. busy this past week or so and of course would have gotten things done quicker if it hadn't been for that la-... busyness.

I now face the challenge of choosing between two different variants of tufts and I just can't seem to make up my mind:

Now, I must admit that I'm leaning a bit towards the one on the left due to the dead look of the grass, but I have no idea whether this will match the rocky look I'm going or if the contrast will be too great. I've absolutely NO knowledge in regards to colour theory and I'm not capable of imagining how the rocks and grass will look when used together. I've already screwed up my basing once and I'd rather not do it again, which is why I'm asking you guys.

So; what do you think?

 

[Arkhanist]

Okay, so it's been some time since I posted here and, frankly, I should have had these painted up long ago, but I've been laz-.. busy this past week or so and of course would have gotten things done quicker if it hadn't been for that la-... busyness.

I now face the challenge of choosing between two different variants of tufts and I just can't seem to make up my mind:

First up - nice wolves! Very cool. Nice rocks, too.

With the tufts, I'd say go with the one you like more! The left one will blend the model and base together, given the pale colouring. That will apply even more to skeleton units. The autumn grass will add a little touch of colour, and help the base stand out a little. Which effect you prefer is more personal taste than anything else for armies.

Personally, I'd probably use a bit of both to add variety!

You should be able to stick a few grass tufts on to see what it looks like in-situ, and remove them if you don't like it - the basic glue isn't very strong at all. I usually superglue mine down for permanent fixture. I tend to put them close to rocks, in the wedge between rock and gravel, as real weeds grow. Though the odd lone tuft is good too

 

[Diezta]

First up - nice wolves! Very cool. Nice rocks, too.

With the tufts, I'd say go with the one you like more! The left one will blend the model and base together, given the pale colouring. That will apply even more to skeleton units. The autumn grass will add a little touch of colour, and help the base stand out a little. Which effect you prefer is more personal taste than anything else for armies.

Personally, I'd probably use a bit of both to add variety!

You should be able to stick a few grass tufts on to see what it looks like in-situ, and remove them if you don't like it - the basic glue isn't very strong at all. I usually superglue mine down for permanent fixture. I tend to put them close to rocks, in the wedge between rock and gravel, as real weeds grow. Though the odd lone tuft is good too

Thanks for the tips, Arkhanist! I'll do as you said and simply go with what I like the most as it seems overthinking it too much won't get me anywhere anyway

 

[Duke Danse Macabre]

They are looking good and to be honest i do similar basing for allot of my models.
With my tufts I just add them where you would expect them to have the most impact, provided you like the look of them you can'tn really go wrong, just remember to glue them down though else they will come off.
My friend forgot and arrived to a tournament with his tufts stuck all over his Nurgle warrior... Couldn't stop laughing.

As I said though I do the same on my dwarfs so i have added a pic below of mine as an example:

Hope this helps.