Hobby Basics: Tufts and Static Grass

Good basing elevates a paint job, and can be used to bring some context to your army. Are you playing with elves from a lush forest? Raiders from a wastland? A Champion fighting atop a pile of skulls? Thugs on cobblestone alleyways? Murderbots awakening on a factory floor? Whatever your mini is, you can use basing to help tell its story and integrate it into your setting and game. Many wargames take place outside, so adding some grass to you bases in common in many war games.

Grass Tufts

Tufts are small clumps of taller grass and can be used to emulate small bushes or other unkempt or wild foliage. They come pre-packaged by companies like Army Painter and Gamer Grass and are sold in a variety of colors to emulate the environment you want, from scorched grasses to verdant green foliage to alien vegetation. 

The rocks protect the grass tufts from the hooves of a devastating cavalry charge on the arid plains.

They are pretty easy to stick on a base, but it can be hard to pull off a natural look. Mel the Terrain Tutor has a lot to say on the matter, and I would suggest looking him up for more tips and details. But essentially you don't want to stick this just anywhere on the base. To get a natural look, think of weeds popping up around sidewalk or broken asphalt. The tufts should be stuck next to rocks and walls and such, as these other terrain pieces would typically protect the grass and allow it grow to tuft-size in your setting of choice.

Grass sprouting up near ruins, stones, or alongside buildings can look good on the tabletop!
Place it where it would be protected a bit.

Adding tufts is usually one of the last steps for me for a basing scheme. You don't want to get paint on them after all, so do everything else first for your mini and your basing, and add these on last. The tufts usually come with a tiny bit of adhesive themselves, but I usually use a tiny bit of glue anyways (superglue or PVA, whatever I happen to have next to me) to make sure that tuft sticks. And as a last tip, tweezers are a nice way to get these tufts right where you want them. 

To take tufts to the next level, use a variety of clump sizes and don't be afraid to trim the tufts into irregular shapes as nature is not uniform! 

Sorta Static Grass

Another kind of commonly used grass is static grass. Ideally, you use an applicator to get these on to your terrain. My understanding is that the applicator uses an electric current to get the grass landing upright (like static electricity would do your your hair), making this look awesome for dioramas and lush bases.

One pass with glue and grass for this terrain. Remember to seal it and you are done!

I am not that fancy! For me, this grass is likely either going on around miniatures, where I don't have the space to use an applicator well, or going on terrain that is going to see some wear and tear over time. For me, I add some white glue where I want the grass. I take a pinch of grass from the box, and then rub my fingers together to sprinkle it on. The grass should land at angles, and look a little beaten down, but not flat. 

I leave this to dry overnight, knocking the excess grass back into the little box the next morning. If I did not get the coverage I want, I repeat this process. When the coverage is how I want it, I use a spray sealer, like Aleene's Acrylic Spray Sealer to protect the grass, spraying down the piece of terrain or around the miniature's feet. Static grass confounded me for a long time until I learned to seal it. It "sheds" everywhere if you don't take that final step, so sealing is a must! 

And to take grass to the next level, don't be afraid to mix types as you go. If you go darker grass as a lower layer and brighter grass as a final, upper layer, you can add some nice depth and shadow to your hobby creation. Just remember to wait for the lower layers to dry, and above all, remember to seal it once you are done!

And that is basics of hobbying with tufts and grass!