How to Build a Miniature Fantasy Terrain

Building the Board

• 1

  Create a wooden frame on the bottom of your MDF board using hardwood batons. Place the long batons along the long edge of the board and the short ones on the short edge and trisecting the board, to support the weight on the miniatures on top.

• 2

  Screw the batons to each other.

• 3

  Glue the frame to the MDF board.

• 4

  Allow the glue to dry.

• 5

  Nail the MDF board to the frame from the top using a hammer and carpentry nails.

• 6

  Cover a 12 inch strip of the playing surface of the board with glue.

• 7

  Pour modeling sand onto the glue. Modeling sand has various grain sizes, to help create a natural varying texture.

• 8

  Turn the board on its side to shake off any loose sand.

• 9

  Repeat Steps 6 through 8 for the remainder of the board. It should be done in 12-inch increments so the glue doesn't dry before you are able to pour the sand onto it.

• 10

  Let the glue dry overnight.

• 11

  Check the playing surface for bare patches. If any are found, coat them with glue and sand.

Painting the Board

• 12

  When the glue has completely dried and the excess sand has been removed, paint the board with a basecoat. The color depends on what terrain you want the board to have. A forest or grassland may start with a dark green, while a desert begins with a dark brown.

• 13

  Allow the paint to dry completely.

• 14

  Dip your brush into a lighter shade of the color you've chosen.

• 15

  Wipe off as much of the paint from the brush as you can onto an old newspaper. Most of the paint will come off, but some will remain on the brush.

• 16

  Paint the brush heavily over the surface of the board. Although it will not lay down a thick layer of paint, the paint that remains on the brush will come off on the textured sand.

• 17

  Repeat Steps 3 through 5 with a third lighter shade, but do not brush heavily during Step 5.