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Buried in the Basecoat - Rummaging for Robots
Continuing my attempt to excavate some of the painting that gets Buried in the Basecoat . In case you missed the first installment, this is a series where I look back at painters and projects that may have slipped past us when they first appeared. With so much incredible work constantly being added to Baselair, even memorable projects can disappear into the layers surprisingly quickly. For this installment, I decided to rummage through a past Baselair challenge. Mecha May had the second-highest number of entries, with 96 projects, which made it feel like the perfect place to search for a few robots that may have gotten lost in the mechanical shuffle. Selection My initial guideline was to look for projects with fewer than 10 likes that had been submitted to the challenge ( don’t come at me for the two that have 11 lol ). The rules are more like guidelines around here. The likes cutoff is admittedly a shallow restriction, but using it led me toward a deeper appreciation of the creative process and intent behind our shared craft. I think platforms like Instagram have trained me to gravitate toward certain styles of painting, presentation, and photography. Looking outside the projects that immediately gathered attention helped me notice different kinds of ideas and accomplishments. The projects below are arranged in the same order as the related Buried in the Basecoat collection. thebaselair.com/collections/638418-burie… Projects Night raid by @PearsonPaints view project The angle of the key photo immediately caught my attention. The lighting is striking and gives the scene a strong sense of atmosphere. I also like how the basing shows the mech’s fallen prey, adding a little story without making the composition feel crowded. The Grim Mech by @BarelyTabletop view project If it’s photos on the stovetop it’s probably BarelyTabletop. This is a very Doom-like project. The desaturated, grimy skin contrasts nicely with the more colorful weapons, and the accented cables add some sharp little points of interest throughout the model. It’s a special kind of griminess that looks like controlled chaos. Battletech: Rifleman by @yenzie view project A nice freehanding attempt, especially at such a small scale. The markings give the mech more identity, and the basing feels appropriately sparse and rugged for the model. Love the story in the description as well. My First Gunpla by @Zaxitar view project We do not get to see much Gunpla on Baselair, but I would say it is absolutely part of our shared hobby, especially when it has been painted and presented like this. The glowing effects are fun, and the shading across the mech gives all those panels some satisfying definition. The exposed-wire details on the base are also a cool touch. Gundam Assemble: GFred (Gqx) by @TheNeonCaster view project This is one of the few Gundam Assemble models I have seen on the site. First of all, look at that wicked base. The backdrop scenery is pretty cool too. The styling of the mech lends itself nicely to strong part separation, which is especially helpful when there are approximately eight million different pieces fighting for attention. Did you get him? by @artifactminis view project The backdrop blends beautifully into the sculpted foreground, making the whole project feel like one continuous environment. The differences in elevation also give each character a chance in the spotlight. The water feature is another great part of the basing. The robot’s scheme is fairly restrained, but that works within the larger composition. The miniatures do not scream for attention because the scene itself is the subject. Oooops… sorry. by @Joe__mn view project Using a black-and-white image as the key photo was a striking choice. It helps focus the eye on the composition and the wonderfully silly scale of the scene. I especially appreciate the placement of the giant robot’s feet. The pose looks exactly right for a mech casually terrorizing a city. The single wrecked building also suggests a surprising amount of worldbuilding. It feels like a complete little disaster assembled from several relatively simple elements. “BIG” Stompy Mech by @Mitb view project This must have been a tough project to photograph, but the scene they established gives the model a wonderful sense of scale. The unfortunate person on the ground has clearly already been stomped at least once before. The colors of the sunset backdrop complement the robot nicely, and the backdrop itself is beautifully painted. Bjorn the Fellhanded by @Tomldad view project Tomldad’s posts were the first place I remember seeing the split-shot idea used on Baselair. I like how the boxes in the key photo highlight different details across the miniature. Part of me would have preferred the second photo as the key image, just so I could get a clearer sense of the entire model before diving into the grid. There are some excellent details to discover, though. The freehand on the front is immediately noticeable, as the artist points out in the description, and all that gold trim came out beautifully. It looks like they had a lot of fun painting this one. Mecha dogs by @VesperLynn view project The project description was what initially caught my attention here. I like that the artist developed lore for these characters, and the basing helps support the scenes they imagined. There is also some great variation among the three dogs. Together, they feel like a record of the artist exploring several ideas on the same sculpt and refining that initial seed of creativity into something more developed each time. I am not sure what order they were painted in, but I think the third dog is my favorite. One More Layer Did y’all know the challenge banners are clickable? Selecting one takes you to the original project used for the banner artwork. The Mecha May banner came from @thehivemind5 . Since some people may not have encountered their work before, I wanted to add one more layer to this excavation and highlight both the banner project and another gorgeous entry they submitted to the challenge. Hivemind’s projects Mech vs Demons view project Check out this beast. I am not surprised it was chosen for the challenge banner. The OSL from the gun is fantastic, especially in the way the surrounding surfaces reflect that light throughout the scene. The entire project feels like a still pulled from a movie. And that frickin’ sword. The glow on it is excellent. Crisis Assault view project Wait, this is just a picture of the cover of the battletome, right? Right?! The attention to detail is wild. The weathering came out beautifully, and the painted backdrop adds scale and atmosphere without overwhelming the miniature. I also like how structurally impactful the base is while still allowing the mech to remain the clear subject. Maybe the artist should change their Baselair title to Blending Beast . Thank you!!! Those are the robots I managed to excavate this time, but I am sure there are plenty more still hiding beneath the layers. Let me know which Mecha May projects caught your attention or which ones I should have included. Mecha May Entries At the end of the day, these reflections are written to help me process my feelings as I continue this journey in the hobby. Still, your thoughts grant me a perspective I cannot fathom on my own. I am deeply appreciative to hear from y’all. Cheers!