Two Thin Coats Scorched Earth and Ivory Tusk for Miniature Bases
By Victrix Limited 28mm miniatures | Published: 2026-10-29
Category: How-to Guides
Learn how to use Two Thin Coats Scorched Earth and Ivory Tusk paints to create realistic, weathered bases for your 28mm miniatures.
Quick answer
Use Two Thin Coats Scorched Earth as a shadow base for dirt and mud, then drybrush Ivory Tusk to bring out texture and create a natural, weathered finish on your miniature bases.
Why Scorched Earth and Ivory Tusk work for bases
Scorched Earth is a shadow category paint from the Two Thin Coats range, meaning it dries darker and more matte than midtones or highlights. This makes it ideal for simulating packed earth, dark soil, or muddy ground without needing an extra wash step.
Ivory Tusk is a midtone paint that leans warm and slightly off-white. When drybrushed over a dark base, it catches raised details like gravel, sand, or cracked mud, giving the base depth without looking chalky or artificial.
What you need to know before starting
These paints come in 15ml dropper bottles and are formulated for brush application. They are not airbrush-ready out of the bottle, but you can thin them with water or medium for airbrushing if needed.
For best results, apply over a primed base. A black or dark brown primer works well with this color combination.
Step-by-step: Painting bases with Scorched Earth and Ivory Tusk
- 1. Apply Scorched Earth as the base coat: Shake the bottle well, then apply one or two thin coats of Scorched Earth over your primed base. Let each coat dry completely. This creates the dark earth tone that will anchor the whole base. Common mistake: applying too thick a coat can hide texture. Use thin layers and let them dry.
- 2. Drybrush Ivory Tusk over raised areas: Load a drybrush with a small amount of Ivory Tusk, then wipe most of it off on a paper towel until the brush is almost dry. Lightly brush over the base surface, focusing on edges, rocks, and any texture. This highlights the raised details. Checkpoint: If the brush leaves streaks, it is too wet. Wipe more paint off and try again.
- 3. Add a second highlight for extra contrast (optional): Mix a tiny amount of Ivory Tusk with white or a lighter bone color, then drybrush very lightly over the highest points. This step is optional but adds depth for display-quality bases. Common mistake: over-highlighting makes the base look dusty. Keep the second pass very light.
Paints used in this guide
- Scorched Earth - Two Thin Coats: Scorched Earth is a shadow category paint from the Duncan Rhodes Painting Academy Two Thin Coats range. Shadow paints are designed to be darker and more opaque, making them ideal for base layers like dirt and mud without needing multiple coats.
Scorched Earth - Two Thin Coats - Ivory Tusk - Two Thin Coats: Ivory Tusk is a midtone category paint from the same range. Midtones have a balanced opacity and a slight sheen, perfect for drybrushing over dark bases to pick out texture without overpowering the shadow.
Ivory Tusk - Two Thin Coats
