Terrain stamps allow you to create detailed bases and scenery at a fraction of the cost of buying resin bases.
I interviewed Stephen from Happy Seppuku Model Works a few days ago as a precursor to reviewing their newest Kickstarter – The Stampede! I reviewed their first Kickstarter a few years back while also looking at the uses of terrain stamps and was glad to have the opportunity to take a look at their newest offerings.
You can see a couple examples below. The base on the right was painted by a friend of mine while painting his first miniature. Ever. It demonstrates how you can sculpt additional details into stamped stuff and how easy stamping is as this was the first time he’s done any work with putty.
It’s that easy.
Apologies for this being last minute. Happy Seppuku sent me a sampling of some of their stamps to review, but customs decided to sit on it for a little while. I’ve stayed up late to write this for you because this is the last day for the Kickstarter. It ends Tomorrow at 3am EST / Tonight at midnight PST. If you do happen to miss it, their store will likely see the newer stamps added in the near future.
Just click on through to read a review of their newest stamps, including a comparison to what they created previously.
My overall impression is:
The new stamps from Happy Seppuku Model Works offer far more detail than their previous ones in both subtle and strong ways. The flexible surface allows you to line details up with bases and texture scenery as well. The new size means they’ll pack up very easily in a small container and the premium stamp block will make larger or detailed jobs much easier. There were only a few imperfections to be found in the stamps and nothing that would impact your hobbying.
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| Rattan Mat |
Level of Detail
There’s a variety of styles available, some with very fine detail like the Rattan Mat and others with sharp details like the Sinister Hive. Despite how fine the details are and the stamps being softer, the texture still comes through once stamped. (As you’ll see below.) These sharply detailed stamps still create detail well. The soft stamping material is quite versatile.
There’s a great range in designs this time around. In addition to all the previous stamps being available as add-ons, there are more urban and natural settings as well as man-made roof, wall and floor options.
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| Sinister Hive |
Stamp Comparison
For anyone familiar with the new stamps, I have a couple comparisons here.
The old stamps had some sharper details, but the new ones have a higher level of detail. For example, the borders around the planks of wood are more visible on the old stamp, but cleaner on the new one. In the end, it means the new stamps look better.
The new stamps are also far more flexible, allowing you to press texture on 3D surfaces as demonstrated in this video. They’re a little smaller than the last set of stamps, but plenty large enough to texture bases with variety.
The first stamps I reviewed had some problems with air bubbles in the mold. (You can see a few of them in the old photo below.) I’ve found a few bubbles on the new stamps, but they’re few and far between – certainly nothing to be concerned about as part of the first Kickstarter was buying equipment to prevent them from forming.
Premium Stamp Block
A plastic block is included that the stamps can be easily mounted on. In testing, it’s handy but not necessary. If you were doing a quick one off with strong details, you can get by just by pressing the stamp onto the base. For stamps with finer details like the Rattan Mat or if you had a lot of bases to make, having a strong backing to push down on will make things a lot easier.
Space Saving
Their stamps don’t take up much space at all and will easily pack away in a 3″ x 3″ space. This is a big leap from the small box I keep my previous stamps in.
Stamping Examples
I’ve set out a number of bases and an old paint pot covered in Green Stuff. Below you’ll see some examples of how some of the varieties of detail come through the finished products. I’m also stamping the old wood pattern to compare it to the new one.
Don’t forget to wet the putty before stamping. This will prevent things from sticking together.
Flex and Press
As I mentioned above, you have a few options for how to stamp. The first is just by pressing the stamp against the base. Because they’re flexible, you can line up the detail to the base exactly where you want it then press it strongly.
Stamp Block
The other option is to mount the stamp on its block and press. Little trickier to line things up, but much firmer to blow through a bunch of bases quickly.
Curved Surfaces
Had a little trouble taking pictures WHILE pressing around the object, but I found the easiest way was to press against one side, roll it to the next side while pressing firmly, then keep rolling to whatever other sides need to be done.
If you try to press it on all at once, you’ll end up with pockets and uneven texture.
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