Choosing a Display Base for Resin Figures

A display base gives a figure a stable place to stand and a deliberate place in your collection. A handsome plinth is useful only if the actual kit fits it.

This guide is for an unpainted resin character kit: 1. the sculpt may already include a designed base; 2. the assembled footprint can extend beyond its feet; 3. an extra plinth changes the final height. Measure those things before buying another support.

Remerlinds makes resin figure kits in the Netherlands. You assemble and paint your chosen project after delivery; the kit-selection section below explains which listing details matter when planning its display.

Start with the base supplied by the sculpt

Identify what the figure is designed to stand on before choosing anything decorative. A scenic base, a keyed foot connection and an optional wooden plinth do different jobs.

The supplied base is part of the sculpt's assembly. It may locate a foot, support a prop or connect several parts of a scene. A plinth is an additional presentation block underneath that arrangement. Adding one does not require replacing the original base, and replacing the original can remove support that the pose depends on.

Lay out the parts and compare them with the listing images. Find the intended contact points. Check which parts can be dry-fitted without force and which need support during that check. Keep small accessories separate until they are needed. An impressive assembled render can hide the practical order in which the kit goes together.

If a connection is unclear, stop there and ask about it. Do not trim a locating peg, fill an unfamiliar opening or drill through the base just to make an imagined layout work. The simplest display may be the base already in the box, painted to complement the character.

Measure the whole figure, not its scale label

Measure the assembled arrangement in three directions: width, depth and height. Include the scenic base, hair, cape, weapon and effects parts that will remain on the finished piece.

A nominal figure height does not specify a safe plinth diameter. Two figures with the same standing height can have very different poses. One may hold everything close to its body; another may lean forward with a long weapon. Likewise, a fractional scale and a measurement in millimetres describe different things and should not be treated as interchangeable.

Record the footprint of the supplied base separately from the outer envelope of the whole figure. The plinth needs to support the base properly. The surrounding display space needs to accommodate the wider envelope without neighbouring figures or cabinet doors touching it. A weapon can overhang a plinth visually, but that overhang still needs physical clearance.

Make a paper template of the candidate plinth and place it where the figure will live. Try opening the cabinet door and reaching past that position. Add the proposed plinth height to the figure's total height before comparing it with a cover's internal dimensions. External case dimensions are not automatically usable space.

• Measure the actual assembly, including its highest and widest parts.
• Separate the support footprint from the clearance around the figure.
• Check the shelf or cover before committing to a plinth.

Choose material for the display you want

Choose a plinth material by its finish, usable mounting area and suitability for the complete assembly. Material alone does not tell you whether a base will be stable.

Wood gives a clear visual boundary between a painted scene and the shelf. A plain stained or painted block can work well when the character already has a detailed scenic base. Check that the top is flat, the underside sits evenly and any proposed fastening can be made without splitting or breaking through the piece.

A scenic resin base adds ground detail, but it should suit the figure's original connections. Treat an unrelated scenic base as a conversion project, not a universal accessory. Similar-looking rockwork does not mean the feet or locating pegs will fit. Confirm dimensions and attachment arrangements before ordering it.

Clear acrylic can make the support less visually prominent. It still has visible edges, reflections and a real thickness. Check the supplier's guidance for drilling, adhesives and cleaning; a treatment that suits resin or painted wood may damage the acrylic. Do not use an unverified solvent to remove a fingerprint or glue mark.

Metal can add mass, but a heavy, narrow base is not automatically the right answer to every leaning pose. Consider the whole assembly and how it will be carried. Choose a ready-made mounting solution where possible rather than making unfamiliar metalworking operations part of a first figure project.

Check balance before permanent mounting

Test the planned arrangement on a flat, secure work surface while supporting loose parts. Look for rocking, an uneven base and a pose that puts too much weight toward one edge.

First distinguish two problems. A figure can be poorly attached to its own base, or the complete figure-and-base assembly can be prone to tipping. Reinforcing the attachment does not necessarily cure tipping. A wider support may improve the overall arrangement, but it cannot repair a weak joint inside the figure.

Use the dry-fit to decide the orientation on the plinth. Turn the scene until the intended front reads clearly and any overhang has space. Check from the side as well as the front. A pose that looks balanced in a photograph can still place a fragile part exactly where you would reach to lift it.

Do not test stability by wobbling a loose, top-heavy figure until it falls. Support it throughout the assessment. If the assembly needs substantial structural changes to stand safely, resolve those changes before painting. Ask for help with an uncertain connection rather than adding an oversized pin or a large quantity of glue.

Plan mounting and drilling before finishing

Work out any holes, pins and attachment points while the parts are still easy to handle. Dry-fitting and drilling after the final paintwork adds an avoidable risk to that finish.

A metal pin can help locate and reinforce a suitable connection, but it needs enough sound material around its hole. There is no universal drilling depth for a figure's foot or scenic base. Inspect the real thickness and the route of the hole. A small external part may be hollow or contain less material than its silhouette suggests.

Mark the intended positions and test the alignment without adhesive. Use a manual pin vise for controlled work on suitable small resin parts, support the piece and keep fingers out of the drilling path. Stop if the bit binds or the part flexes. Do not use the tool to force two mismatched holes into alignment.

For bonding, choose an adhesive whose manufacturer supports both materials in the joint. Check its preparation, mixing, working-time and full-cure instructions. A label saying that a glue bonds metal does not establish compatibility with every printed resin, painted surface or clear plastic.

Keep the planned bonding faces free of paint where practical. Otherwise the connection may depend on the paint film as well as the adhesive. Support the assembly without crushing delicate surfaces while the chosen adhesive cures. A joint that holds itself upright is not necessarily ready to carry the whole figure.

• Resolve mounting geometry before decorative finishing.
• Let the available material determine whether a pin is appropriate.
• Check adhesive compatibility and full cure for the actual joint.

Finish the plinth without crowding the character

Let the figure and its existing scene set the visual emphasis. An added plinth can stay quiet, with a tidy edge and a small palette that supports the paintwork above it.

Try the planned colours on a spare sample before finishing the plinth. View that sample beside the figure's main colours under the light where it will be displayed. A surface that looks subtle on the workbench can become strongly reflective under a cabinet lamp.

Keep textures away from locating points and planned glue contacts. Loose decorative material should not prevent the supplied base from sitting flat. Work through the base supplier's preparation and coating instructions, allowing the relevant drying and curing stages rather than using one overnight rule for every material.

For a scenic arrangement, decide what the added ground contributes. A little texture can connect the character to a setting; an unrelated pile of scenery can obscure the pose and complicate handling. Make a removable layout first. It is easier to remove an idea from a paper plan than from a finished resin base.

Our guide to making figure bases covers the scenic treatment itself. This article's job is the supporting display arrangement: fit, mounting and clearance.

Protect the finished arrangement and handle it sensibly

Plan how you will lift and dust the piece before putting it on the shelf. A display that is easy to maintain is more useful than one that demands a risky grip every time.

Carry the supported assembly with both hands where needed, holding the substantial base rather than a weapon, hair tip or outstretched arm. Do not assume the newest glued joint is ready simply because the rest of the paintwork is finished. Check the adhesive's instructions before moving the figure into its display position.

A cover can reduce settled dust and accidental contact. It does not automatically block all damaging light or make a sunny window suitable for resin. Leave enough space for the cover to be lifted without brushing against the highest accessory. Measure the lid's path as well as its final position.

Keep the display away from direct sunlight and sources of heat. For a clear cover, follow its maker's cleaning guidance and keep the cleaning operation separate from the figure. Dust the figure gently with a clean, soft brush where the paint finish allows it. Avoid snagging loose fibres on fine parts.

Choose a Remerlinds kit with the display in mind

Choose the character first, then check its dimensions and supplied base arrangement. Remerlinds sells unpainted figure projects; a separate display plinth is a choice you make for the finished piece.

The anime figure kit collection offers character-led projects with different silhouettes and scenic arrangements. Open the individual listing and check its scale image and included parts. Do not assume that every chibi has the same height or that every full-size figure has the same footprint.

The current Remerlinds FAQ explains that custom bases for figures and chibis are not offered. Some 75 mm kits are listed, but that size is not universal across the catalogue. Busts are planned; check current listings for what is available now.

Bronze, Silver and Gold concern preparation work, not the dimensions of an extra plinth. All kits remain unpainted; Gold includes primer. Confirm the listing and finish choice, and keep any optional display support separate in your project plan.

Recommended reading

• Pinning resin figures helps you decide whether a connection can safely accept reinforcement.
• Drilling resin figures covers controlled hole-making before an irreversible cut.
• Reducing resin yellowing explains the limits of display lighting and protective coatings.

Make a full-size paper plan

Before buying a plinth, draw its footprint on paper and write down the assembled figure's width, depth and height. Place the template on the intended shelf. Check the supplied base, the cabinet door and your lifting route. Once those agree, choose the finish and mounting method.