Painting names on bases.....

This is something I wish to do but have some questions. Are these all painted freehand or is there more of system going on somehow? I'm particularly jealous of Skavenblight's naming of bases with her Averlanders which you can see here. I've had a look for letter by letter transfers but can't find any small enough.

Any offers?

I've seen tiny letter templates sold in craft stores before (Michael's here in the US). It's just a plastic sheet with the shapes of letters missing so you can paint a clean letter using a brush or spray. I'd guess you have something similar over there.

All of the named bases I've seen here on TBMF appear to have been painted freehand. I imagine with a little bit of practice you can get relatively clean lettering. The best part is that since it's freehand on a flat surface, if you mess up, you can just paint over it and try again.

I don't know about transfers, I think anything that small would be too annoying for me to use, clumsy git that I am.

However, I have had success with painting it freehand - the trick is to use just the tip of the brush, and make sure your paint is nicely watered down, thin enough to easily spread yet not too thin that it doesn't stick. And also to not try and write the whole letter in one go, break it down into individul strokes, for example an A would be one stroke down at an angle, another at the opposite angle, and a horizontal stroke ( like / \ -), or an S would be broken into 3 angled strokes.

Alternatively, there are very fine point paint pens available, and I know there are a lot of people that use them instead, and it's a lot easier to write on than it is to paint on, so that could be another avenue to pursue.

Lettering is REALLY not that difficult to master, AND it will prove to be a VERY useful skill to acquire. A couple of things to remember:
Don't use a long bristled brush.
Count the number of letters AND spaces; start your lettering in the middle & letter in both directions from the center letter/space.
Practicing on a piece of card or paper is a good idea; it will give you a feel for the beasty.
Since the base will be handled frequently, be sure to apply a protective finish,

With a little belief in your abilities, you CAN do just about anything you put your mind & hand to...well maybe NOT flying off the roof under your own power, but otherwise...

MAybe you can use this

http://www.impactminiatures.com/index.php?option=basing_profile&id=SP_SAN3

I've hand painted lettering myself, but why not just get a fine point sharpie? It's not like it's cheating or something, use the right tool for the right job!

Managed to find a chalk paint pen. Has the advantage of wiping off with a damp cotton wool bud and showing up nicely on my black base edging. Thanks for all the suggestions guys.