How to Make Trees and Shrubs


So i wanted to ask , can i use fibers from a fish filter that iv bought (for my fishes , there's some left over ) in a pet shop , and do i use hair spray to glue the leafs.

yes you can!!
I did/do the same with these fibers!
I use a lot of the blue stuff !
But NOT glueing with hairspray but with sprayglue! and when totaly = including the leaves....ready : spraying twice with varnish mat from out a spraycan.

Jos
 
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Glue

but i don't know where to upload them
Go to the main page and look for the FAQ. Go to Reading and posting messages. Under that is attachments and images, which has full instruction on how to upload images.
and do i use hair spray to glue the leafs

I use spray glue to attach the fibers. When I sprinkle on the ground foam/foliage I just use hair spray. Spray glue is stronger but more expensive.
-Ned
 
Modeling paste for Bark

I found an item at a craft store that looked like it could be very good for tree modeling. Windsor Newton Heavy Carvable Modeling paste. I sounded easier than Jos' sawdust / white glue method. So far I am very happy with the results.

The package is labeled in several different languages so It is probably widely available.
View attachment 23189

Here is a close up. The white one is my first wire armature. The texture from the paste should be visible. I just painted it on and haven't yet done any carving or modifying the trunk. It took several layers to cover because I was sloppy with my twisting of the wires. I learned how important it is to be neat when bending the wires.

Jos do you have any tips for twisting the wires?

The other armature is just getting started but I put it there to show that one layer of the paste covered well when the wiring is done neatly.
View attachment 23190

This last picture is to show the side stakes for the log flat car. I hope the picture shows the texture well. They are simply brass wire with a coat of the paste painted on. It makes a great texture just with a brush but you can carve it for more grain if you wish. (I still need to work on the coloring of the side stakes)

This is great to give some texture to dead branches modeled with bare wire.
View attachment 23191
Happy Modeling - Ned
 
Can i use hair spray when adding the sawdust, recess of tee, or what aver i want to make the leafs on the filter fibers , is it sticky and strong enough , dont know where i cloud find spray glue????
ps:THANKS!
 
Hair spray vs spray glue.

Can i use hair spray when adding the sawdust, recess of tee, or what aver i want to make the leafs on the filter fibers , is it sticky and strong enough , dont know where i cloud find spray glue????
ps:THANKS!

Hair spray is not very strong. Cheap hair spray is the best. I have read that it is simply spray lacquer. So it is only as strong as paint:)

Spray glue is made by 3M company or Elmers and others. A hardware store, artist supply store or craft store should have it. If not available near you I am sure it is available over the internet.
 
Ned Carey:

Jos do you have any tips for twisting the wires?

Yes I have!
it has to do only and mostly by making loops...small ones for the pine/firtrees and larger ones to make all other kind of trees.
You have to work very carefully , acuratly and neat ....it will take some time to learn that "skil' but at the end the trunks will be "smoother" more straight , specialy when making long trunks for tall pinetrees!
here a picture of the twisted N scale frame that is goin to be a pine/fir tree
th_dennenboomframedraadN2010juli.jpg

this is a picture of how the top of the firtree can be made/modelled:
th_Munchtoppinetree2010okt.jpg

the same frame but now I cut the loops and bend the wires/branches in the right shape , painted with primer and added with MDF sawdust and some sieved fine turf from WS
th_NedNscalesawdust.jpg


Jos
 
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Ned Carey:
Yes I have!
it has to do only and mostly by making loops...

Thanks Jos. I have seen a couple of those pictures earlier in the thread and were helpful. Especially the part about the loops -Two branches for the work of one. :)

I was thinking more in terms of how do you hold it. Do you put the core pin in a vise? Do you use piers to hold the trunk or to pull on the twisted wires. I find starting new wires especially difficult.

Also how do you twist the wires around branches like the picture below. I find all the other branches get in the way. Is this just practice?
f_efi6csmci3sm_cb0ac17.jpg


Thank you - Ned
 
Hi everyone , today when i was in a toy shop where i both my revell models , iv asked about which glue cloud i use for the grass and leafs (iv explained all the details) , and they sad i cloud try using glue that is used for gluing puzzles .
So what do you think is it a good idea ?????
And of course THANKS! :)
 
Glue for puzzles is usually paint on, or spread on glue. You want some type of spray glue to glue leaves/foliage.

The glue they are referring to may be "Matte Medium" or "Gloss Medium" which is basically acrylic paint without the color. This can be thinned down and put into a pump spray bottle to glue the foliage. Scenic Express or Woodland Scenics both sell pre thinned matt medium and spray bottles.

A good art supply store or craft store will have several white glues that can be thinned enough to spray. You car reuse an old household spray cleaner bottle to spray with.
 
Hello ned,

Of course , part of it is practise !;)
But it is also a kind of try and error...
I made a drawing of how I make more twigs/branches out of a big loopthat was cut in two parts , or 2 wires...
The wire nr.7 is mostly half the length of the other wires that were twisted around the "core"wire
About handling the frame while "working'on it by twisting all the wires:I hold/keep the wireduring the modelling /twisting all the time in my hands..... I just bent the branches away from the part I am working on when frame is ready I bent all the branches back in the right possition. Sometimes yes i hurt myself on the sharp ends of the floristicwires but thats only in the beginning ...lets say the first 5 years....=))
Hope it makes it a litlle bit more understandble?

Jos
 
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Lets talk tree fibers.

Jos and others,

I am still a little confused about fibers to use after the basic wire branch structure is made. I have experimented with different types of fibers and I am not totally happy yet. Woodland Scenics Poly fiber, static grass, Sweetwater Scenery Fibers)

As I look at the pictures Jos has posted I see different types of fibers used. Some are straight and some are curly. Some of them are individual fibers, some are part of fibrous clumps, pads (eg; Scotch brite pads, Woodland Scenics poly fiber)

My first question:
Why do you use different types of fibers? Are you just experimenting? Or do you chose different fibers for different trees?

f_KopievanHObm_bae6d0d.jpg


I really like the fibers in the picture above. Are these individual fibers or some Type of Poly Fiber like Woodland Scenics that you have carefully stretched on?

f_RRLbrownfibm_4f97b5f.jpg


Also are the fibers above Individual fibers? You said "the latest kind of fibers: bought in a flower decoration shp!!" I am not sure what you mean by a flower decoration shop. Is this a store that sells Fresh flowers? Do they sell artificial flowers or dried flowers? Do you have a specific product name?

What I would really like is curly individual fibers like those above that I can sprinkle on.

kopievankopievanp110021.jpg

The fibers on the tree above look great! Jos you could do a fantastic job of modeling winter bare trees. Are these fibers the same as the above pics?

f_1wfxcyn92apm_8dab150.jpg


In the picture above you have used all straight fibers. Is this because it is a pine tree, or more just experimenting? The 6mm fibers, did you buy them, or cut longer fibers to length?

I saw you posts about aquarium filter fibers. When I was a kid my aquarium used "angel Hair" filter material that looked like this. But over here in the US all I see is Pad type filters. Mostly expensive pre-packaged to fit a specific filter.

Today do you have one favorite type of fiber and where did you get it? Or do you keep using different types?

Thank you so much for you replies. :)

Ned Carey
 
hallo Ned,

Today do you have one favorite type of fiber and where did you get it? Or do you keep using different types?

Right now I use mostly the fibers of "DECOTWISTER"...it is an artificial fiber used overhere in the flowerindustry/flowerships...
http://www.bloemschik.nl/p1750/Deco-Twister-Mocca.aspx
Is is, I think, not that common in the USA actualy it is still not available overthere, at your place= the USA.

Indeed in the beginning I used the blue fibres used in filters of aquaria but I aaaalways had to color/spray them before adding the fine 2 mm grassfibers.
With the decotwisterfibers I just can continue right away...that means a lot to me when sometimes making 50 trees a week.

....and yes..I still experiment with those fibers and I think I will experiment with all kind of materials to wich I think they could be usefull to make scenery and specialy vegetation/trees/shrubs etc...

The fibers on the first picture are the same "Mocca"colored fibers from decotwister.
I cut them first in small parts of max. 1/2 an inch and than added on the ready frame with sprayglue .

The fibers on the tree above look great! Jos you could do a fantastic job of modeling winter bare trees. Are these fibers the same as the above pics?[/

yep the same fibers! only used spars and adding some more 6 mm grassfibers and after these long 6 mmgrassfibers some 2 mm grassfibers . I colored all these fibers first with a very darkbrown spray and than weathered the tree with lighter colors also out of s spraycanand the trunk with acrylpaint using the drybrush method...

In the picture above you have used all straight fibers. Is this because it is a pine tree, or more just experimenting? The 6mm fibers, did you buy them, or cut longer fibers to length?

Yes indeed because it is a N scale pinetree but it was too one of my experiments!
"Today" I use too : first some decotwister fibers on the HO frame of the pinetree and than some 6 mm grassfibers.....

those 6 mm grassfibers were bought in the mrrshop and available too in your country( Woodland scenics??) The color, I use for pinetrees, is mostly dark green. So they are not very short cutted fibers from decotwister.

I hope I didn't miss a question?;)

Jos
 
Thank you Jos!

Thank you for the reply! ! !

I sent an e-mail to Bloemschik to see if they can ship to the USA. I hope someone there can read English.

I wonder if this is the same stuff. http://www.micromark.com/BLACK-and-BROWN-POLY-FIBER-4-OZ,9033.htmlMicro Mark is an American company and easy for me to order from. Because the picture shown with it is a European RR perhaps they are importing the same material you use.

I saw a discussion on a German forum where you were telling an Italian where to get the Dutch Deco twister Fibers. You are making this stuff world famous:)

- Ned
 
Hello Ned,

I've watched the picture carefuly and can't say/tell if these polyfibers are the same as the "Decotwister"fibers....If those brown/blackpolyfibers are the same as those of Woodland..I think you shouldd give it a try to order some from "overhere"( from "Bloemschik")
these fibers are "tougher"/stronger(?) than the fibers from WS.
If you don't get respons to the E-mail you send to Bloemschik...just let me know..( PM me) may be I can arrange something! ;)

Jos
 
Twister colors

Bloemschik returned my e-mail and said they can ship to the USA. I will order Mocca.

Do you use any other colors? I thought Silver or Black may be good especially for winter or dead trees- or better just to paint? The greens all look to bright /artificial for me.

Thank you - Ned
 
Hello Ned,

Do you use any other colors?

yes...I use of course Mocca, and other darkcolored fibers, like "Sisal", "Terra"and "Donker naturel"....
When the overalcolor is not the way I think it should be ...I just paint it all over!( very quickly with spraypaint: camouflage colors!
Sisal mostly for small shrubs or trees with very lightcolored twigs specialy for the autumn "indiansummer" trees!( it is just a trick to let the tree look more brighter as it stands in/under the autumnsun!!)

Jos
 
Hy everyone does anyone know how can i make regular white glue (wood glue) more stickier ??????????
Thanks!

There's no way that I know of - the problem is that white glue, when wet, readily sticks to what ever you apply it to, but doesn't stick to itself - so no bond until it dries. And it isn't tacky for very long, quickly forming a skin when left exposed.
I'd suggest using rubber cement, which you can thin to whatever consistency you like with rubber cement thinner. Very sticky stuff.
 
Quick Cedar trees

Here are some quick, easy and cheap to make evergreens. I call them cedar trees because the shape is very close to the Red Cedar in my front yard.

I bought some fake stems at a craft store. The label says; Interior Accents Fashion Stems. The back says distributed by Jo Ann Stores inc Each piece was $2.99 and would make 15-20, four to seven inch trees.
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After cutting off the armatures, I added some molding paste to the stem to give it a bark texture. I colored the bark simply by dipping it in an Alcohol/India ink mixture.

Using you favorite glue (I use spray glue) sprinkle on Static grass. The static grass I have is a light color but I think that step alone could make these look very good with the right color grass. Lastly I sprinkled on fine ground foam.

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And here they are planted on my diorama. While these are quick and dirty background trees, with a little care they could be made to be foreground trees. - Ned
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Nice! Kind of neat, I like those guess I'll have to try that, hopefully Wal Mart will have the sprues or something similar.

Cheers
Willis
 



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