Dead birch

[zoegraf]

I've been experimenting lately with various types of sage brush and made these four dead birch trees. I dry brushed white paint on them then applied small black markings to give it the bark-look. Not quite happy yet with the results.
Whenever I get the time, I will definitely attempt to try to make some trees by using grove den's methods and techniques. After seeing his trees, I feel like clearcutting on my layout.

 

[RW&C]

The gangly shapes still shout "I'm a stick!" but the paint's good. Overall they're good, better than a lot of what I've come up with. Good work, and good luck improving them.

 

[grove den]

Hi Zoegraf,

Just like RW&C wrotes: color is fine but , indeed, they look like "sticks" or at least as the last/final part of "the life of a dead tree"...
may be try to get(?) collect same roots of a Buxus sempervirens..pull off the thin upper layer and let them dry one night . make a mix of Glycerin and water and keep the roots for about 48 hours in it ...let dry and if you want you can paint the roots in any color and they will stay "flexible" for years!
They look very detailed !
Your scenery looks great (and I don't mean it just " btw"...)

Jos

 

[zoegraf]

The gangly shapes still shout "I'm a stick!" but the paint's good. Overall they're good, better than a lot of what I've come up with. Good work, and good luck improving them.

Thanks. All I had was these sticks left. I'm glad I didn't didn't throw them out and experimented painting them.
What inspired me to make them is; I saw some dead birch trees last week amongst some trees in full bloom while driving along the highway and noticed they hardly had any branches left on them.
I will eventually make them into fallen trees once I get the time to get more to work with. I try to save all my experiments to use for something else on my layout.
Cheers.

 

[zoegraf]

Hi Zoegraf,

Just like RW&C wrotes: color is fine but , indeed, they look like "sticks" or at least as the last/final part of "the life of a dead tree"...
may be try to get(?) collect same roots of a Buxus sempervirens..pull off the thin upper layer and let them dry one night . make a mix of Glycerin and water and keep the roots for about 48 hours in it ...let dry and if you want you can paint the roots in any color and they will stay "flexible" for years!
They look very detailed !
Your scenery looks great (and I don't mean it just " btw"...)

Jos

Thanks Grove Den for the inspiring words and the info.
They kind of look like the final part of the life of the tree, but they would have to have more bark missing. I think I will cut them up (after I make some new ones with branches) and put them into the back of a pickup truck.
I still aspire to make trees like you do. Some day I will put as much effort and time into making trees as I do in laying and detailing my track.
Cheers.

 

[eTraxx]

Buxus sempervirens .. had to look that up. Oh. Boxwood. I believe that's what I have out front. Still .. not up-rooting it for roots! .. would be interesting though if I got arrested for doing that at the local Lowes ... :/

 

[grove den]

He he he ...No Ed NOT the whole plant ...
just on one side dig with a ( sharp) spade and cut of carefully about max. 3 strong roots with the smal fine roots on it . Try to undo the roots carefully fom the soil, for example in a tub with water ..and you'll have, almost, some "dead"trunks/trees!
The Boxwood, if healthy, won't noticed it and will make new roots within a week! .....but if the region your living in is very dry during this time/summer, just wait 'till autumn( october/november)
I have to know b'cause I am a gardener and did/do this all year through!

Jos

 

[eTraxx]

Jos. Beyond the boxwoods, there is a jungle of woody plants right next to my house - worth taking a look at their roots too.