How to Make Trees and Shrubs


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looks nice, what did you use to glue the materials to the tree?
Dave
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Hi Dave and Jim thanks for your kind words/compliments! =) I didn't left this forum but I'm still in tree"business"...well it takes/grabs~!!) almost all the spare time I have( can you believe it is still my hobby? lol...)
About glueing the materials on the branches:
I use sprayglue ( out of a can/ratle can???) When buying a can of sprayglue you have to know if the opening of the nozlle is not to wide and that the "cloud"of spray is very fine so your frame will not be coverde with a thick layer of sprayglue!!
Some people use hairspray but this stuff doesn't glue that good as the glue out of a spraycan.
btw: I use : BISON sprayglue ...a fine spray and the leaves stick immeadiatly on the fibers!
So watching for the right sprayglue I think you have to compare some spray glues and work with the one you think is the best...( yhat is/was the way I did/do..;-) )
One thing is important too :
spray over the branches/fibers ...NOT on it( tryed to make a drawing...)sorry The words on the drawing are in german language and say: only touching the ends of the fibers( with glue)
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Jos
 
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olive tree ready

my latest efforts to make a olive tree .....;)
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The tree is actualy made for scale 1: 72 so the VW car looks a litlle bit to small....

Jos
 
Jos, that almost looks like a really old cork tree too. The good thing about trees is they really don't have a scale, within reason. I would have just thought that was a big tree if you hadn't mentioned it was designed for a diferent scale.
 
It's the time of the year to post this kind of pictures...;-)
finaly found "my" christmastree and , this time, decorated it . Took me 2 days!! COOOOLD it was..frozen fingertips too!
here the result of 2 days of hard labour/decorating...and finaly: hot chocolate!!! hmmmm
picture was taken with cellphone so not that high quality as usual...
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to bad there isn't small enough light bulbs to make real tree lights. That would be cool. I've been making ponderosa pines and having a great time - I'll post photos soon.
Dave
 
Here is my next installment of trees. I went big this time and worked on some Ponderosa Pines this time. I used dowel rods and some decorative plant from Michale's art store that I painted flat dark green and added foam.

Please let me know what you think.
Dave

Tree one:
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Tree two:
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Hi Dave,

I haven't seen ever a ponderosa pine tree in real..only by googeling..:eek:
And I have to say it/they look very good!
I like the "transparant"look of the trees...
Imagine a big forrest( about 12-15 )of such kind big trees!! I think, no ...I know THAT will look awesome!!
Thanks for showing your "pieces of art";)

Jos
 
Jos,
You are the master tree modeler here. I hope I can make trees as well as you do. I was just looking at what you did on the other forum and I can't figure out how you did the fiber cover on the 3M Scotch Brite. I'm going looking for the 3M products and the fiber stuff I'm looking for any info you have.
Dave
 
Dave, having seen Ponderosa Pines many times, you have done an excellent job of reproducing the look. As Jos says, now you need a decent size forest to really give it scale.
 
Those are fantastic trees Dave!

How did you make the branches?
How did you make the trunk look like bark?

I'm in the process of designing a logging railroad; therefore, I need to make a ton of Lodge pole Pine trees and large Fir trees. Of course I want them to look as close to the real thing as possible. :)

Thanks
-Ed
 
The branches are Caspian that I painted flat dark green and then added fine ground foam. For the trunk and bark I followed the technique I learned from Darryl Huffman’s DVD on tree making. It’s a great DVD and worth $20 if you plan to make trees like these or other styles as well. To order the DVD you can go to http://www.darrylhu ffman.50megs. com/index_ 2.html and I’m not in any way associated with Darryl so this is my own endorsement. I did change the way I made the trunk of the tree by using a dowel rod and not balsa wood like Darryl uses. I like how the dowel will not wear when you handle the trunk when you build the tree like I expect the balsa would. It was more work to get the dowel to look like bark then balsa I expect but I’m like that. I’ll do more work then I need if I “think” it will help. I’m thinking of selling tree on my site after I figure out if it will be worth it and if there is interest in it so let me know if you would be interested.
Dave
 
Hi Dave,

I made the trunk of the tree by using a dowel rod
Click to expand...

I did the same thing last year too.....but I didn't proceed further with the making of those "redwoods"( well it was planned to make those huge trees....)Till now I did not find a reasonable solution to solve the problem with the many branches placed close and around the trunk till the top.....
But one day...I will solve that "problem" too! :)
yet I made it untill the trunk...:eek:
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Jos
 
OOps ..what kind of colors I used...hmmmm cannot remember any more..
The only thing I know is that it were "Humbrol" -matte- colors...
it was a kind of brickstone red/brown.
I gave it after drying, a washing with indian ink . When this has dryed I did a washing of green( also Humbrol) at/on the lower parts of the trunk...and finaly drybrushed it carefuly with a , little bit lighter, red brown
When coloring modelingparts just watch how it looks in real!
You have to experiment/try/find out what looks the best on YOUR layout with the lightconditions YOU have in the mrr room!

Jos
 
Jos,
YOu make great points about the way it looks on the location you plan to place the model. I'm building for a module now and it can end up in all kinds of places so I'm not as lucky as having it in a controlled train room. The Humbrol paint is nice but expensive here.
Thanks,
Dave
 
Yes it is winter too overhere close to the sea of Holland but we've had that much snow and frost...=( think it has been 20 years ago for the same "amount"of these weatherconditions...
BUT it gave me some "inspiration"...=)
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trees are about 6 inches tall/small.....

Jos
 
Ah, a winter wonderland looks chilling. I like what you have done as it looks like a fresh snow just fell on the trees. We just got a fresh 6” of snow here last night and this is what all the trees look like this morning. It’s beautiful and I wanted to call off work so I could go walking in the woods to get photos of the trees but I didn’t. We should be getting more snow this weekend so I’ll go out then and take photos of winter trees.
I was thinking about doing winter trees covered in snow as well. I was going to use baking soda for the snow. What did you use for the snow on your trees?
Dave
 
Hi Dave,

Well it was not my intention to "modell"snow on the trees :eek: but more like frost...you know when it is/was very foggy and temp are below 0 C ...;)
The "snow "is jus white primer out of a spraycan/rattlecan(?)
I sprayed it twice over the perifery/outside of shape the tree...that's all!
attached a detail/close up
and yes I do love that too: walking through the forrest after fresh snow and making , a lot!!!, pictures of trees from all kind.
The ( caracteristic) shape of the trees are very clearly to observe when a tree is covered( lightly) with snow!( or frost in this case....)


Jos
 
You are right - frost is better than snow covered tree to use for research. I'll let you know if I end up with any good photos this weekend but for now the trees are covered so much it's like the summer except its white not green. The photos do look like frost or ice covered more than snow.
How did you model the armature of the trees?
Dave
 
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