How to Make Trees and Shrubs
- Thread starter grove den
- Start date
Here's a great video using many of the examples set out in this thread (with a "shout out" to Jos 
), 3 parts. My apologies if this has been posted already:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV9wIHUR7Ho&feature=relmfu
), 3 parts. My apologies if this has been posted already:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BV9wIHUR7Ho&feature=relmfu
grove den
naturally natural trees
Montanan:
Thanks for the picture with the sagebrush trees!
Wish we had such a kind of "materials" for the trunk and branches!
Ian:
I know about these "you tube" vids ! they are indeed great !
I am very/feel proud because he found/discovered this thread too before making those trees! He linked this thread on another forum
He is a true master in modelling in N scale!!!
And of course an image of some trees...this time I tried to make the same firtrees but this time in N scale= 3-5 inches:
Jos
Thanks for the picture with the sagebrush trees!
Wish we had such a kind of "materials" for the trunk and branches!
Ian:
I know about these "you tube" vids ! they are indeed great !
I am very/feel proud because he found/discovered this thread too before making those trees! He linked this thread on another forum
He is a true master in modelling in N scale!!!
And of course an image of some trees...this time I tried to make the same firtrees but this time in N scale= 3-5 inches:
Jos
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Chet has the sagebrush trees covered. I thought I would post some pics of an alternative method to sagebrush as trunk material. These trees were made using Woodland Scenic armatures as a starting point and then adding the dried plant material from a Scenic Express SuperTree kit. The real plant name is TELOXYS ARISTATA according to some others who have researched it (http://www.botanicalgarden.ubc.ca/forums/showthread.php?t=5052). I use Hobb-e-tac to glue the branches to the armature. Then spray with my favorite adhesive spray and sprinkle with the desired ground cover/leaf flake and you're done. Here is some trees I made this afternoon. One other tip I can share, I stole my wife's old coffee grinder and use it to grind course ground foam into finer texture - or - use the grinder to pulverize dried clay clumps I've taken from the woods/yard near the house. Since I'm modeling lines from my area, I am able to use earth/dirt as an exact match. It's very helpful to be able to get a very fine texture.
[/url]
Untitled by BillBPA1, on Flickr[/IMG]
They are randomly stuck in some extruded foam awaiting placement on the layout.
Untitled by BillBPA1, on Flickr[/IMG]
They are randomly stuck in some extruded foam awaiting placement on the layout.
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montanan
Whiskey Merchant
I really enjoyed the information. One reason I use the sagebrush is because I am cheap ! The stuff is all over the place out here, but I will have to look into the foliage. I have no hobby shops at all in my area and will have to look online to see if I can find other options. I figure my cost per tree is nothing but the foliage, maybe about 40 cents a tree.
After I posted last night I spent about an hour trying to find some site online that sold the foliage. I was only able to find an online shop in the UK which sold the seeds to "grow your own". So if anyone finds a shop which sells this plant dried, please post back here. I also looked as Scenic Express last night and they are out of stock.
By the way, Chet, the SuperTree kit includes a sample of sagebrush to use as a tree base, so cheap or not, seems like you are on the right track!
By the way, Chet, the SuperTree kit includes a sample of sagebrush to use as a tree base, so cheap or not, seems like you are on the right track!
grove den
naturally natural trees
Maybe try in Germany...?
http://www.architekturbedarf.de/index.php/katalog/showarticles/183500-1-seemoos.html
Or may be "closer " and try the shops/stores that sell stuff for architect materials??
Jos
http://www.architekturbedarf.de/index.php/katalog/showarticles/183500-1-seemoos.html
Or may be "closer " and try the shops/stores that sell stuff for architect materials??
Jos
I was searching worldwide. I wouldn't have seen the site you posted, since my search was for sites in english. I did find a modeler's thread which also listed a vendor in Belgium who also sells the plant.
I will have to keep looking. Please post if anyone finds a store in the US.
thanks again,
-bill
I will have to keep looking. Please post if anyone finds a store in the US.
thanks again,
-bill
Some more smaller firtrees in H0 and some "autumn"bush/shrubs...
the tree in the front is about max.3 inches.
Jos
Superb!
I can envision myself hiking through that scene or having a picnic.
Some more smaller firtrees in H0 and some "autumn"bush/shrubs...
the tree in the front is about max.3 inches.
Jos
How are you forming the branches on these pines? I could see using a bottle brush for the main branch structure, but the actual short branches that host the needles are perfect here. How do you do that? Apologies if you have explained elsewhere in the post - if you have detailed that, just tell me to look!
thanks,
-bill
grove den
naturally natural trees
Thanks Zoegraf and
Hello Bill,
Here a short how to:
The frames were made of floristic wires: corewire= 1,2 mm and the branches are made of 0,4 mm wires, twisted around the core wire....
here a pic of the top of a H0 frame firtree:
Cutting the loops ( conical to the top)and bend them straight...just like the branches of a firtree.
Primer the frames and when dry add some fine turf( just a litlle bit deluted whiteglue) or very fine sawdust on the trunk to imm the bark.
Dip/paint the dry frame in/with cheap latexwallpaint( dark browngreysch or something like that aand let dry.
The space between the branches/loops are about at least/ min. 6 -8 turns/twistings (????)around the core wire.
so something like this one( H0)
A pict of the frames in steps. The last one= added with the fine turf is not shown....
The foliage of the trees are made only with 6 and 2 mm grasfibers for the small branches and very fine sieved fine turf( green gras) for the "needles"of the firtrees...
Holding the armature upside down I add/glue( sprayglue) the "main" branches and than adding, electrostatic, first the 6 mm grassfibers still holding the tree upside down . When done I turn the tree around( top pointing upwards/ to the ceiling) and blow carefully with an airbrush ( or ratle canwith "preshure air???) the fibers all pointing down...repeat the same with some 2 mm grasfibers and let it dry for some hours.
Remove the fibers that were at the "wrong" place( trunk/start of branches) with a stiff small brush dipped in terpintin/white spirit .
Than spraying/coloring the added fibers:
First I spray from the top/above the branches in a kind of dust( khaki) color...
Holding the tree -again- upside down and spray( ratllecan) a "dust" color on the lower branches and dark green for the rest of the tree/fibers = the midle and top of the tree
When dry, I sprayglue the tree upside down and add -also upside down!-, with a strainer, fine turf( WS greengrass) over the branches.
The trick is that only the upperside won't get any green turf on it...so they will stay, ,well almost, clean!
Mostly you have to remove some turf from the lower parts of the trunk and branches...easy done with a small stiff brush+ terpintin....
that's all!
Jos
Hello Bill,
Here a short how to:
The frames were made of floristic wires: corewire= 1,2 mm and the branches are made of 0,4 mm wires, twisted around the core wire....
here a pic of the top of a H0 frame firtree:
Cutting the loops ( conical to the top)and bend them straight...just like the branches of a firtree.
Primer the frames and when dry add some fine turf( just a litlle bit deluted whiteglue) or very fine sawdust on the trunk to imm the bark.
Dip/paint the dry frame in/with cheap latexwallpaint( dark browngreysch or something like that aand let dry.
The space between the branches/loops are about at least/ min. 6 -8 turns/twistings (????)around the core wire.
so something like this one( H0)
A pict of the frames in steps. The last one= added with the fine turf is not shown....
The foliage of the trees are made only with 6 and 2 mm grasfibers for the small branches and very fine sieved fine turf( green gras) for the "needles"of the firtrees...
Holding the armature upside down I add/glue( sprayglue) the "main" branches and than adding, electrostatic, first the 6 mm grassfibers still holding the tree upside down . When done I turn the tree around( top pointing upwards/ to the ceiling) and blow carefully with an airbrush ( or ratle canwith "preshure air???) the fibers all pointing down...repeat the same with some 2 mm grasfibers and let it dry for some hours.
Remove the fibers that were at the "wrong" place( trunk/start of branches) with a stiff small brush dipped in terpintin/white spirit .
Than spraying/coloring the added fibers:
First I spray from the top/above the branches in a kind of dust( khaki) color...
Holding the tree -again- upside down and spray( ratllecan) a "dust" color on the lower branches and dark green for the rest of the tree/fibers = the midle and top of the tree
When dry, I sprayglue the tree upside down and add -also upside down!-, with a strainer, fine turf( WS greengrass) over the branches.
The trick is that only the upperside won't get any green turf on it...so they will stay, ,well almost, clean!
Mostly you have to remove some turf from the lower parts of the trunk and branches...easy done with a small stiff brush+ terpintin....
that's all!
Jos
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hi to all expeccially to Jos.....
I've try to make some tree, following the Jos technique, and I wanted to know what do you think about the result.....
red fir tree
fri tree 20cm
another fir tree
conifer
3 fir tree togheter
this was maked with some fiber named Dacron (usually used for padding jackets, pillows ecc ecc, but that's what I like least!)
waiting for your opinion....
greetings from Italy.........
Giuseppe
I've try to make some tree, following the Jos technique, and I wanted to know what do you think about the result.....
red fir tree
fri tree 20cm
another fir tree
conifer
3 fir tree togheter
this was maked with some fiber named Dacron (usually used for padding jackets, pillows ecc ecc, but that's what I like least!)
waiting for your opinion....
greetings from Italy.........
Giuseppe
grove den
naturally natural trees
Hello Guiseppe,
I like the trees from the pictures 1 'till 4, from your last post, the best ...the last picture , a tree made with "dracon" fibers , well.. ...less good .
I think those draconfibers are more suitable for other trees( deciduous trees) than pine trees.
May be as a basic /startlayer to hold the other grassfibers for kind of Abies trees. The ones that often grows with more" horizontal branchesänd twigs.
Your results , if these are your first attempts , will improve very easy!!! These trees are already excellent! =)
Jos
I like the trees from the pictures 1 'till 4, from your last post, the best ...the last picture , a tree made with "dracon" fibers , well.. ...less good .
I think those draconfibers are more suitable for other trees( deciduous trees) than pine trees.
May be as a basic /startlayer to hold the other grassfibers for kind of Abies trees. The ones that often grows with more" horizontal branchesänd twigs.
Your results , if these are your first attempts , will improve very easy!!! These trees are already excellent! =)
Jos
