How to Make Trees and Shrubs
- Thread starter grove den
- Start date
grove den
naturally natural trees
Hello Met:
About the kind of grassfibers: how smaller the "leaves"you are goin to use , the smaller the grassfibers.
So for my N scale trees I use the smalllest: 2 mm( the smallest I have! lol ) and as imm.leaves I use , mostly, the fine turf from woodland
When using , for example, coarse turf from Woodland for HO trees, I also use the larger grassfibers , like the 6 mm or even the very long"wild grass"from HEKI. of course in combination with the fine ones!.
Just experiment with the grassfibers and see for yourself what the results are!
btw UP2CSX( John) : My latest effort to try to make/model a kind of USA pine tree...not perfect but there is a start that could lead to a look-a like---
I think the "foliage" is still to dense....
Jos
Well YES I add the small grassfibers with a kitchensieve or better a thee sieve. Just watch the attachment/picture I added...
About the kind of grassfibers: how smaller the "leaves"you are goin to use , the smaller the grassfibers.
So for my N scale trees I use the smalllest: 2 mm( the smallest I have! lol ) and as imm.leaves I use , mostly, the fine turf from woodland
When using , for example, coarse turf from Woodland for HO trees, I also use the larger grassfibers , like the 6 mm or even the very long"wild grass"from HEKI. of course in combination with the fine ones!.
Just experiment with the grassfibers and see for yourself what the results are!
btw UP2CSX( John) : My latest effort to try to make/model a kind of USA pine tree...not perfect but there is a start that could lead to a look-a like---
I think the "foliage" is still to dense....
Jos
Last edited by a moderator:
Jos, the trunk looks good but you're right, foliage is too dense and still looks more like leaves than longer pine needles. I've tried a number of ways to come up with a good looking long needle pine, including cutting up bottle cleaning brushes, but none of them have ever looked quite right.
grove den
naturally natural trees
Well I found some pictures on the net about the trees shown above...just before the storm and some after...It went so fast!
The captain and his crew were kept by surprise and still stood as stones as the local reporter took these pictures:
This picture was taken 2 days before
and some after:
some closer:
Jos
The captain and his crew were kept by surprise and still stood as stones as the local reporter took these pictures:
This picture was taken 2 days before
and some after:
some closer:
Jos
Last edited by a moderator:
hands made for wood
Member
Grove Den those are some trees! They look so real!
grove den
naturally natural trees
a new fresh larche
Still in the "desig'" phase: the larch..
Made 2 of them and placed them between the other "prototypes" of firtrees....
These trees are all made in the same way: Frames were made out of twisted wires and making loops after twisting 5 times around the "core"wire/thread .
Actualy almost all my trees are/were made like these methode....
Jos
Still in the "desig'" phase: the larch..
Made 2 of them and placed them between the other "prototypes" of firtrees....
These trees are all made in the same way: Frames were made out of twisted wires and making loops after twisting 5 times around the "core"wire/thread .
Actualy almost all my trees are/were made like these methode....
Jos
pilotfriend
Grumpy Old Man
County Gate tree making
Hi folks, I am a new boy here but this is how I model broad leaved trees.
For prime broad leaf trees near the front of the model, we are now using a method using sage brush or heather as the armature with sea moss. Such trees are very delicate and should be placed where they are not likely to be damaged by folks playing with the trains! We have been very lucky to have a kind US trucker who collected sagebrush for us from the Nevada desert. I have noticed that there is a very similar plant to sage brush higher up on the hills of the Canary Islands, so for Europeans, next hols you can get gathering!
Materials
Sage brush, heather or any other well shaped woody plant stem
sea moss
PVA glue
spray mount and fixative
scatter material
Clothes pins or small clamps
Tweezers
Straight pins
Side cutters
Description of Materials
The trickiest part of making this type of tree is finding the correct materials. Sage brush or heather can be found simply out in nature. They should be put in a microwave and 'baked' for a few minutes to kill off any fungus, bugs, etc.
Spray mount is by far the best spray glue for this application. Spray fixative, used by artists is far better than hair spray for finally fixing the foliage.
I use Woodland Scenics medium green coarse turf to add 'leaves' to the trees or other scatters from Greenscene, which I am now beginning to prefer.
A pair of clothes pins or a small clamp works well to hold the armature while working with it. When connecting two clothes pins in an L fashion they also serve as a convenient stand to keep the tree upright when drying.
A pair of tweezers helps out a lot when trying to attach sea moss to the branches with PVA.
At the base of each tree I fit a straight pin in to help hold the tree in place when 'planted' on the layout. After the pin is stuck in the end is clipped off with a pair of side cutters.
A simple pair of side cutters or anything else which will cut a straight pin will work just fine.
Some use polyfibre to create the foliage. I have given up with this method as now and again it shows and destroys the entire illusion. Sea moss (Teloxys aristata of the family Chenopodiaceae) continues with arborisation and is much more real. Here we are making a large old elm for Glenthorne meadow. Elm is a very brittle tree, so I have included some dead cracked branches and some parts which have had the attention of a tree surgeon.
Sagebrush Tree Construction Steps
Prepare the armature. Select a portion of sage brush which is typical of the species of tree you require. It is always a good idea to look at real tree species in winter. Stick a straight pin into the base of the tree to add stability when 'planted'. Clip the pin head off after inserting the pin.
Armatures can also be made using twisted wire. This is the preferred method if an actual tree is being modelled. Heavier wire is twisted together to form the trunk and this is attached to bundles of 3 amp fuse wire for lighter branches. The armature is soldered together, washed, and then coated in bark material from Treemendus. This can be carved to create texture. A combination of wire armature and sage brush off cuts can also be used.
old oak modelled on a tree on the way to Woody bay (7")
Glue a small pieces of sea moss suitably trimmed to the armature starting from the bottom. In some cases, the sagebrush is drilled to take the sea moss branches. The positioning of the sea moss will give the tree species its distinctive shape.
beginning to add sea moss for a large elm
Continue the process working your way from the inside and bottom of the armature to the outside and top. Continue until all desired branches have been covered with sea moss It is fine to leave some branches uncovered to represent a dead branch here and there. Spray the sea moss with spray mount now and again to further attach the branches.
elm
English oak
Very lightly spray paint with black, so the original colours show through.
You may choose to add ivy growing on the tree trunk at this time
Over a bag or in some other environment set up to catch the overshoot, spray the sea moss with spray mount. Be careful to spray away from the main trunk and from above - try to spray in bursts instead of one constant stream.
Carefully and slowly sprinkle on the flock. Darker flock can be applied to the bottom side of the sea moss then apply some lighter to the top of the tree to give it a bit of a highlight. It is very important not to overdue the flock. You should still be able to see through the tree after the flock has been applied.
It may be possible to light spray paint the flock to obtain the right leaf colour.
12" elm
oak
an old elm suffering from die-back and an alder tree (approx 8")
elm modelled on a tree near Woody bay (12")
Tap off the extra flock into a container.
Give the tree another light coat of fixative to help keep the flock in place.
Time taken to build each tree is around 4/5 hours.
regards
JdF
Hi folks, I am a new boy here but this is how I model broad leaved trees.
For prime broad leaf trees near the front of the model, we are now using a method using sage brush or heather as the armature with sea moss. Such trees are very delicate and should be placed where they are not likely to be damaged by folks playing with the trains! We have been very lucky to have a kind US trucker who collected sagebrush for us from the Nevada desert. I have noticed that there is a very similar plant to sage brush higher up on the hills of the Canary Islands, so for Europeans, next hols you can get gathering!
Materials
Sage brush, heather or any other well shaped woody plant stem
sea moss
PVA glue
spray mount and fixative
scatter material
Clothes pins or small clamps
Tweezers
Straight pins
Side cutters
Description of Materials
The trickiest part of making this type of tree is finding the correct materials. Sage brush or heather can be found simply out in nature. They should be put in a microwave and 'baked' for a few minutes to kill off any fungus, bugs, etc.
Spray mount is by far the best spray glue for this application. Spray fixative, used by artists is far better than hair spray for finally fixing the foliage.
I use Woodland Scenics medium green coarse turf to add 'leaves' to the trees or other scatters from Greenscene, which I am now beginning to prefer.
A pair of clothes pins or a small clamp works well to hold the armature while working with it. When connecting two clothes pins in an L fashion they also serve as a convenient stand to keep the tree upright when drying.
A pair of tweezers helps out a lot when trying to attach sea moss to the branches with PVA.
At the base of each tree I fit a straight pin in to help hold the tree in place when 'planted' on the layout. After the pin is stuck in the end is clipped off with a pair of side cutters.
A simple pair of side cutters or anything else which will cut a straight pin will work just fine.
Some use polyfibre to create the foliage. I have given up with this method as now and again it shows and destroys the entire illusion. Sea moss (Teloxys aristata of the family Chenopodiaceae) continues with arborisation and is much more real. Here we are making a large old elm for Glenthorne meadow. Elm is a very brittle tree, so I have included some dead cracked branches and some parts which have had the attention of a tree surgeon.
Sagebrush Tree Construction Steps
Prepare the armature. Select a portion of sage brush which is typical of the species of tree you require. It is always a good idea to look at real tree species in winter. Stick a straight pin into the base of the tree to add stability when 'planted'. Clip the pin head off after inserting the pin.
Armatures can also be made using twisted wire. This is the preferred method if an actual tree is being modelled. Heavier wire is twisted together to form the trunk and this is attached to bundles of 3 amp fuse wire for lighter branches. The armature is soldered together, washed, and then coated in bark material from Treemendus. This can be carved to create texture. A combination of wire armature and sage brush off cuts can also be used.
old oak modelled on a tree on the way to Woody bay (7")
Glue a small pieces of sea moss suitably trimmed to the armature starting from the bottom. In some cases, the sagebrush is drilled to take the sea moss branches. The positioning of the sea moss will give the tree species its distinctive shape.
beginning to add sea moss for a large elm
Continue the process working your way from the inside and bottom of the armature to the outside and top. Continue until all desired branches have been covered with sea moss It is fine to leave some branches uncovered to represent a dead branch here and there. Spray the sea moss with spray mount now and again to further attach the branches.
elm
English oak
Very lightly spray paint with black, so the original colours show through.
You may choose to add ivy growing on the tree trunk at this time
Over a bag or in some other environment set up to catch the overshoot, spray the sea moss with spray mount. Be careful to spray away from the main trunk and from above - try to spray in bursts instead of one constant stream.
Carefully and slowly sprinkle on the flock. Darker flock can be applied to the bottom side of the sea moss then apply some lighter to the top of the tree to give it a bit of a highlight. It is very important not to overdue the flock. You should still be able to see through the tree after the flock has been applied.
It may be possible to light spray paint the flock to obtain the right leaf colour.
12" elm
oak
an old elm suffering from die-back and an alder tree (approx 8")
elm modelled on a tree near Woody bay (12")
Tap off the extra flock into a container.
Give the tree another light coat of fixative to help keep the flock in place.
Time taken to build each tree is around 4/5 hours.
regards
JdF
Pilot and Jos, you guys should get together and start making these things to sell. I'd buy a bunch of them since I've just started to make decent looking trees and have...oh, maybe...250 crummy looking trees to replace. Excellent tutorial, Pilot, and a really nice looking diorama, Jos. The dead branchs towards the bottom give some space to see all the trees and really highlight your work on the trunks. Darn, I sure wish I had some talent to do this kind of work.
Excellent tutorial, Pilot, and a really nice looking diorama, Jos. The dead branchs towards the bottom give some space to see all the trees and really highlight your work on the trunks. Darn, I sure wish I had some talent to do this kind of work.pilotfriend
Grumpy Old Man
Thank you. We actually do make trees for museums and railways etc under the banner of 3Dperfect.
http://www.3dperfect.cd2.com/
regards
John
http://www.3dperfect.cd2.com/
regards
John
grove den
naturally natural trees
curious
I was just curious how a real "on scale" firtree would look like...I mean exactly on scale( HO 1:87) so: making a tree of >20 inches...!
I put the tallest( 'till now) tree I ever made in the background ...
well the trunk and dead branches still have to be weathered with the drybrushmethod but that is done in some seconds!! lol
Jos
I was just curious how a real "on scale" firtree would look like...I mean exactly on scale( HO 1:87) so: making a tree of >20 inches...!
I put the tallest( 'till now) tree I ever made in the background ...
well the trunk and dead branches still have to be weathered with the drybrushmethod but that is done in some seconds!! lol
Jos
