Where am I going wrong with tree's?????

the doog wrote:

Just to add one thing--you should always airbrush vegetation with various shades of greens and yellows to provide surface color variation; otherwise it winds up looking far too uniform in color, like you have there.

Yep, good advice. Also vary the colour of the tree trunk & limbs. Nothing looks worse than a natural object that is uniform in colour.

Same applies to grass, rock ourcrops, undergrowth, etc. Even animals.

Like I said, spend some time outdoors observing the real thing - textures, colours, hues, etc. Don't just look - OBSERVE. You can't expect to accurately portray something as a scale model if you don't know what it really looks like.

the doog wrote:

Just to add one thing--you should always airbrush vegetation with various shades of greens and yellows to provide surface color variation; otherwise it winds up looking far too uniform in color, like you have there.

Yep, good advice. Also vary the colour of the tree trunk & limbs. Nothing looks worse than a natural object that is uniform in colour.

Same applies to grass, rock ourcrops, undergrowth, etc. Even animals.

Like I said, spend some time outdoors observing the real thing - textures, colours, hues, etc. Don't just look - OBSERVE. You can't expect to accurately portray something as a scale model if you don't know what it really looks like.

Mark, in my opinion trees and other vegetation are the most difficult thing to get looking right. Unfortunately, they are also one of the most noticeable features of a diorama (except a desert or beach scene of course!).

Too many dioramas get it wrong which unfortunately detracts from the overall finish and effectiveness of the model. For example, clumps of lichen look awful!!!

I have difficulty making trees but the best results I've had are using the twisted wire method for the trunk & limbs, then coating these with either thin plaster+PVA mix or liquid paper. I used some small patches of lace (or mosquito net) glued over the outer limbs/twigs of the tree then painted the trunk & limbs. For foliage I used finely ground foam (Woodland Scenics foliage) applied sparingly to the lace/net with PVA and built up into realistic looking clumps.

The process for building trees will, of course, depend upon the type of tree that you are trying to depict. For example, you wouldn't use the above technique for pine trees.

The best advice I can give however, is to spend some time outdoors observing what real trees look like - observe the limb structure, bark texture, leaf distribution, bark & foliage colours, etc. Take some reference photos and try to duplicate the real thing in miniature. My trees looked awful until I started to take more notice of the real thing...

I've got some Woodland Scenic Fine Leaf Foliage, think I'll have a play around with it. I agree with all the posts that the clump foliage is not nice for tree making lol!!! I'm thinking about getting some sea moss and giving that a try.

Mark

Like the technique dave, have tried that before, think I need to use much thinner wire and less foliage.

Mark

I used wire to make trees. I like the lacey stuff from Woodland Scenics. There's a lot of different ways to do it.

Here's how I did it. http://public.fotki.com/DaveInTheHat/how-i-make-stuff/homade-trees/

Bodge wrote:

MMC did you have a look at my tutorial Steve put up the link to?

Hi Bodge, yes I did, I've got it bookmarked for future use. Where did you get the sea moss, I've seen it in a few online stores.

Mark

Thanks, Bodge Here's the origiinal post for this base... 

Steve

Steve is that your tree or mine in the photo. if its yours youve followed my tutorial to a T?

MMC did you have a look at my tutorial Steve put up the link to?

Mark, stay away from the "kit trees" they never do look correct. I really suggest to anyone interested in Dio's to purchase the book - Scenery for Model Railroads by Bill McClanahan.  It is very easy to follow , and most stuff he uses can be found around the household or locally. I use to make hundreds of trees when I was a Model Railroader. Here are a few that has been around for 5 + years I made following his method.. They were made from sticks, Spioria blooms and some foam rubber I ground up in the blender. The flash makes them look more of a lime green then the actual color. It use to take about 15- 20 minutes to build a complete tree. Mind you these are not the Best Example of what I had only survivors from when I tore out my layout. Mark ifyou can not find the above mentioned book I would be Happy to send you a copy as I have several.

Thanks for the advice Hans

Mark

Better... I can see it now... I don't think they look "open" enough, and that foam is your problem.. For the "regular" trees, I use both the twisted wire method and/or roots dug up after a rain... For foliage on trees, I use a combination of dried Oregano, Thyme, Dillweed, and Static Grass (for spiny bushes)... I spray the tree with a heavy coat of varnish, then sprinkle on the "leaves" and spray again to lock 'em down, then repeat until I get the effect I want,  then paint.  For evergreens, I use a dowel, tapered and textured with putty, then drill holes in the trunk and add caspia "branches"...

I stay away from the model railroad stuff pretty much altogether, although I use lichen for hedges and such, with the afore-mentioned herbs, but you gotta paint it...  Moss works really well for foliage too...  Take a look around the plants in a craft store like Hobby Lobby for moss, lichen, and caspia. The "Reindeer Moss" found there is lichen, and you can get a lot more for less money than what the Railroaders pay.  The model RR section at most LHSs blow for foliage over HO scale, and the colors are ridiculous...  About the only useful thing there for greenery in 1/48 and 1/35 is Static Grass... 

Can't understand why no one apart from SteveM can see the picture. Anyway Hans I'm looking for a scale of 1/35, I've got some Woodland Scenics armatures which range from 3 to 7 inches. I'll post the pic again, let me know if you can see it?

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Mark

Can't see it either... Tried pasting the address from the "properties" but got a page not found message... The's also an "[/img]" command that's sitting there... And I don't have a Mac...

What scale are you trying to make trees for?

That looks really good Steve, I've got loads of horse hair think I will give it a try.

Mark

Hey Mark,

I can see your picture. Bodge must not be using a Mac Funny, since his is the tutorial I have been looking for, to show you pointers: here

I have yet to make a tress that satisfies my own taste for total realism, and your effort doesn't look too bad. However, if you want realistic looking trees, forget the clumpy Woodland Scenics "foilage"- style materials, or the pre-made trees. In my opinion, they give off a mere "suggestion" of trees at a very small scale.

Experiment with finer material for foliage. And, I suggest using a little less of it, allowing more trunk and limb to show through. Hudson & Allen make some good foliage, as does JoeFix.

In this picture, I used long "patio broom" twigs, fix rubberized horsehair to it, then sprinkled with Hudson and Allen "Foliage" (this material is actually silver birsch catkin seeds). Sprayed a couple of tones of green, then sealed.

Steve