Hemyock - Down on the farm...

[aberdare]

Thank you all for your positive comments once again.

 

 

Jaz, the texturing is the important bit for me as the foliage will be a bit on the sparse side and there has been a bit more work on that since.

Andy, the leaves are being fixed on so I hope they inspire you and with your artistic streak a tree like this will be easy.

Chris, the intention as mentioned above is to have very few leaves, enough to add a bit of colour and thicken the branch ends but not conceal the main frame of it.

Mikkel, believability is the key word here the more things I can get that appear as real miniatures the more believable the whole model will be and if I can get this right as well as a few other bits I will be very happy.

 

The progress so far has been slow as it has been spray, blow and dry a few times to get the texture right, the last of these was this morning and the tree was left to dry in the breeze – well anchored down – and sunshine so the final colours could be added later.

 

I then took a bit of time out with Grand-daughter reading books and building Lego houses – still plastic bricks you note – and then it was back for the final paint before I lost the daylight, this was again sprayed to protect the texture. I managed to get a few shots before I lost the light and then continued with the foliage. The foliage is finely shredded Woodland Scenics  (yellow), dried crushed leaves (brown) , these are fixed by applying small amounts of PVA to the branches and dropping the mix of the above through and over the branches, any gaps are filled with the WS bits using tweezers. More on this in a few days once I have worked my way down the tree.

So a few pics of todays  work. 

 

The tree completed with a little foliage on the canopy.

 

Foliage close-up

 

Trunk texture close-up ( I’m quite pleased with the little holes and texture from blowing plaster on)

 

And finally in silhouette against the fading light

 

[Kenokie]

You said the aim is is believability ......  the "silhouette against the fading light" shot  ..........  I believe!

 

Incredible modelling

 

Chris

[Mikkel]

Gulp! The bar just got raised. Again!

[gwrrob]

Gulp! The bar just got raised. Again!

 

That's one stunning tree Jim.

[aberdare]

Gosh!! I'm amazed by the reaction so far I feel a bit embarrassed by it all

 

Chris - Glad you feel it's real as I sit here looking at it and picking holes in it thinking about what I could have done better, maybe I'd better just be content.

 

Mikkel - I usually think that about your work so to hear that from your good self is an honour indeed, thank you, oh and for the status update which directed members here.

 

Robin - thanks, though I have not commented on your thread so far it has always been one that I follow as it is very good.

 

 

Work on the tree has come to a bit of a stop currently as my caring role is in great demand for a few days, so there will be a delay before the finished article is revealed.

 

As I have a number of different trees to make including a lovely old dead one that I photographed last year I may start a separate thread for them.

 

Thanks for looking in and for all the positive comments & likes etc.

 

Jim

[ChrisN]

Jim,

I would keep all your work on here as it is part of the same layout.

 

I would be very content with that tree although I look at my work and criticise it and am not happy with it.  In my case though I have had to learn to live with the frustrations and move onto the next thing.  The next project is often better.

[CourthsVeil]

 

… maybe I'd better just be content.

...

 

 

 

Yes, Jim, you better should be content with what you got. Marvellous and very convincing! Thanks for sharing.

Go on this way

  Armin

[aberdare]

Chris – I think you are right as the idea is to have a history of it all being built including the stock which I hope to start on later in the year.

 

Armin – I did leave it alone, well sort of, I just tweaked a bit here and a bit there when completing the foliage.

 

Well. I think it is finally finished  or do I just need to.......

 

 

No, it’s fine so enough waffling from me and I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves and leave you to enjoy – I hope – the following photographs.

 

As is normal with my pictures if you click on them you should get a bigger view.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hopefully I should get another computer tomorrow, no more dongle issues.

 

A short break now as the polytunnel and DIY jobs are calling.

 

 

[Alister_G]

Wonderful work Jim, it looks amazing.

[knobhead]

Truly one of the best model trees I've ever seen. Well done, Jim!

 

Regards,

 

Stefan

[Mikkel]

You forgot a leaf.

[aberdare]

You forgot a leaf.

 

OMG!!!! Noooooo.

 

 

Oh hang on a minute........ Phew, I've just checked and as it is autumn I have modelled it on the line , great believer in authenticity me

[gwrrob]

OMG!!!! Noooooo.

 

 

Oh hang on a minute........ Phew, I've just checked and as it is autumn I have modelled it on the line , great believer in authenticity me

 

I think it was Justin Hayward who sang 'Forever Autumn' Jim.Nice work.

[artizen]

I have a computer with a dongle. A very small dongle, but adequate (as the two Ronnies said).

 

Lovely tree. I have five or six trees in 1:24 scale to build so they should be at least 600mm high. Too scared to start but no doubt once I do, it will all become clear to me.

[Jaz]

Lovely piece very believable.

[gazmanjack]

G'day Jim,

 

Very nice tree !

 

I read that you use PVA and plaster to cover the wire, which does looks great with a pleasing effect. Have you considered using an acryllic based 'flexible gap filler' for coating the wire. Something similar to this ; http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flexible-Acrylic-Gap-Filler-White/dp/B008EHJST0

I have used this on my trees and is quite easy to apply. If the gap filler is too thick to apply with a paintbrush, it can be thinned down with a little water. Also, being acryllic allows it to be painted with acryllics and enamels after it has dried.

 

Cheers, Gary.

[freebs]

absolutely brilliant tree!

[aberdare]

Many thanks for all the replies to the build they are much appreciated and definitely an encouragement to keep things moving.

 

Just a few comments to try and answer any points made.

 

 

I think it was Justin Hayward who sang 'Forever Autumn' Jim.Nice work.

 

 

Correct, live concert of War of the Worlds at Wembley was something else. 

 

 

Thanks. That’s a tune I have often sung to myself, a bit of a favourite track and album and very apt for the layout.

 

I have a computer with a dongle. A very small dongle, but adequate (as the two Ronnies said).

 

Lovely tree. I have five or six trees in 1:24 scale to build so they should be at least 600mm high. Too scared to start but no doubt once I do, it will all become clear to me.

 

Now that’s a great scale to add even more detail, make that start and enjoy the build and please post up the results.

 

G'day Jim,

 

Very nice tree !

 

I read that you use PVA and plaster to cover the wire, which does looks great with a pleasing effect. Have you considered using an acryllic based 'flexible gap filler' for coating the wire. Something similar to this ; http://www.amazon.co.uk/Flexible-Acrylic-Gap-Filler-White/dp/B008EHJST0

I have used this on my trees and is quite easy to apply. If the gap filler is too thick to apply with a paintbrush, it can be thinned down with a little water. Also, being acryllic allows it to be painted with acryllics and enamels after it has dried.

 

Cheers, Gary.

 

Thanks Gary, I did think about using something similar but as it is going to be permanent anyway  I preferred to blow the plaster on to coat each individual branch and get the final texture for the bark, my thoughts were that for this tree the branches – being thin – were too dense and difficult to coat and this method would avoid blobs as well as being very quick though extremely messy.

Strangely enough the mix with acrylic colour added seem to have some flexibility as I was able to bend them again later for better positioning without cracking. Certainly if I didn’t have such thin bare branches I would have used the same method as you.

 

 

 

The second tree is now underway as I intend to build 3 or 4 each year, well, I do need a lot of trees of different species and even a dead one (or two).

 

Once again thanks for all the likes and comments from everyone else. 

[Removed a/c]

What a gem of a thread!! The photo of the tree silhouette is amazing. I am having a hard time believing it is a model. 

 

Looking forward to seeing this progress.

 

Regards
Scott 

[ChrisN]

Jim,

The tree s amazing, one of the best I have seen.

 

Forever Autumn- Moody Blues, (without the Richard Burton voice over).

[aberdare]

Thank you Scott and Chris,

.

Work will appear to stall for a while now as I'm taking the opportunity of the good weather to dye more leaves in a variety of Autumn shades and get them dried for storage, it's also too good a chance to miss and make a few changes to the river bank and grassed area at what is currently the front of the layout.

 

I seem to have got pretty quick at tree making now and while things are drying I keep the momentum going, however I do need to look at other things too which I shall address later in the month.

[67A]

Hi Jim,

 

Thought I would pop in for a look to see what you are up to and WOW the BAR is certainly raised, You have your work cut out with that tree over the next few weeks as Spring is on its way and the buds are beginning to burst!   :no:  

 

Treeific .... erm' ....Terrific!

[aberdare]

Hi Jim,

 

Thought I would pop in for a look to see what you are up to and WOW the BAR is certainly raised, You have your work cut out with that tree over the next few weeks as Spring is on its way and the buds are beginning to burst!   :no:  

 

Treeific .... erm' ....Terrific!

 

Thanks Mike.

 

Spring I can handle you should try gluing leaves on in Autumn when all they want to do is keep falling off  

 

I felt I had to concentrate on the trees as there will be more of them than buildings on this part of the layout so they need to have something appealing about them, modelling Autumn helps to keep that bit of bareness to the frame as you will need to look through them from some angles. Had I used summer foliage they would have been more of a view blocker.

 

I hope to progress quite quickly after this month.

[nickwood]

Great tree Jim.

 

I would concur that you are better off keeping everything to do with Hemyock on this thread. I made the mistake on the first forum that I joined (YMR) of having seperate threads for buildings,stock etc and I wish I hadn't as MM's build details are all over the place and lost in the depths of the forum.

 

I love how the view from behind the tree is developing by the way, just about all photos you see of Hemyock model or real, are from across the river, makes a nice change to see a different perspective.  

Edited March 13, 2014 by nickwood

[aberdare]

 

I love how the view from behind the tree is developing by the way, just about all photos you see of Hemyock model or real, are from across the river, makes a nice change to see a different perspective.  

 

Hi Nick

 

Yes I quite like the view down the hill from either end of the station as I find the flow of the line is better, even though it then shows the back of the buildings it opens up other views. I have a bit more work to do yet but I will post something up about this in a few weeks time prior to fixing Hemyock in its final position.