As part of my armchair modelling I read the landscape modelling books by Barry Norman and Tony Hill and was taken with how it was possible to create such life like scenes. A definite far cry from my father and I dipping torn up Halfords sponges into green gloss paint to add scenery to my first layout.

Feeling inspired and determined to actually make something, my annual trip to Model Rail Scotland had new focus. I came home with a bundle of scenic materials and Gordon Gravette's book on modelling broad leaf trees.

This seemed ideal, something I could do in the evenings without needing a lot of tools that little fingers could find. My partners mother makes jewellery and she was kind enough to provide some 1mm wire for me to start with.

I followed Gordon's method and with reference to a picture of an oak tree and produced the armature shown below.

I initially felt that the armature was not particularly good, but as this is a learning exercise, I decided to stick with the armature as is and move to the next step of adding the bark. (To be continued...).