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Arboretum Valley - Invasion of the Daleks


Kal
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I have made generic trees for the original Goathland.

 

The main tree by Scripps garage

med_gallery_17883_2793_1383123.jpg

 

The womping willow

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Port Lynn a recent re-build

med_gallery_17883_2796_176113.jpgrmweb14

 

There's another 3 or 4 o my own scratch built.  But I feel that the standard of trees being put by modellers now are better, and more believeable. These were copper then the trunks painted on, then the greenery in two layers.

 

dt Rays tree are beautiful. I want to improve, and though it looks as though I'm going backwards, it will take me a while to find something i'm comfortable with. Plus I think (tho I might be wrong) that the larger trees and the smaller trees are not necessarily going to be made in the same manner.

Edited by Jaz
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These are woodland scenics trunks with poly fiber stretched out & afixed with PVA before primer. The bases were drilled out with a mini drill and a stff wire super glued in the hole for planting into the foam. A quick spray with dark brown, spray glue and Noch leaves then hair spray. Create a copse on a scrap of foam and replant when dry on the layout. 

post-8964-0-28338100-1384557498.jpg

 

Paras on training.

post-8964-0-27355900-1384557520_thumb.jpg

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The first tree on the right is the one i am concentrating on at the moment

index.php?app=core&module=attach&section

 

Still a work in progress, but the limbs can still be twisted, thickened and more colour added.

med_gallery_17883_2878_312215.jpgrmweb76trees

The shadows do it a disservice, although getting the trunk is not really my problem. Getting the foliage on is the bit I need to get my head around, well in my opinion. Others might thin otherwise.

When it's dry tomorrow I'll try it out on the layout. Half a tree a night is VERY slow though.

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Hi Jaz

 

I know they are in Canada, but how about this tree shape? They are distinctive and I'm sure you could see them in other places. I bet it wouldn't cause much trouble to you any problems at all.

 

The photo is the Burmis tree, which is pretty famous around here.

 

post-14192-0-33826100-1384579992.jpg

 

Edited by JCL
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The first tree on the right is the one i am concentrating on at the moment

 

Still a work in progress, but the limbs can still be twisted, thickened and more colour added.

med_gallery_17883_2878_312215.jpgrmweb76trees

The shadows do it a disservice, although getting the trunk is not really my problem. Getting the foliage on is the bit I need to get my head around, well in my opinion. Others might thin otherwise.

When it's dry tomorrow I'll try it out on the layout. Half a tree a night is VERY slow though.

 

Hi Jaz, that looks really good.

 

I, and I'm sure others, would really appreciate some step - by - step photos of the tree making process, if you have any. I for one have a great number of trees to produce, and yours look so good I would love to know how to make them, and how you do the foliage.

 

Thanks very much,

 

Al.

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JCL

Burmis tree / Pinus flexilis

A nice looking trunk. Wish I had some seed for our North American part of the arboretum.

As a generic tree it does as you say have a nice trunk, and you can see the canopy would sit on it nicely. Making it look like a pine could be a little more tricky.

 

acg_mr

Ok more details

 

Modelling Trees

  • Until yesterday I have always used copper wire (leftovers from the DCC process) for the trunks. I strip my copper, though a lot of people leave plastic on the finer stuff. 
  • Larger copper wire for larger trees, smaller copper wire for smaller trees,
  • N.B.very fine copper does have a tendency to break as you are working it, so you must attempt to work it in only one direction (i.e. twisting it causes tension, causes breakages)
  • Previously I used cork fixative to paint on as bark, (it was leftovers from when we used cork bases for track)  it models very well, is a nice dark colour, paints well,  BUT cracks very easily. so needed occasional repairs and careful handling.
  • Having spoken to tree makers various trunk modelling products are used, even those who use would need something for repairs. Pollyfilla, pollyfilla with PVA, car filler, watered DAS, you name it what people have to hand. N.B. Old polyfilla rejuvenated with some water and PVA isa cheap way to practise.
  • ALWAYS ensure you wash the brushes in water and brushes will cost you a fortune.
  • I mentioned the real tree branches, here you have a major advantage if your naff st modelling. The branches need little or no modelling to make them look like tree trunks. If you want a cracked bark choose a cracked bark.
  • I don't know how other people fix branches to branches, but as I have seen several fine modellers at shows put copper twists at the ends of their trunks...I pushed some copper wire into the main branch pulled it out and pushed into the minor branch (it cracked but I modelled over it later) .Once I hadtwo holes. I push the copper wire into the main branch (you could add glue here) then cut off enough for the minor branch and push it on (you could add glue here).
  • N.B. These real branch trees will tend to be the larger end of the spectrum say 8 to 12 inches / 200 to 300mm, so upto 75ft.
  • FACT Britain tallest oak is 132ft or 40m
  • FACT UK tallest tree 209ft or 63+ metres.
  • A bundle of UK Champion trees hit 25m or 30m,so don't expect trees in the UK to usually be this tall, and certainly no higher.

I wanted to get some nice aged looking branches, but after an hours search I was not doing too well. And none looked to be very tree like on a single cut. Hence the fixing them together.

More later and pictures

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Ok the first thing 

  • Decide what height you want, better check your buildings.
  • Do you want it permanently in one place or moveable. I do fixed ones, and moveable ones - these tend to need some bushes etc after they are placed.
  • The canopy, the are various materials again, I have tried green netting 7/10, brown netting 8/10 and need to experiment further, the wire wool (edit-wool not will) ones look good.
  • Is it  generic tree? Deciduous or coniferous? Are you modelling a specific (hope you have a lot of patience for the third one)

index.php?app=core&module=attach&section

The one on the right I want to model.

My attempt so far

med_gallery_17883_2992_471049.jpgrmweb78trees

I need a smaller camera to match the angle of the picture above, my iPad is too large for the space, but I am getting close to the look of the tree. The scenery is still only part done so photo angles are limited.

 

The recent trees I have done spring foliage left, summer foliage right

med_gallery_17883_2992_483460.jpgrmweb77trees

 

A close up of the summer tree with brown netting, being smaller I need to get the clumping effect improved

med_gallery_17883_2992_100922.jpgrmweb89trees

 

Just upload these before I crash the forum ;p

Edited by Jaz
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Some ones I made for Goathland mark one.

 

med_gallery_17883_2992_214170.jpgrmweb88trees

This is a willow with cut back branches causing Knuckles

This specific one being based on Harry Potter's Womping Willow. With probably too much foliage.

 

z32.jpgWarner Bros Studio

At the time of making the model I had not located such a good model, the other side of mine is based on this side. I plan to remodel the trunk, and remove some foliage, in the fullness of time.

 

Whomping_Willow_by_19_KyarOraiN_96.jpg

On Deviant Art  posted by 19-KyarOrain-96

Edited by Jaz
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More I made for Goathland version One.

These have copper bases circled around and rather than add wide trunk bases I covered them and then hide the base joins with bushes etc

 

med_gallery_17883_2992_623332.jpgrmweb87trees

 

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This to my mind was my most successful to date and was in the centre of Goathland layout

med_gallery_17883_2992_841621.jpgrmweb86trees

This is approx a 70 foot tree

 

A close up of the foliage this had green netting, some green turf and some Greenscene Ivy, they are real seeds coloured green. And the guy t Greenscenes says he can't get more of those seed casings at a reasonable price so they are now like hens teeth.

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The modelled trunk

med_gallery_17883_2992_37987.jpgrmweb83trees

This was done with the cork fixative I had. I have more and I do like this. But again it is not a fast process.

Edited by Jaz
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This is the idea I am about to explore (my modelling time today has been taken up by photographing)

 

med_gallery_17883_2992_452151.jpgrmweb81trees

The one above is elderberry / Sambucus

 

The one below is um I think it was Alder Buckthorne (no thorns) / Frangula alnus

med_gallery_17883_2992_550601.jpgrmweb80trees

 

And a close up of the join

med_gallery_17883_2992_90855.jpgrmweb82trees

The grey covers up where the large branch has the small branch joined using copper wire (I will photograph this next time) It has been painted with Green-scene GS 402 Flexi-Bark.

The reason I like this is that I have had it for ages and it has not dried out, and when it is painted onto a model and has dried it can b painted but the flex aspect allows you to move the copper wires without bit breaking off. I bought it originally to try and repair my cork fixative trees which have a tendency to get knocked and then end up wit llittle bits of exposed copper wire.

 

As and when I get a chance (ha chance would be a fine thing) I will progress these and report my findings.

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In my opinion

 

  • It is easier to make larger trees (tho more expensive)
  • You should make some quick generic trees for for where you see the top canopy
  • You should spend a little more time on the trees that are by themselves or at the front of tree groups.
  • Try with cheaper materials first 
  • I would concentrate on deciduous first because Coniferous are a whole different ball game. Although I will get a round to them.

 

Something to strive for

.med_gallery_17883_2992_190220.jpgrmweb90trees

The Russian owner of this beautiful layout has now shown it for the last time in this country, It will be seen in a couple of European Cities then wend it's way to Russia where I believe it will end it's days in a museum near it's makers home town.  A beautiful piece of work.

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dt

Did Ray do pictures of how he covered the trunk, and built up the canopy and the green?

 

No, we were interupted,in the tree making classes...........

I hope to re -start this tomorrow night,,(monday),with Ray and a couple of other Folkestone club members,at my house.......... :declare:

Some products used..........http://www.green-scene.co.uk/Accessories.html

 

After the wires were formed to make the trunks and branches,they were then tightly bound in thin florists' tape.

 

More after Monday night, unless you both are going to attend............ :O

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:mail:

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