It is amazing how time flies and suddenly you are behind on everything. Spring is here and the Yard work has begun...
In my last post, I was talking about my painting malaise, which tends to happen at this time of year. However since I can now use the garage, multiple terrain ideas are coming to mind.
So my first one is Trees! You can never have enough trees.
Sure you can buy them, but they are costly and really never look the way you expected them to be.
I was surfing youtube the other day, when I found “ The Kamloopian”, who has whole bunch of videos on making trees, buildings and other stuff. His videos were very inspirational and informative (Thanks Kamloopian)
Well I motivated by the videos, I began the tree project. Overall, I think they turned out great and I will have some pictures soon.
Materials list –
Several promotional or trash dvds. (free)
Styrofoam; roughly 1” thick and big enough to cover the dvds.
Several wooden dowels or skewers (I don’t know , stole them from the kitchen).
Elmer’s glue or Glue all or PVC glue (Again, I don’t know, I stole this from the kids).
Some Sand (to cover the bases)
Some old aquarium rock (the remains from a sad pet experience)
Some flock (shredded foam form Woodland Scenics, and Static grass from Force 9)
And the most expensive item, 3m heavy duty stripping pads. ($1.97 at Walmart)
Some clear acrylic sealer (Krylon?)
Tools list –Foam Cutter
Another old heavy duty stripping pad for shaping the foam
Paint and an old 1” flat brush for adding glue, painting and dry brushing.
The base
Since my trees were to be used in a 40k or Fantasy Tabletop setting, I decided to group the trees together on a base
First clue the Styrofoam to the dvds, and use the foam cutter to roughly shape the foam into a mound.
Using the old stripping pad, shape the foam and dvd into a more rounded mound.
Next base the mound with sand and aquarium rock, using the old paint brush and glue.
After the glue has dried, use a very watered down mixture of glue and water on the mound to hold down the sand and rock (just like when you base a miniature).
Finally, basecoat, paint, dry bush and seal (clear coat) the base.
The Trees
Next take the dowels or skewers and sharpen each end to a point. One point will be used to put the push the stripping pad material on the skewer and the other point will be used to push the tree trunk into the foam on the base.
After crafting trunks (pointy sticks), start making the foliage material from the stripping pads.
Grasping the pad, pull it apart creating a couple of pads that are similar in shape to the original only thinner. Now take those parts and tear them into smaller pieces (not to small).
Select several pieces to create a tree, you should a variety of sizes starting from largest to smallest.
Coat the skewer with glue and push the largest of the pieces of material down on the skewer, repeat the process with each piece going from largest to smallest. This will created a rough conical shape, it is this shape that the foliage (flock) will be applied.
One the material attached to the skewer is dried, spray paint the tree black. This basecoat will contrast with the flock material and add dimension.
Adding the flock
Next using the large 1” brush coat the stripping material with glue in a top down method, similar to dry brushing
This will simulate the appearance of leaves growing on the tree. Since leaves grow on the tops and ends of branches, you want to make sure that you don’t get glue on the underside of the material.
Before the glue dries, sprinkle your choice of color and type of flock on the tree branches. After the flock is dry, coat with clear coat sealer. Put glue on the end of the trees without the foliage and push them into the foam on your bases.
Now as with written text, this may seem really involved, but it really easy and I was able to complete it in a day.
Sherpa
