Homemade trees

I decided that with my Ashdown project I needed to create some nice new terrain, I have already done a faux-fur fabric grass mat so I decided I also needed some realistic trees as I have literally spent years using trees that are mass produced and pretty much look identical. I thought this was going to be fairly difficult, I kept finding blog articles and YouTube tutorials about getting wire and making my own armatures, though these look good I neither have the time or patience to make them. I discovered a good tutorial on YouTube to make realistic trees but using plastic armatures made by Woodland Scenics, and one using barbecue skewers. The tutorial demonstrated five methods of greating trees, with each type looking significantly different. The different types of trees were as follows:

• Clump foliage trees
• Lichen trees
• Coco-fibre trees
• Coco-fibre pine trees
• Twine trees

I decided not to make the coco-fibre pine trees, the simple reason, at the time of Ashdown, there were no european pine trees in England. The only native pine at that time was the Scots pine, which given its name I suspect was originally found north of Hadrian's Wall and it looks nothing like it's European cousins. I was still left with a good variety of different trees to make.

Preparation

The supplies for the building of trees

My first task was to acquire the supplies I need to create the trees, I had a selection of flock and static grass already but not really useful for anything other than decorating the bases of models. This required me to buy buy a load of new stuff including spray adhesive, tree armatures, coco-fibre, twine, various different styles and colours of flock, lichen and clump foliage. The more specialist items I found online and the more common stuff in a local shop (Wilkos in the UK). Once I had aquired everything I needed I began the process of producing the trees.

The two part tree armatures awaiting assembly

I used Woodland Scenics tree armatures, these particular ones are in two pieces, a small base piece (basically a tree stump) and the armature itself. They were assembled fairly easily, though some did require a fair ammount of force to get them together, fortunately the bases and the armatures are so tight fitting it was not necessary to use any glue at this stage and they did not take long to assemble. I then twisted the armatures in random shapes, they twist fairly easily, though I did find too much twisting led to a weakening of the branches.

Armatures after drybrushing

I decided the aramatures look too much like just brown plastic. I knew underoating them and painting them was not an option as the glue may not take to paint. Instead I opted to dry brush the trunks in Citadel Base Rakarth Flesh, This bought out the detail and as far as I was concerned suitable enough. The armatures were now ready to become trees.

Clump foliage trees

preparing to make clump foliage trees

Supplies needed:

• Woodland scenics dark green clump foliage
• Woodland scenics green blend blended turf
• Woodland scenics tree armatures
• Hot Glue Gun

I chose to get dark green clump foilage, which I believe is used in the tutorial on YouTube. I began following the YouTube tutorial I had found. The tutorial says to use hobby tac (which I had not managed to procure) instead I decided to use his second suggestion, PVA glue, this did not work for me, so I had to work out an alternative way glue them. 

Gluing the clump foliage to the armatures

In the end I settled for using my hot glue gun, this worked better. The draw back, I frequently burnt my fingers and if the hot glue is put directly on the branches, the melt, this does not notice once the trees are finished. It did take a bit longer than the quick cover in Hobby Tac and dip in the clump foliage, it was also more painful.