Let's Make Trees

Hi guys, I’m sure I’ll get several different answers on this on, but what is a good way to make farely realistic forground trees? I’ve seen the kit trees, and have seen articles on using wire or scures for trunks, Clump folage and scratch pads for the leafy branches. This just isn’t cutting it for me. I’m sure some of you guys have some real good tips for both Pine an mighty Oak and Maple trees. Back ground trees I can handle, I’m looking for some in your face forground trees. Thanks…Jamie

What scale are you working in? I model N scale and use stretched lichen on real twig/weed armatures with ground foam foliage. This works great in N but looks too dense in HO or larger.
Ron

By grapes. Eat them. what is left looks loke a tree without leaves. Next part is the leaves.

Bad spelling. Once again:
Buy grapes. Eat them. What is left looks like a tree without leaves. Next part is the leaves.

Buy dowel,taper it and use asparagus fern for a great looking pine tree. Jerry

Scenic Express “Supertrees” work well for foreground trees, especially if you you bond several of them together to build up the trunk diameter and add additional branch structure. Also, check out the series in Mainline Modeler on building foreground trees. Lots of good ideas there. Good Luck!

Go to The Gauge forum at www.the-gauge.com and look at the "Academy section near the bottom of the page - Paul Templar (shamus) has a section there on how he makes his trees.

Thanks guys, I am working in HO. I’ll checkout AND try some of the other suggestions. The grape vine thing sounds interesting for small trees. Thanks again and more suggestionbs wuld be welcomed…Jamie