Can anyone tell me how to make realistic looking model trees out of real plants?
Let them grow?
Sorry.
I use a dried plant that has tree like shape…then I use the cheapest hair spray and sprinkle on the ground foam…
http://www.trainweb.org/zmtshortline/mt0.html
Very good article this method can also be used with peppergrass. I have used it myself
Jeff
here are some more views of these trees…they have been up for about 6 years
Two plants we have here in S. Ontario which adapt well to modelling are Sedum and Sumac. Sedum is a garden plant. Sumac grows wild as shrubby trees. In both cases it’s the dried flower stalks which work. All they need is a little extra “filling out” with some ground foam.
I am not a botanist, so I have no idea what kind of plants I use. I just use whatever weeds or branches I think will make a good looking, realistic tree.
I spray them with 3M adhesive, sprinkle on various colors and size of ground foam and then respray them with the adhesive to hold them together.
The trees look great, but are very delicate and I have knocked off branches here and there. The broken off branches make really good bushes, so they aren’t wasted.
Check out some pics at the link in my signature.
Our club is trying tumbleweed. A little filling in with babies breath and ground foam and away we go. Hopefully.
Jesse
Nice work tomkat.
I used “Supertrees” by Scenic Express. One bag of their material yielded over 300 trees of various sizes in N-scale. But the best part is the cost per tree was pennies. They are labor intensive, but I think the detail was nice – especially for N-scale. I’ve also seen them used in HO scale with stunning results.
Here are some shots of what I did with them on my layout:
if you want a good way of making trees go to this clubs web site @ fcsme.org
they have an excellent clinc on making trees.
I have been to fcsme.org before. i heard about it while taking railroading merrit badge with a member