Been recently experimenting with a new type of Evergreen being not very pleased with the last few. These trees are quite easy to make and can be sized to fit any scale.
The few threads of the past have started with modeling steps and then images. Seemed as that became a bit too boring so posting the pictures first this time.
Coconut fiber is nothing new but sparked some interest to try some out.
Noticed on many tree tutorials the coconut fiber is put on too even and then trimmed evan more evenly after the fiber is strung on the trunk.
With that said, it was noticed there wasn’t many examples of perfect looking Christmas trees if any the last time looking at them in the woodlands.
So the experiment was to make the tree shape a little more sporadically uneven like they usually are.
That’s a pretty good result. I especially like the realism of the dead branches lower down.
Spruce in particular abandon lower branches as sunlight is taken by branches higher up the tree or on other trees. This is the same cause for the asymmetry you’ve noticed. Trees don’t invest in branches that don’t generate food for the tree.
The dead branches are very tough and take years to drop off naturally. They’re also very dry and lower branches are useful for making fires if you’re allowed to take what we used to call (deleted at OP’s request) wood before that word became politically incorrect. Branches lower than about 6 feet off the ground are often removed by people needing easy access firewood.
For the record my use of the original description for these low dead branches remains common useage in Western Canada and is not considered offensive but accurate. The word is actually Algonquin and accurate when properly used. I too have First Nations relatives.
Nice tree, TF! How long did it take to make one? How much longer would it take to make a dozen? I would imagine there could be economies of time for things like spraying the initial fiber-on-wood sticks.
I have visions of a stream n a deep ravine, with a forest of these trees on the river banks, climbing up to a magnificent bridge.
I like the result, TF. I made a couple like that, not quite as nice. I did make the dead lower branches and stuck them in tiny holes I drilled per Joe Fugate’s excellent instruction he posted, probably back in 2006. I don’t know that I ever would have noticed and thought to add them, but they sure make a difference to the realism.
Honestly the first one took a bit over 3 hours trial and error going along. The original tree got about an 1 1/4" subtracted today as it was too tall. The fiber removed got crunched around and looked rather interesting as it appeared half dead. So a dying tree was made this morning which took about 2 hours. Tried to make the bark at the top of the tree look bloated, ready to start falling off like it eventually does.
This afternoon two more normal ones were made and together took about 2 1/2 - 3 hours so they’re getting a little quicker. Have to say they are a relaxing and enjoyable pastime but wouldn’t want to make 12 at once or in a row though.
The vision you spelled out, although a long way down the road, is imagined here as well now and looking forward to seeing it someday.
Thanks Selector -n- Wisconsin Mike for the kind words.
Thank you Rich -n- Brent for the nice compliments and having my back as well[oX)] Both are appreciated[Y]
Bet your trees look fantastic Selector and sure would love to see Joe Fugate’s trees. They sound like they were really something.
Can just imagine your wife rolling her eyes when you told her you’re using the kitty litter for ballast Mike[(-D] Hey, …The Lion says it works good too, so why not.
Hello Bear and Thanks
Tree Guy, not The Bridge Guy[(-D][(-D][(-D] Could you make that the Lorax maybe[swg]
Thanks for the kind complement and your questions of interest.
Yep, you got it, they are bamboo skewers.
The trunks after spray painted Tamiya natto brown where damp brushed with raw umber and dry brushed with khaki, then taupe. Took a toothpick dipped in CA to put some bumps and swipes here and there before the dry brusing.
The dead branches came out of the coconut fiber and sometimes you’re lucky enough to get a split one. Mostly the Y in the dead branches was done gluing another limb with CA. The limbs were CA’ed to the trunk with accelerator as well. The nice thing the fiber is very flexible with memory so the limbs don’t break off the trunk.
Hi David, Been leaving the trees different heights but I did shorten the first one as it was more HO size that would probably make the mountains look too short.
Hello Lion, Dem BoaBab trees are a trip and don’t even look real. But are about the best prototypical example of a Truffula tree ever seen before[(-D]
Thanks David Starr. The coconut fiber is a potted plant accessory that can be found in most garden sections of big box stores or other floral suppliers.
Below is not my picture. It was taken from Matt’s Coniferous Tree thread a short time ago.
Really liked how these trees looked made from the fern leaves of the asparagus plant. Unfortunately as rrebell pointed out in Matt’s thread, organic material eventually dries out. Definitely can testify to his statement from the last trees made a few years ago. Don’t think that’ll be the case with coconut fiber as it’s more like wood.
For the next experiment an artificial fern plant as close to the asparagus fern was used.
The trunk was .08 tubular styrene with about 50 - 60 holes drilled in it and stuffed with different lengths of the artificial branches and CA’ed with accelerator.
Didn’t like how the plastic leaves looked and forgot to take a picture of that. The tree was painted brown, hairsprayed and flocked with assorted ground turf colors as well.
Kinda looks like a big cedar tree but don’t think the effort weighed the outcome.
This crazy tree took over 5 hours and won’t be making another one anytime soon for that reason. Maybe someday when everything else is done on the layout and looking for something to do, …Maybe.
Great looking trees. A couple of things you might toss into your experiment:
I use real branches as trunks - Depending on where you live, a quick walk in the woods will likely scare up some suitable candidates – they don’t have to be perfectly straight - real trees aren’t.
I found that a coat of spackle on the trunk gives a nice texture before painting.
The fibers look great for the dead limbs – other options are broom stick fibers/straw and Nandina armatures broken into pieces.
I attacked the filter material pretty aggressively to give an airier texture – hard on the hands but gives a nice effect. I cut the pieces into star shapes to give the impression of branches
The coconut fiber can be found at Walmart sold as furnace filter material – also used to make cooling pads for swamp coolers - the Walmart stuff is green….
Here are a few pics to show big trees (click on them to enlarge). This one shows the basic armatures made from Furnace filter with sticks and dowels. The tree on the left has a dowel trunk, the tress on the center and right are real sticks. The foliage has not been thinned yet and the trunk coloring is not finished.
Here is a basic furnace filter armature before foliage has been added. I used various tyopes of foam and foliage products and then attacked these armatures with scissors to get a good effect.
Here is a partially completed rope limb method tree. In this method sisal rope is teased out into braches coated with glue and eventually glued to the trunk of the tree. Foliage is added after. Takes a very long time.
Those are some incredible looking trees Guy. You certainly blew me out of the water on those last two rope trees that exceeded any of my expectations so far. I remember how impressed I was with your layout as well. Ironically the next experiment is a rope tree I’m working on right now.
Some good ideas you shared and I thank you. I’ve tried going to a few nature areas here and haven’t found any good branches that will work for N scale yet. Maybe haven’t hit the right places.
Thanks for posting Guy. Very impressive trees indeed[bow]
