Peggi Posted May 27, 2006 Share Posted May 27, 2006 Very nice. I can't believe it was your first. It looks very good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 (be gentle, it is just the first one.) Attached thumbnail(s) No need, Glen, you've done it again! Is there anything you can't do? WOW. :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen Posted May 28, 2006 Author Share Posted May 28, 2006 Quite seriously, it really was very easy to do once Fay mentioned the magic words “masking tape”. Cutting the leaves took a little time but there's nothing clever going on. I previously thought it would be impossible and had been putting it off but now I'm more concerned about how I'm going to make some realistic trees. Glen Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shakyshaky Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Your palm looks great. You have one lucky daughter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Color Me Holly Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Glen, that is awesome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay in FLA Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Glen, if you do an internet search for 'model railroad' you should find some instructions on making regular trees. The basic idea is to start with a bunch of wires the length of your entire tree, from tips of roots to top of branches. You twist the trunk - either all together (if it's a skinny tree) or in groups (is you want a fat trunk & LOTS of branches). When you have the trunk twisted maybe half-way up the length of the wire, start making smaller groups, forming the branches. Keep separating out the wires as you get higher into the tree. You should be able to see how it all works at that point. Wrap everything with tape, covering the wires & filling out the trunk & branches. Then paint, of course. Once you have a nice armature, there are several ways to leaf the tree. That's where the railroad sites come in handy. Just look for a site that gives "scenery" instructions. :lol: ~Fay in FLA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missymew Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Fay- Thanks for your help in making miniature trees. This is something that I'd very much like to do. Yesterday, I was reading up tutorial on Yahoo's Miniature Landscaping site. I like your method better. I've bought some florist tape to wrap over the wires. I'll let you know how it comes out. Glen - How did you do the trunk of your palm tree. I really like the way you made it up to look brown aged wood on the bottom and then green at the top for the newer growth. Very realistic. -Susanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen Posted May 28, 2006 Author Share Posted May 28, 2006 I'm making another smaller one today, I'll take pictures if you like. I was reading up tutorial on Yahoo's Miniature Landscaping site. -Susanne Could you put up a link to that Susanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missymew Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Glen - Here's the link to Yahoo's Miniature Landscaping Group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CITY-MiniScenery/ -Susanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 DHMS' Dolls House Projects very first issue (probably OOP by now) was devoted to gardens & landscaping and had some somple tree tutorials. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay in FLA Posted May 28, 2006 Share Posted May 28, 2006 Here's the first tree I put green stuff on. It looks better in this picture than it does in real life, but I'm just happy to have made a tree. :lol: I went back after I took this picture & did more painting on the trunk, dry-brushing to add some interest. Next time I'm going to try a different method for adding the 'leaves'. This one was made by stretching polyfiber (I used quilt batting, since I'm a quilter) across the armature. I used spray adhesive & then sprinkled flocking all over the fiber. I used way too much fiber & way too much flocking. Next time will be better. I forgot to mention about the roots. I "branch" them out the same as the top of the tree. That enables the tree to stand alone. You can let some roots show when you 'plant' the tree, or cover them all up. ~Fay in FLA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
havanaholly Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Oh, I do like your tree! Now I'm getting inspired... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peggi Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Fay: Thanks for the how-to on the tree and for posting a picture. I may be able to try this also. Can someone put her how-to in the tutorial section for later use? Pretty Please. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missymew Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 My favourite maker of miniature trees though, has to be Bill Langford. Here's his famous treehouse: http://billlankford.com/Class5.htm -Susanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 There used to be a guy on ebay that made trees. I think his store name was tree daddy or something like that. He does train scale trees the most but does 1" scale too. Fay, your tree is Wonderful! :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glen Posted May 29, 2006 Author Share Posted May 29, 2006 This has to be the definitive lesson on tree making. It's fantastic http://www.barrule.com/workshop/extras%20tree%20making.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay in FLA Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Gee, thanks, everybody. I'm really not into making minis that can be mistaken for real-life things - I just like to have fun with the illusion. Maybe that's why I've been working only in 1/2" scale & haven't tried anything larger. I can get away with less detail & just have a good time playing. :lol: The treehouse is fabulous. When I get better at all this mini stuff I'll have to work on more realism. My little tree is only about 7 inches tall --- 14 feet in my scale. ~Fay in FLA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fay in FLA Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Here's another method of making a tree. http://minipearls.homestead.com/updates.html ~Fay Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Missymew Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Fay and Glen - Thank you for the excellent tree-making sites. BTW, Glen .... I never would have thought of googling "war games". Fabulous idea. -Susanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Minis On The Edge Posted May 29, 2006 Share Posted May 29, 2006 Great Tutorials on tree making!! I have bookmarked them for future use :lol: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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