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It's going to be something...

It's going to be something...

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Adding more life

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I am continuing to add small extra details to the layout.  All the buildings are now done except for some of the lighting and the stained-glass windows for one of them.

I wanted to add some trees to the layout to add fallen leaves to the ground. They have to have come from somewhere, right?

Twisted wire trees have been the thing for ages now and there is not much more that I can add to whatever has been said about them.   mrstu has been working on some for his terrain project that can be found HERE.  If you have not checked out his amazing Moonstone table build then go and check it out, it’s well worth a look.

Anyway, the principle is that you twist lots of strands of wire together and gradually ‘branch’ smaller clumps of wires off to form, branches.  The thinner the wire you use the smaller branches you will end up with but the more individual wires you will need.

I based my trees on small steel washers to give them some extra weight.   You can make extra small ‘branches’ at the bottom to represent roots, but for what I have in mind, those would not work for me.

 

The basic structure is then sculpted over the wire frame using some form of modelling putty.  I used milliput.  I lightly scored in a rough texture so the trunks did not look to smooth.  This is optional and really depends on the type of tree you are trying to simulate. The basic structure is then sculpted over the wire frame using some form of modelling putty. I used milliput. I lightly scored in a rough texture so the trunks did not look to smooth. This is optional and really depends on the type of tree you are trying to simulate.
I undercoated the trees in Army Painter Leather Brown paint before splodging on some 'crackle paint' in different areas of the trunk.I undercoated the trees in Army Painter Leather Brown paint before splodging on some 'crackle paint' in different areas of the trunk.
Once the crackle paint is dry it creates a nice, cracked bark like texture,Once the crackle paint is dry it creates a nice, cracked bark like texture,
The trunk was then roughly dry-brushed up with some greys, and greens before clump foliage was added.The trunk was then roughly dry-brushed up with some greys, and greens before clump foliage was added.
Because of the steel washers the trees can stand up perfectly fine on their own.   They are not quite finished yet as there is a small detail I need to add to help them blend into the table better.Because of the steel washers the trees can stand up perfectly fine on their own. They are not quite finished yet as there is a small detail I need to add to help them blend into the table better.
Adding more life

Spent a bit of time fiddling around and making a Tree Guard to go around the bottom of the tree.  It helps hide the fact that the trees are on top of the flagstones and adds a nice decorative border.

This is the quick mock up to get the size right.

Adding more life
Test shot to make sure trees fit in with the lighting.   No Tree Guards added yet.Test shot to make sure trees fit in with the lighting. No Tree Guards added yet.

To-do list.

  • Factory district to paint up.
  • Another corner building for the smaller raised area.
  • Market goods.
  • Street Scatter and rubbish
  • Internal lighting and wall-mounted lights for the Victorian buildings.
  • Elements to give a ‘lived-in look’.

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