Pine Tree Beta Testing

[chuck geiger]

Being in the armchair since Feb 2019, I've been watching a ton of videos. I am experimenting with
some different approaches to pine tree modeling. These are wire armatures on real tree branches.
This will be stained with a black wash, painted and then try different foliage arrangements. The branches will
be trimmed large at the bottom, narrow at the top. Need to shape the top and cover holes.

[chuck geiger]

Progress...

[peteski]

Looks promising, but I wonder if using static grass instead of ground foam would yield better representation of the evergreen "needles"?

Our own Jos is a tree master. Have you looked at his tree thread for some excellent examples of his tree models?
https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=34967.0

[chuck geiger]

Pete great idea, I have that planned for a test, furnace filters and some of the Luke Towan ideas. I just
wonder how the static grass adheres to the branches, it needs something first. Polyfiber sucks. I read on
and he uses sawdust and then static grass. Several applications keeps them from looking like weeping'willows.

[wazzou]

It seems a little labor intensive.
When I was going to town, I was making about 30 of these a week and some with more foreground detail than others.
Most of them were made just to get a forest of believable conifers.



One example of a standalone tree.

[LIRR]

good idea using real tree branches...I use the same method using wood dowels....



and static grass for branches, 12mm, then 6mm, then 2mm....



finish off with fine ground foam....

[chuck geiger]

This is great thanks, I think the static grass with fine ground foam has the look. Testing continues.

[peteski]

good idea using real tree branches...I use the same method using wood dowels....

and static grass for branches, 12mm, then 6mm, then 2mm....



finish off with fine ground foam....

Yes, the combination of static grass and finely ground foam gives them that airy evergreen look to them.  Chuck seemed to be using clumps of ground foam and that made his pines look like leafy trees with dense foliage.

[Missaberoad]

What kind of trees are you trying to represent?
The curvy trunk reminds me of a Spruce, where the pine trees I see (mostly lodgepole around here) have noticeably straight trunks...

One of the reasons they are a personal favorite for firewood, makes bucking them into rounds so much easier!

[chuck geiger]

Good ? - Ponderosa's in Northern AZ.

[chuck geiger]

So I wonder? Can you use balsa dowels or shape balsa to rounded trees? The holes are harder than hell to drill into
dowels or real tree branches. Can the wire with a dab of super glue poke into the balsa and suffice? LIRR those
are smokin' trees - Wait who's holdin? LIRR how do you drill the holes, pin vise or drill press with small bit.

[DKS]

[chuck geiger]

Love Luke - Check this out:

[chuck geiger]

Test tree #1 complete:



Test tree #2 in progress

[peteski]

Test tree #1 complete:

   

You decide.