Chuffnell Regis

[Gopher]

2 hours ago, Graham T said:

Here it is with all the horsehair added; I don't think it needs any more?

 

That is a truly scary tree

[Graham T]

Here it is with the static grass applied.  I used 4mm fibres with a puffer bottle and hairspray.  I wasn't bothered about the colour as it will get a spray of light-ish brown acrylic next.

 

These are supposed to represent twigs, and I'm wondering if perhaps it's a bit too twiggy now!  Perhaps I should thin them out a little ?

 

Anyway, hopefully it doesn't look quite so terrifying now 🙂

 

[Andy Keane]

3 hours ago, Graham T said:

Here it is with all the horsehair added; I don't think it needs any more?

 

Looking good, but if anything I might teeze a bit out?

[Andy Keane]

1 hour ago, Graham T said:

Here it is with the static grass applied.  I used 4mm fibres with a puffer bottle and hairspray.  I wasn't bothered about the colour as it will get a spray of light-ish brown acrylic next.

 

These are supposed to represent twigs, and I'm wondering if perhaps it's a bit too twiggy now!  Perhaps I should thin them out a little ?

 

Anyway, hopefully it doesn't look quite so terrifying now 🙂

 

Have you seen the demo where the tree is connected to the static charge lead and then waved over the hot plate covered in static grass? Maybe that’s what you did?

[Graham T]

1 hour ago, Andy Keane said:

Looking good, but if anything I might teeze a bit out?

 

Yes I think you're right.  Unfortunately it's all a bit of a solid mass now, so I think a bit of snippage might be in order!

 

24 minutes ago, Andy Keane said:

Have you seen the demo where the tree is connected to the static charge lead and then waved over the hot plate covered in static grass? Maybe that’s what you did?

 

No I hadnt seen that.  Sounds far too complicated!  I have a micro-applicator from WWS, but have never found it to be that good to be honest, so just blasted each area with hairspray then used a puffer bottle to apply the static grass, before sealing with more hairspray.

 

[Andy Keane]

Here:

 

[Graham T]

I attacked the foliage pads with a pair of nail scissors, and then hoovered (!) the tree to get rid of any scraps, before giving it a shot of Liquitex burnt umber 6 acrylic.  To be honest I think the twigs are still much too dense; a lesson identified for next time.  Less horsehair and less static grass!

 

Anyway, it's just an experiment 🙂  I'll paint the trunk with some greens and greys tomorrow, and then see how it looks with some scatter applied.  Might still be able to rescue it...

 

 

 

[Andy Keane]

5 minutes ago, Graham T said:

I attacked the foliage pads with a pair of nail scissors, and then hoovered (!) the tree to get rid of any scraps, before giving it a shot of Liquitex burnt umber 6 acrylic.  To be honest I think the twigs are still much too dense; a lesson identified for next time.  Less horsehair and less static grass!

 

Anyway, it's just an experiment 🙂  I'll paint the trunk with some greens and greys tomorrow, and then see how it looks with some scatter applied.  Might still be able to rescue it...

 

 

 

I think your trunk is way too good to scrap. I would strip the horsehair and try again. Is there any alternative to horsehair for the twigs?

[Graham T]

That's a good idea.  I think horsehair is probably okay to use, I just didn't thin it out enough.  And then of course that gets compounded when you add the static grass "twigs".

 

[MrWolf]

These are the gnarly oaks I posted earlier, but in full leaf, both are around 700 years old!

 

Dreamstime.

 

[Graham T]

Thanks Rob, those pics will be very useful tomorrow!

 

[Graham T]

I continued to struggle with the (oak) tree today.  I began by ripping out a lot of the horsehair and static grass with a pair of tweezers.  That got to the point where I was worrying that there weren't enough branches - so probably about right?!

 

 

Next up was to sort out the colour of the trunk.  This was done with a mixture of dark grey washes, dry brushing with mid- to light-greys, and then dabbing on some greens here and there in an effort to show moss and so on.  Then another mid-brown and green wash to finish things off.  I think it could perhaps be made a bit lighter still, but maybe I will put some foliage on first to see how the colours look then...

 

 

 

And here it is plonked roughly where it will live on the layout, with a bod for scale.

 

 

 

[JustinDean]

I think this is looking much better. May be worth trimming off some of the long, curled strands from the horsehair. 
 

Jay

[Graham T]

Well, this is where we are now.  Not sure if I like this or not.  I'm hoping that the hairspray doesn't dry glossy on the trunk; unfortunately I couldn't figure out how to spray the branches without it getting all over the tree trunk as well.  If it does stay glossy I'll try another wash or two, that might dull it down with luck...

 

 

 

 

 

[Rowsley17D]

Looking good now, Graham.

[Graham T]

Thanks Jonathan.  I'm still unsure to be honest.  It feels as if more foliage is needed...

 

[Andy Keane]

I think very good. Rather than more foliage I would use some nail scissors to trim of any bits that stick out without leaves that look a bit bristly?

[Rowsley17D]

Given that's it's a very, very ancient tree I doubt it would be very verdant at its time of life. To me it looks just right (other opinions may vary.)

[Graham T]

Thanks both 🙂  I think a gentle trim might be in order; I just need to avoid making it look tidy!

 

[JustinDean]

More trimming as already said. Some of the straggly bits of horsehair look unnatural. 
overall it’s looking decent mate. I don’t think it needs much more in the way of foliage. 
Referencing prototype photos is your friend!

 

Jay

[MrWolf]

As Justin said, lose the few wispy bits and I think that you have it. A thin coat of matt acrylic varnish will take off the unnatural sheen.

This well known oak is deep in GWR territory and looks about as weird as they come.

 

 

 

Even in summer, it stands out from the taller and younger trees.behind it.

[Graham T]

Damn, that makes even my tree look like an Adonis!

 

Stragglers have been liquidated, and a murky acrylic wash applied to the trunk and main branches.  Now to wait and see if it's worked...

 

[Graham T]

This weekend's musical accompaniment has so far mostly been provided by the rather wonderful Siouxsie and the Banshees.  Peepshow has been on repeat for a while, and I really can't decide whether my favourite track is "Last beat of my heart", or the frankly amazing "Rhapsody"...

 

The latter is leading by a neck right now 🙂

 

 

[Graham T]

I think I'm going to stop trying to do any more to the tree*.  It did indeed still look glossy this morning, so I've given the trunk and major branches some thinned mid-grey paint.  It looks better, but still has a bit of a shine here and there.

 

 

 

*  Well, probably.  I might try a spray of matt acrylic varnish, but am worried that could b*gger up the leaves.

[Gopher]

2 minutes ago, Graham T said:

I think I'm going to stop trying to do any more to the tree*.  It did indeed still look glossy this morning, so I've given the trunk and major branches some thinned mid-grey paint.  It looks better, but still has a bit of a shine here and there.

 

 

 

*  Well, probably.  I might try a spray of matt acrylic varnish, but am worried that could b*gger up the leaves.

I think that is much improved Graham.  Foliage is spot on in my humble opinion, and the trunk was always excellent.  Nice bit of modelling, well done for persevering.