AFV Club Sd.Kfz251/20 'UHU' Diorama

[geegad]

Wow looks superb buddy i will be taking that one from you..and got to get some off the scatter stuff as well

[Guest]

I think you've cheated and used a Bonsai.

[Guest]

I think you've cheated and used a Bonsai.

It might have been easier lol

[Guest]

I've pulled up a comfy chair for this one,that tree is spot on mate.Ps you could do a nice little sideline making them trees.

[PhilJ]

Graham I wouldn't know where to start with materials for trees, so this is of interest which is why I'll be watching this one.


Did you use any reference for your tree? I mean it looks like a tree especially once the figure goes under it I'm just not sure what type.


I have dabbled with bonsai since I was a kid and they are as you know miniture trees, but getting them to look like a real miniture tree is tricky and means you have to study form and structure most trees grow differently... Does that make sense?


Now watching


Phil

[Guest]

Now that's a tree! Great stuff Graham, I've often thought about trying the Treemendous products, and now I will

[Guest]

Graham I wouldn't know where to start with materials for trees, so this is of interest which is why I'll be watching this one.
Did you use any reference for your tree? I mean it looks like a tree especially once the figure goes under it I'm just not sure what type.


I have dabbled with bonsai since I was a kid and they are as you know miniture trees, but getting them to look like a real miniture tree is tricky and means you have to study form and structure most trees grow differently... Does that make sense?


Now watching


Phil

No Phil. As usual, I didn't think this out. I literally sat there thinking of a base layout, thought it needed height so I just had a look at some videos, read a few articles online and used what I had to make a tree. Just kept adapting what I had seen to fit with the materials I had to hand.


I will now look further into it as I suppose a 'generic' tree shape isn't good enough, it needs to have some resemblance to a real tree (I know nothing about trees other than they are made of wood).


I have to get some better materials before I have a go at something bigger and more realistic but this one will do for the base I am planning as it is about the right height for what I want.


Trouble with1/35 trees is that if you make them to scale, they can be huge.


Tree Mendus do a tree making kit with wire and materials to make a decent tree, I had the scenic kit. However, I have just ordered some florist wire of a heavier gauge and am looking for more materials to do another tree just as a practise one. I may do a tutorial on that if I am convinced I can get it good enough.

[Guest]

Now that's a tree! Great stuff Graham, I've often thought about trying the Treemendous products, and now I will

As above Patrick, Tree Mendus do a tree making kit that includes the wire. It is about £20 but has everything you need including the thin scenic glue etc. They do a pack of wire for £5 but I have ordered florist wire of Amazon for £2.50 post free to try. Not got my head around the gauges yet so I may well have ordered the wrong sort lol.


I have to admit, I was thinking that I wouldn't be able to do this but all it takes is time and a few materials and, for a model builder rather than a model maker, I have found this first crude attempt to be very satisfying and great fun.

[PhilJ]

No Phil. As usual, I didn't think this out. I literally sat there thinking of a base layout, thought it needed height so I just had a look at some videos, read a few articles online and used what I had to make a tree. Just kept adapting what I had seen to fit with the materials I had to hand.
I will now look further into it as I suppose a 'generic' tree shape isn't good enough, it needs to have some resemblance to a real tree (I know nothing about trees other than they are made of wood).


I have to get some better materials before I have a go at something bigger and more realistic but this one will do for the base I am planning as it is about the right height for what I want.


Trouble with1/35 trees is that if you make them to scale, they can be huge.


Tree Mendus do a tree making kit with wire and materials to make a decent tree, I had the scenic kit. However, I have just ordered some florist wire of a heavier gauge and am looking for more materials to do another tree just as a practise one. I may do a tutorial on that if I am convinced I can get it good enough.

I'd like to see that tutorial Graham, considering you just cracked on I think it's decent.


How big is a 1/35 scale tree? Don't forget a 30ft high oak was once a sapling and everything in between so scale hasn't got much to do with it I reckon, as long as the tree is in proportion to itself i.e trunk size to branch size going up the tree and leaf size that's all you can do.

[papa 695]

Well Graham if it wasn't for the pegs I'd have said it was a real tree

[Robert1968]

Just caught up on this Graham and looks very good too and I like ye idea of a hedge too ( love to see that too ) ideas for my dios you know ( costing is a good plan of action too )


Very good tree and looks very authentic to me


Robert

[Guest]

Lookin good so far Graham.


Scott

[Guest]

Thats a proper looking tree Graham ,nicely done!

[Guest]

Thanks again guys. Made a slight modification by adding some fluffier flock (sounds like a blow dried group of sheep!). The florist wire I ordered has turned up but, as I suspected, it is a tad too thick. But, no problem, it will have its uses .


Hope to start on the groundwork this week

[Pikeman]

I thought that if I create this thread, I am committing myself to actually creating a diorama. It will not be complex but I will be making it without buying anything other than materials.
I have created an A4 base that fits into a thin black photo frame, so yes, I did by a photo frame..... failed already lol.


Anyway, I have given it a bit of a 3D look in that it has a bit of height to the rear which I hope to finish with a hedgerow (if I can work out how to do itops failing that, it will be a fence....


I decided that the left hand back corner needed height but not too much, something like a tree. As I have made the no buy rule, I have started to make a tree


Yep, I am diving in at the deep end but after reading loads of ideas and watching a few videos, I have gone with the twisted wire method. Why? Well, I had some soft wire that would just about enough to make a smallish tree with a decent canopy.


This is the basic tree made from 28 gauge jewlers wire from HobbyCraft


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Here it is roughly where it will end up on the diorama base which has just been plastered with filler for the first coat


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This shows the height relative to the UHU, ignore the weird colour, I have taken these with my phone and I have not altered the colour balance


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Here is the tree with the first coat of PVA mixed with Tree Mendus Earth Powder (which I suspect is finely filtered soil, it certainly smells like soil!) It will need more coats to thicken it up and hide the twisted wire look. I hope that the PVA will remain flexible enough to allow a little alteration to the branches position.


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Sorry about the duff pictures. To be honest, when I started making the tree, I thought it would be in the bin within minutes but it turned out better than I expected. Still a long way to go though

Always wanted to try and make my own trees but not attempted it yet.


You are doing a great job so far Graham,I will be watching