Hi - I am new to this board and really like reading al the posts and seeing others work. I just tried making plam trees for my diorama. I did it with no instuctions or knowledge how to do it. If I could get feedback on them I would really appreciate it. Ive seen the work on here and think you guys are amazing. THANKS - David

Im not sure if my images are posting here, try this link:
http://gallery.kitmaker.net/showgallery.php?cat=17270

or click the link above that says "photos"

Thanks

Your trees look great David ! What are you using for the palm fronds ? I wish I could do something like this in 1/700 scale.

Excellent work.
I have made a few myself over the years but not as good as these.

i like the way you have made the dried leaves under the main body of leaves.
Let us know how you did this

cheers
kev

Thanks Kev for the feedback. I am going to explain what I did here. If you need further explanation please ask.

To do under the main fronds I first took some dried "coconut hair" - I dont know what else to call it. it was in a bag at Michaels and is that dried short brown curly grass stuff. I cut it shorter and smashed it between my fingers. I had to glue it - in some cases hot glue it - right under the palm fronds. I pressed hard scrunching and smashing it into place - making sure to wrap it all around the bottom of the fronds. If you dont do this it has long crazy hairs coming out that dont look natural. I also had to do it several times and sometimes use hot glue to get enough on. I also had to use scissors to cut any crazy parts that were sticking out unruly. I also used dried and treated berries for the coconuts. I got them in the floral section at Michaels as well. They varied in color so I did not paint them, preferring their natural coloring (brown to dark brown). It was some kind of branch with leaves and berries on it meant for a floral display. I had to buy the whole flower/branch and then cut the berries off it.

then I also bought another "treated" twig in the floral department that had the type of thing on it I wanted to hang down on the underside of the palm - these are somehow preserved as they are real twigs. It was just a long white branch with many off shoots and smaller and smaller fine looking twigs at the ends that curved somewhat. They had a kind of grassy/twiggy look - they almost looked like some kind of a wheat at the ends but finer. I cut off the very tips at variable lengths and then hot glued them at the ends upside down in between the coconuts (you hot glue the end of the twig and then push it in between and hold till it dries). You also have to layer them - using more than one right next to/on top of each other. The fronds are another fern I bought again in the floral section that I had to cut up and form/glue together to make the palm tree top.

I hope this helps. Let me know if you can use anyfurhter explanation. I found that I really prefer the natural stuff to use as it looks most real. It has the textures we are trying to emulate built into it. I also had to search for something I thought would work - I looked at everything and thought about what I could use for what. And if I need to change it etc. I already see some ways I can improve these trees.

Thanks

Thanks,
David

They look good, in 1-700 scale even better hint hint, while you can buy these trees and much more, they are way to much money for me, so it nice to see someone making their own.
It would also be good if you'd make a step by step guide to making these.

Hi,
What scale are these? They are very nicely done!
Thanks,
Jake

Hi Jake - I made them for my 1/32 figures, but they can obviously be used for larger figures, well the first I made can as it is 22" tall. The 2nd one I made is 12" tall.

Thanks