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Dioramas: Flora & Fauna
Trees, shrubs, nature and animals.
Hosted by Darren Baker
Creating small trees and scrub out of Licken
Manchu34
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Missouri, United States
Joined: March 08, 2002
KitMaker: 493 posts
Armorama: 361 posts
Posted: Monday, November 03, 2003 - 04:14 PM UTC
Yesterday, I got bored and thought I'd try to create scrubs. What I decided to use was a form of Licken (spelling), I believe it is called Reindeer Licken. IT looks like small roots from a plant with a color similar to sea foam.

Well, any ways, what I did was to dip the dried out licken into a very deluted mix of water and dark brown. THe licken absorbed the colored water and once it dried. It was the new color only requiring something to represent leaves.
nato308
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Iowa, United States
Joined: October 23, 2003
KitMaker: 884 posts
Armorama: 609 posts
Posted: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 - 03:09 AM UTC
I have tried many things but the best items I have used are parsley flakes found in the spice asile at your local grocery. Or a flocking product the model railroaders used its name escapes me at the moment (I'm at work) but comes in a big jar looks like little leaves and is perfect for smaller leaved shrubs. In either case the investment would be five bucks or less.
FAUST
#130
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Noord-Holland, Netherlands
Joined: June 07, 2002
KitMaker: 8,797 posts
Armorama: 4,190 posts
Posted: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 - 03:29 AM UTC
Manchu

Nato is correct and you can use the dried parsley flakes.. If you want them smaller you simply crush and griond them a little bit to make smaller Flakes.
Another good thing I always like to use is Birch seeds. These are already representative as a leaf in 1:35
Check out the pic below. The Birchseeds are wonderfull leafs in 1:35 dio`s

Usually you will find Birch seeds in the beginning of Fall and usually they will be found in Places where Birches ae (Duh Robert Really???)(yep they are found there )
If you don`t find them in Nature I believe you can buy small bags at railroad shops or modelshops.

Manchu34
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Missouri, United States
Joined: March 08, 2002
KitMaker: 493 posts
Armorama: 361 posts
Posted: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 - 06:35 PM UTC
Thanks guys. You ideas will help. Though Parsley will be far mroe easily obtain where I live. I live in Houston, MO. which is located in the southwest portion of Missouri, AKA: The Ozarks, don't find to many Birch Trees around here. However, back where I grew up (Gardner, Mass.) there were plenty
lestweforget
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Victoria, Australia
Joined: November 08, 2002
KitMaker: 2,832 posts
Armorama: 1,500 posts
Posted: Tuesday, November 04, 2003 - 08:12 PM UTC
G'day everyone, when you guys talk about the parsley flakes, what do you do with them, can you explain how they are used? cheers
nato308
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Iowa, United States
Joined: October 23, 2003
KitMaker: 884 posts
Armorama: 609 posts
Posted: Wednesday, November 05, 2003 - 06:53 AM UTC
There are a number of methods to use them, but I will try to explain how I do it. First, I start with the "base" for my shrub, I like to use sage brush (for Normandy Headrow, real heavy old type shrubs). They appear like old Oak trees in minature, the 2-3 inch work very well for the headges. I use scratch pads, the fibrey type and pull them apart to make the very small branches for the leaves (the Parsley) to sit. I adhear these to the shrub bases with spraymount (permanant type by 3M). I spray the fingered ends of the sage brush with enough adhesvise for the scratch pad fibers to stick well and create the solid base for the parsley flakes. I spray the scratch pad "branches" and shake the desired amount of parsley flakeson. I usually airbrush them for color and follow up with with dry brushing. This process will work with any of the weed type shrubs as well and many of those you don't need the extra scratch pad "branches". Let me know if this helps or if I need to clarify myself, sometimes what makes perfect sence to me may not to you.
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