Here we are that's my story:
few days ago i had the opportunity to read a very nicely done feature here on Armorama , the feature was about building a tree with wire ( here : https://armorama.kitmaker.net//features/135 ) i got really amazed by the subject so i decided to try playing the role of Mother Nature ( ...lol...) for a while..!

I'm posting few pics to share my work with you guys, comments and advices are always fresh air for my rookie skills..!


In this pic you'll be able to see the tree in his "primordial" state, the differents types of wire used are well visible.., the reddish are the copper ones while the grey is lead ....i think....i mainly got them for their right dimensions ( 0,05mm 0,06mm ) rather than for the material envolved in the manufactoring process.





Next pics are about the tree in a more advanced state: the wire structure has been already covered with a plaster-like material called Scagliola, as priorly mentioned a plaster-like material with a nice flexibility tollerance ( obviuosly in Italian.....sry but i cant recall a valid translation for the word."scagliola"..but i think that plaster would be fine...) .
Left drying for a complete night . After that i started the painting process , that envolved a base coat of dark grey acrylic paint ( airbrushed ) followed , once dry , by a dark green wash made with oil paint. Once the green was dry , i applied another wash ( a bit more "light" than the prior one ) of burnt umber , this act like a filter creating a nice green-brown shade effect . Once dry i entered the dry brush section ( the one i prefer.....) , this will envolve differents colors ( earth , light grey , dark yellow...and who knows what else....lol ) . The first one , earth , has been partially already applied at the base and middle of the tree trunk.
I've started also to get in place the foliage...., a very tiny and boring work..! But this will help your ZEN attitude...!
SO far , being this experiment my first attempt , i'm quite satisfied.., i hope you will like it..!









Well thats it folks..! Sry for being a bit too "long" in the description and feel sry too for my " Experimental English " ..., let me know please what you think about it ( ...no.., not my Experimental English...) , i'm waiting for your comments....i'll keep posting pics as soon the work proceed..

Thanks again.

Ciao..!
Alex.

Wooooowps....! No pics...!
Mmmmhh, let me try again...:












If its still not working you can find them here :
http://photos.kitmaker.net/showphoto.php/photo/184546/cat/500/ppuser/16788

Ciao
Alex.

Bigger...!!!

Wooowww...!!! You all guys are without words...!!! Great thats a good sign..!
Anyway i'll add few pics of the proceding work, more foliage added and a more consistent drybrush applied.










Thanks for your time.....

Ciao
Alex

I think it looks great.
Perhaps others are just being left speechless.

You have a good sense for the nuances of nature as seen in the weathering, the cobblestones, and the composition of all your pictures! Please say something more about the foliage. Do not worry about writing too much--you have invested time and effort into the work, so go ahead and share it with us. Thank-you for sending large pictures. Keep going, be prolific with this pliable media.

Heine-07

Hi guys thanks for your comments..!

DAVE:
thanks , actually im really pleased with the result ( ...its really strange 'cause i always understimate my jobs , i love being extremely critic with myself...!! ) .
...Yes, probably everyone that watched my tree has been kept by an overwhealming ( ....or overwhelming....mmmhhhh .....) sense of peace and beauty , and now they're trying to get back to reality ....!!!


...Right then , you can call me Mother Nature..... .

Obviously kidding folks...!!!!!!

HEINE:
I just wrote you two pm's....its all there...!!


Thanks again mates.

Ciao
Alex.

Ciao Alessandro
Good to hear of someone using a feature and being so successful first time around! I think your version looks wonderful, and as HEINE said, you have a good grasp on how things naturally look
It scales out well against the figure, which I assume to be 1:35th?
Is the foliage Woodland scenics? I have some for a planned diorama, and in my opinion is some of the best ready made stuff to use...
Cheers
Brad

i just tryed making a wire tree today and failed misserably.
But like you i Am very Critical on my work.

Hi guys,
first of all thanks for taking time to post your opinions, i think that discussing is one of the best way to improve our skills.

BRAD:
yes, the figure is a 1:35 Dragon Fallschirmjager , it will be part of a Diorama ( i'm still trying to figure out the right "logistic" of the scene ) with other "kameraden" and a Panther and obviously my tree.
Yes the foliage it's from WS more precisely is called: Fine Leaf Foliage - Dark Green . I've managed to find it on a very reliable on line shop called www.netmerchants.co.uk , i think they have differents shades of green available. And yes i agree with you, its a very nice product...!!
About my presumed "sense of nature" , i think its mainly due to the fact that , since many years , i live in a wonderful little paradise corner , my place is completely sorrunded by nature , so i think that after a while this environment is reflecting on my way of doing this particoular kind of things.......wooowww...., this is a very Flower- Power thing...!!!

DAVID:
try again...!!! I think that the more challenging things are the ones that give us more satisfaction once finished. I priorly said that i'm quite pleased with the result..., but not totally happy...!! I'm sure i'll do another tree 'cause i'd like to correct some little errors that i've noticed in this version....!

Anyway, thanks again for your opinions guys, as already said i'll keep the post updated as soon my project will advance.



Thanks again.

Ciao,
Alex

the tree looks very good alessandro!! keep us posted

koen

It looks pretty good so far. There are a few branches that are a bit thick, but the foliage is covering it well and I don't think it will be a problem.

Great job on the tree Alessandro. I like how you can see through the tree ... the foilage isn´t too thick. Quite realistic.

Thanks everyone guys,
its a real plesure to have your opinions and comments.

So im here to announce that the tree its finished..! Few little details are missing but they will be fixed once the subject will be set on place in the dio.

Here are the pics, i've added a "big cat" to give you the oppurtunity to realize the real size of the tree and the proportions...:

















Right , the trick is done. Now i've to face the building part of the dio base ( not an easy task since it will be my first attempt ) . You will hear from me very soon ( ...it sounds like a menace....) .

Regards,
Alex.

Holy Cow!!! That tree looks better than the ones in my yard! Excellent scale effect and the foliage is unbelievable. I couldn't even begin to imagine the amount of time it took to cover a tree that size with that much greenery.

I can't wait to see the entire finished scene. Fantastic!

Scott

Alessandro
The tree looks really good, can you say a bit more about how you applied the foliage.

Hi again,
thanks for the comments guys.

Appllying the foliage has been quite "funny" ...., in fact i decided to stick the little foliage branches , individually....i mean: originally the material comes in a sort of mini-tree shape, very compressed....but if you try very carefully to separate them you will obtain perfect small ( very small...) branches that perfecly fit the entire tree structure. Placing them in the right places and positions is up to the "eye" ....., i passed the last three days watching at the trees with a lot of attention...; probably this has attracted the attention of many persons..... , but it has been really helpfull to understand the "chaotic order" that Mother Nature usually uses..!

I hope that this help, thanks for your opinions .

Ciao
Alex.

Isn't there any other material to use as foliage than woodland scenics stuff as it is very expensive, and mostly you can make this yourselves
Cheers, Captain Mallory

Hello Fatbobit! I just saw the next generation of pictures. Thanks for showing them large! There is a close-up of the foliage which seems to have fine twigs embedded in the greenery. Are these fine twigs part of the wire armature, are they part of the commercial foliage product, or, are the fine twigs another step which you so creatively implemented?

The picture in question falls second in the progression of next generation pictures--those commencing right after Plasticbattle's post.

Heine-07.