Hi guys. It's in response to this post http://www.trains.com/community/forum/topic.asp?page=1&TOPIC_ID=45609, that I'm putting this mini tutorial together. Before I start I'd like to say that I don't feel qualified to tell many of the members here how to model anything. I'm just an average model railroader and this is my technique for making aspens. It was concieved by a previous failure to get the results I was after on my first attempt. I tried again because we need the trees without the high prices of commercially marketed aspens.

Total time to make an aspen is probably less than 10 minutes (not counting paint drying time). The only cost involved is a cheap can of spray paint and the Woodland Scenics foliage material.

Friend and fellow board member cjcresent turned me on to a local plant called Oakleaf Hydrangea. http://davesgarden.com/pf/go/131/ While he may not have had aspens in mind, I've adapted the plant to meet the need. Oakleaf Hydrangea grows in the wild around here and on a recent railfan trip at our hunting lease, cjcresent pointed it out to me. Thanks CJ! The best time to harvest it is now, as the branches are dried on the plant and ready for use.

If you can't get the Oakleaf Hydrangea, Hobby Lobby has a variety of commercially available, prepackaged products that would probably work just as well for very reasonable prices.

Oakleaf Hydrangea, the "raw" tree material. Trim all the leaves and buds/seeds off.


After the excess material is removed, paint the tree flat white (off white would be even better).


Using white floral tape (Hobby Lobby, .67 cents a roll), tape the trunk in overlapping layers. The tape is like wax impregnated crepe paper and is best applied while stretched tightly. If done correctly, seems will be all but invisible. One roll of tape will do MANY trees.


Add the bark markings with a black Crayon. It's best if the Crayon is sharpened with a razor blade. Make the markings radom in nature.


Using Woodland Scenics Early Fall Foliage, carefully stretch the material and tear it into small, manageable pieces. This material reminds me a cross between pillow stuffing and furnace filter. When applying the foliage, keep in mind that real trees are airy and can be seen thru at spots. Ideally, you want to be able to see traces of the branch structure and upper trunk and backdrop when applied.




And now for the fun part, the planted fall aspen on the layout!

Thanks Grande Man! (gathers up the spilled beans, and prepares to tell the wife that these beans will grow into nice fall aspens... with a trip to the LHS!)

those are the best looking deciduous trees I've ever seen. Very well done, and easy to make too!!

Grandeman....VERY nice!! I wonder if seeds for the Oakleaf Hydrangea are available at the local nursery......Plant some seeds next spring and you could have aspens in the Fall!!! ....wonder if the stuff will grow in the Pacific NW....Hm-m-m-m-m-m-m Sounds like ANOTHER Google search.......
Nicely done...Thanks for your tutorial. Wonderful trees.

Grande Man - that is absolutely amazing ! I've been looking for a more realistic
method for tree making. I plan on having Summer green foliage, but the trunk
detail is what really makes it come alive. Thanks a lot , and - GREAT JOB !!
[bow][bow][bow]

Nice work. They look great. A couple of questions.

1. So with the 'foliage' material you don't have to bother sprinkling on ground foam afterwards, it's already included?

2. Did you just put some white glue on each branch before applying the foliage, or did you dip the tree in dilute white glue?

3. Nice photography too. How do you manage to aim and squeeze the shutter release with both your hands in the photo?


Regards

Ed

QUOTE: Originally posted by egmurphy Nice work. They look great. A couple of questions. 1. So with the 'foliage' material you don't have to bother sprinkling on ground foam afterwards, it's already included? 2. Did you just put some white glue on each branch before applying the foliage, or did you dip the tree in dilute white glue? 3. Nice photography too. How do you manage to aim and squeeze the shutter release with both your hands in the photo?

The WS floiage already has the texture applied. In the earlier thread, I was speculating that dyed "pillow stuffing" could be sprinkled with foam for the desired effect. After using the WS foliage, I'm going to stick with it.

I just wrapped the foliage onto the limbs, no glue. It's a material that gets caught on the tree well enough as is.

As for the pics, I'm using the camera's timer feature and a tripod. The timer is great for getting sharply focused layout shots too...

QUOTE: Originally posted by twhite Smooth job, Eric! I like it VERY much. Actually, I can adapt it for some fall Maples and Liquid Ambers that grow out here in California. I know that the Maple isn't native to California, but it was brought out here in the 1850's by New England settlers in the foothills, and grows all over the place in the Sierras, now. Thanks for the tutorial. Between your 'aspens' and Aggro's 'pines', you've made a lot of modelers happy campers when it comes to trees. Tom [:P][:P] PS: How big was that .22 you used to shoot those little holes in that little sign in the photo on your other thread, BTW? That is SO cool! T.

I hope you can put the info to use, Tom.

As for Billy Bob, unfortunately he shoots a 44, not a 22! He ain't shoot'in nothin now, Jimmy Mac took his pistol... [:D]

Eric: Very good post.
I hope you don't mind me answering a few of the questions above, but the use of the fine ground foam works very well for other types of trees made with the Oakleaf Hydrangea. If you use ground foam you do need to keep the seed pods on the limbs. They provide a sticking point on the branches and will give you the "bush look" of leaves.

Also, if the bloom is not completely dry, then you need to hang them up for about a month using clothes pins and a line. This will prevent them getting out of shape if they dryout on the layout. if you just let them dry in a bag, then they will take the shape of however they are bunched up...usually bent...I know.[:I]

This method is from the very fine works of the Birmingham Wrecking Crew, MR Club that CJcrescent is a member of. They have an excellent club layout that is covered with this type of tree.

REX

As you have already suggested, this time of the year on through the winter is an ideal time to cut even though anytime is all right to do so. Of course, the drying time would be longer the earlier you cut them.

I am in the process of placing trees on my Sawmill Ridge with the ones I cut last winter. Many of them are bent from improper storage, but with some trimming I will be able to use most. The boss lady and I are going to the boonies tomorrow (weather permitting) and cut some more. It's a good idea to have plenty on hand.

Addendum: I mix my glue/water mixture (about 3:1) in a paint bucket and then dip the entire tree into it for a good coverage. Then I sprinkle the bottom first with fine foam followed by the top. Hang to dry and then place them on the layout. This process is very quick and painless.

This makes such a good looking tree, I hope many out there can benefit from this bush.

REX [:)]