I’k planning on doing my second dio featuring a downed aircraft in a jungle type setting, but am kinda stuck for what to do for trees and general jungle undergrowth.
PE would be the best way to go I think, but I have no idea where to even start looking.
Does anyone make PE trees, creepers, grasses etc that could be used for a jungle setting?
Or would I have to go the scratchbuilding method and HOPE it looks right.
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks in advance
Sean
Oh yeah, forgot to add it will be a 1/48 scale aircraft, so I assume the stuff I’d be after would also be 1/48 in scale, or is it different for dio accesories???
I considered that Reggie, but where I live, even the live plants are brown and look dead.
Besides, nothing here even looks remotely tropical, which would kinda quash the ‘jungle’ theme I’m planning.
I want the kind of pacific theatre islands look, along the lines of Papua New Guinea kind of jungle.
Check the dried flower section at your local Michaels or A.C. Moore. I picke dup a bag o’ stuff last summer for a couple bucks. You’ll need to sort it out, but there’s lots of usuable material.
flocking is this green fuzzy stuff that is fake model railroad vegetation. auto modelers use it to simulate carpet. you might be able to come up with some way to make foilage with it. try model railroad stores, they have alot of ideas for this kinda thing. hope this helps
Well for viney trees the best thing I have found are roots. My wife is always buying little plants and killing them, black thumb I guess. Anyways the roots of the little plants work great. I guess you could dig up root from larger bushes but I have not got that desperate yet. If the train store does not work out Verlinden and Custom Dio make the PE. And they both have the on-line thing going on. Also the fake plants work you just need to trim the the leafs way down. One big leaf will make many 1/48 size leafs, just use a really sharp pair of sissors. Hope this helps, good luck.
I usually scratchbuild the trees I use for my dioramas. And I did a post about a simple way of making scale trees out of simple materials. If you are interested, you may check this link.
i believe verlinden makes palm branches…i think the best place is a flower shop something thats fake… i saw someone make palm branches out of paper…that seems cheapest, and the most quantity cuz who doesnt have paper??
The best information I can give you is if you can get your hands on these two books. You will be able to not only makes trees yourself but a whole host of other “scenery” effects
OSPREY MODELLING MASTERCLASS SERIES - TERRAIN MODELLING MASTERCLASS written by Richard Windrow. Excellent article on how you use silk flower petals and a pair of scissors to make palm trees or any type of tropical plant you want.
TREES - written by Barry Bowen - Available from the author 4.99 Pounds Sterling Telephone (0) 1474-352860 (UK) to order a copy by post.
The Terrain Modelling Masterclass is available from pretty much any on-line book seller or some cheap used copies on eBay every now and again.
If I had to recommend one to buy definitely Terrain Masterclass. The rest of the series is very useful as well.