Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => Painting & Modelling => Scenics => Topic started by: O Dinas Powys on 06 February 2016, 12:02:27 PM

Title: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 06 February 2016, 12:02:27 PM
As part of a greater project, and as an adjunct to the figures I'm painting for the competition, I've started work on some weird trees using Germy's pasta-method as a base.

So, yesterday evening, I got busy with the macaroni, hot-glue gun and MDF bases  :)

(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/D5E06098-B855-4F7F-A713-B0B4B11E8B55.jpg)

I need to trim and tidy-up the glue a bit then get out and prime them.

Cheers,

Meirion
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Techno on 06 February 2016, 12:15:12 PM
I think that could/will work really well. Meirion.  :)

Only query (ies) I'd have is/are......Does the 'dried pasta' absorb moisture from the atmosphere....and if it did, would the pasta get a bit mouldy ?
(Maybe you've 'sealed' them with a varnish ?)

But 'whatever'......Really like the idea, Matey.....Great job !

Cheers - Phil

Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Roy on 06 February 2016, 01:14:31 PM
Those look great.

I think Techno has a point though about maybe sealing the pasta before painting. I'd use PVA (white) glue to seal the surface, as I've used that to seal twigs to make gaming trees.

Apologies if you already know this, and I'm teaching you to such eggs  :-[  :)
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 06 February 2016, 02:46:52 PM
Top idea
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: d_Guy on 06 February 2016, 02:49:33 PM
Really clever idea! Nicely done. And when I think of all the other pasta shapes available.......
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Womble67 on 06 February 2016, 11:33:27 PM
Cool idea

Take care

Andy
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 08 February 2016, 11:06:22 PM
Quote from: mad lemmey on 06 February 2016, 02:46:52 PM
Top idea

Quote from: d_Guy on 06 February 2016, 02:49:33 PM
Really clever idea! Nicely done. And when I think of all the other pasta shapes available.......

Quote from: Womble67 on 06 February 2016, 11:33:27 PM
Cool idea

Take care

Andy

Cheers guys,

Can't claim the idea as my own though, see here for details:  http://www.germy.co.uk/pastaplants.html (http://www.germy.co.uk/pastaplants.html)
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 08 February 2016, 11:12:17 PM
Quote from: Techno on 06 February 2016, 12:15:12 PM
I think that could/will work really well. Meirion.  :)

Only query (ies) I'd have is/are......Does the 'dried pasta' absorb moisture from the atmosphere....and if it did, would the pasta get a bit mouldy ?
(Maybe you've 'sealed' them with a varnish ?)

But 'whatever'......Really like the idea, Matey.....Great job !

Cheers - Phil

Quote from: RoyWilliamson on 06 February 2016, 01:14:31 PM
Those look great.

I think Techno has a point though about maybe sealing the pasta before painting. I'd use PVA (white) glue to seal the surface, as I've used that to seal twigs to make gaming trees.

Apologies if you already know this, and I'm teaching you to such eggs  :-[  :)

Thanks Phil and Roy,

I honestly think dried pasta is pretty immune to atmospheric moisture, especially with acrylic paint over it.  I've previously made some of the "Campanelle" fungi from Germy's page, although I never finished them.  I checked them today and they're sound after a couple of years of not too careful storage!  

Cheers!

Meirion

PS If anyone knows where I can get some Campanelle pasta I'd love to hear.  Sainsbury's used to stock it, but alas no more  :'(
I've also had a look in the local Waitrose and online, but with no luck...
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 08 February 2016, 11:16:27 PM
Made some more progress  :D

Yesterday I primed them with Halfords grey:
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/159B5C59-79EB-4817-8672-3866607B3CC7.jpg)

Then today I painted them blue with craft acrylic paint:
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/E9B17F3E-2E3F-4DF1-8ADF-CC7830A59D5B.jpg)


Then blobbed/overbrushed them with some darker blue (although it doesn't show too well in the photo!):
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/65DD9DA3-7B58-4DA5-A6AF-6CE273506DB8.jpg)
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 08 February 2016, 11:27:20 PM
Then this evening I gave them a heavy dry-brush of a pale blue.  Before and after shot, with the dry-brushed ones on the left:
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/8166C92F-FF3D-43CC-B22C-CDFEA324173F.jpg)

Also realised I'd forgotten to take any close shots previously  :-[
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/D1F2FD58-963F-40FE-B00C-B0A682E03209.jpg)

Next up, basing...  :-\
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 08 February 2016, 11:28:30 PM
Good work!
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 08 February 2016, 11:30:55 PM
Quote from: mad lemmey on 08 February 2016, 11:28:30 PM
Good work!

Thanks Will  :)
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Fenton on 08 February 2016, 11:59:33 PM
We have a posh deli next to where I work. I'll see if they have any and at the very least get a brand name for you
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Techno on 09 February 2016, 07:24:19 AM
Those look really good, Meirion.  :)

Remind me of a type of coral, in a way......Ideal for Sci-Fi trees.
Great job.

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Subedai on 09 February 2016, 09:57:45 AM
Interesting.
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 09 February 2016, 03:56:19 PM
Quote from: Fenton on 08 February 2016, 11:59:33 PM
We have a posh deli next to where I work. I'll see if they have any and at the very least get a brand name for you

Cheers!  :D

Campanelle is also called gigli or riccioli.

This is a photo from a few years ago of the giant fungi I was working on.  Unfortunately, they got dropped and some of them got a bit smashed before I finished them:
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Work%20in%20progress/P1040466_zpsa7baeb64.jpg)

Whilst the damage is irreparable, they'd still be usable if I pulled my finger out and got them finished!  Trouble is, I was modelling them on a particular real-world variety of stink-horn and I was a bit of a perfectionist for getting them accurate back then!  :-B

Now, I'd just paint them to go with the new trees, but can't find the pasta!!  :Ph

Maybe I'll just recycle these...  :-\


Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Fenton on 09 February 2016, 04:02:16 PM
Tescos have gigli on there online store
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Techno on 09 February 2016, 04:04:49 PM
Awwwww.... :(

If they've been too damaged to make it worth your while to repair them.....That is such a shame.
They really are rather special.

Cheers - Phil.
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 12 February 2016, 10:09:05 PM
Quote from: Fenton on 09 February 2016, 04:02:16 PM
Tescos have gigli on there online store

Cool, thanks for the heads up.  Might have to take a trip to our not-quite-local branch at some point  ;)
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 12 February 2016, 10:31:02 PM
Managed some base texturing over the last couple of days.

First, mixed a past using (transparent yellow oxide) craft acrylic and both fine and coarse grained modelling paste which I got from Lidl a year or two back in a 1:1:1 ratio:
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/DB5D54C8-90D3-43E7-9463-1D2DBAD8AE0D_1.jpg)

I slathered this on a good layer to see how it would cover when dried:
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/30DAC553-89D3-4E08-A791-368C2A601C8F_3.jpg)
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 12 February 2016, 10:49:47 PM
I let this dry over-night in the boiler cupboard.  The acrylic shrank down onto the base as it dried, which worked really well over the hot-glue.  I'm not sure the difference shows in the photos, but it's quite noticeable in the flesh:
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/BBED6D4B-ADCB-44EE-AC2E-2B686A276CA7.jpg)

Next, I washed the base with Citadel Chestnut ink (original range from the late 80's):
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/29DC9A73-9449-4664-8FB0-EE56F74C2FD3.jpg)

(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/9127BFD3-097D-4258-9FCC-EC1FA6E8B4C3.jpg)

The pictures aren't great so it doesn't show very well, but this has really made them pop  :)

Hopefully it'll work with my sci-fi figures for the painting competition, although the experiment has shown I'll need to use some putty/filler otherwise the figures' integral bases will stick out like Phil's thumb...  X_X

Next step: foliage!  :D

Cheers!

Meirion
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 13 February 2016, 02:54:10 AM
Very nice Merion
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Techno on 13 February 2016, 07:11:54 AM
Quote from: O Dinas Powys on 12 February 2016, 10:49:47 PM

Hopefully it'll work with my sci-fi figures for the painting competition, although the experiment has shown I'll need to use some putty/filler otherwise the figures' integral bases will stick out like Phil's thumb...  X_X
Cheers!
Meirion

Bog off !!  ;D ;D ;D ;D

(I like the optical illusion in the bottom piccy, where the 'tree', at the bottom right, seems to be floating in mid air and casting a shadow underneath......Keep telling you my 2D perspective is rubbish !)

Those are looking really spiffy, Meirion.

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: FierceKitty on 13 February 2016, 07:57:45 AM
Quote from: Techno on 13 February 2016, 07:11:54 AM
Bog off !!  ;D ;D ;D ;D

(I like the optical illusion in the bottom piccy, where the 'tree', at the bottom right, seems to be floating in mid air and casting a shadow underneath......Keep telling you my 2D perspective is rubbish !)



Cheers - Phil

Amazing what vegetation can do on some planets.
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: fsn on 13 February 2016, 10:36:44 AM
I like these. I may have to appropriate this idea.
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 02 March 2016, 04:46:20 PM
I remembered these - they're 42mm explosions from Irregular - that I bought for use in my fungal forest project.

I was never quite happy with how they turned out, so I've given them a repaint to fit in with my blue/red colour scheme:
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/4592D0CB-0B98-467D-B7C7-0C468B2F0122.jpg)

...and here with some Pendraken Grey Aliens for size comparison:
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/C3AB8834-0EF6-4690-84DC-73FFB2C01F03.jpg)

Cheers!

Meirion
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 02 March 2016, 05:02:46 PM
Great work. Maybe a lighter coloured fruit? :P
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 02 March 2016, 05:21:01 PM
Quote from: mad lemmey on 02 March 2016, 05:02:46 PM
Great work. Maybe a lighter coloured fruit? :P

Possibly, at the moment the darker bits in the frond are painted blue to represent "woody" parts protruding from within, but they could get another use  :-\

;)
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Techno on 02 March 2016, 05:30:03 PM
I like those...

(I'm with Will on slightly lighter 'fruits'.....Light drybrush with 'orange' perhaps ?  :-\......Just might make them 'pop'.)

Overall, I think they're really zippy.  8)

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 26 March 2016, 11:10:16 AM
Work progresses!  :D

Foliage applied to a tree and a shrub!

(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/16C00038-164B-4B6C-B987-5493F9D7BE17_3.jpg)

Cheers!

Meirion
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Techno on 26 March 2016, 12:33:36 PM
I really like those, Meirion.
Damn good job !  8)
Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Roy on 26 March 2016, 01:59:11 PM
 :-bd

I love the colours
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Subedai on 26 March 2016, 03:37:15 PM
Great idea, like 'em.
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 28 March 2016, 03:43:42 PM
Great work
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Bodvoc on 28 March 2016, 04:34:36 PM
Very nice, I think I will borrow this idea when I return to outer space :)
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 31 March 2016, 04:02:09 PM
Thanks for the complements guys  :-[

I'm very pleased with how they've turned out, just need to try and get the rest finished!

Cheers,

Meirion

Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Maenoferren on 31 March 2016, 05:08:37 PM
Looking really good. Another idea to snaffle.
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: BucketKnight on 27 April 2016, 10:53:33 AM
Those are some cool looking alien trees. Makes me want to have a go at this too. Thanks for the pictures and explanations.
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 14 June 2016, 10:46:22 PM
Had a spare hour today so finally finished the shrubbery!

(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/C0F14DCE-93F1-4867-B008-BAD18387BF89.jpg)

Now just need to find something suitable for a base cloth, a big roll of sandpaper might do the trick!  :-\  :-/

Cheers!

Meirion
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 14 June 2016, 10:57:20 PM
Some shots with figures for scale.

Martian Star-Rat forward observer lurking in the foliage:
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/9FCF99CA-D41D-433A-8C0D-A2F3794387A1.jpg)

Star-Rat artillery blends into the scenery:
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/AFA06A8E-9B1C-415C-907F-3BA04DA313B5.jpg)

(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/A742F560-C324-4815-806F-2373BF404E1E.jpg)

Mottled, grey-white beings with lambent, lapis eyes are seen moving in the shadows around their sinister, arthropodal carriages of doom:
(http://i1126.photobucket.com/albums/l602/Meirion_Hopkins/10mm%20Minis/Sci-fi%20Scenery/C806F6E3-D06B-41F2-AF3E-A6349F0B48B2.jpg)

Cheers!

Meirion
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Techno on 15 June 2016, 04:26:50 AM
Those look great, Meirion.  8)

Cheers - Phil
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: Duke Speedy of Leighton on 15 June 2016, 06:39:42 AM
Top work Merion! Really like those.
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: toxicpixie on 15 June 2016, 07:25:47 AM
Cracking! In have some old Xmas table cloths in red felt which I use for space planet games which work nicely (actually they were bought new specially from a supermarket post Xmas going cheap :D).
Title: Re: Sci-fi Trees
Post by: nikharwood on 15 June 2016, 07:17:39 PM
Very funky 8)