Forested Hills & Fall Foliage

[jawatkins]

Well Jim - maybe on your next adventure you can try autumn colors.

But even if spring or summer are modeled, you can always find varying shades of green as you well know. I always try to break it up with some golds or some dead stuff, especially on the underbrush.

I'm getting ready to re-do some of the landscaping on my first layout, which was the autumn theme. I've gotten much better at tree making and besides it's getting a little boring to look at so it's time to update it a little.

Send pictures when you get around to doing an autumn theme.

 

[Jim Cullen]

Judy,

Well, I bit the bullet and started the repaint of my backdrop to get some Fall colors in the background. I think it was too dark green anyway. Wish me luck. Jim

 

[Jim Cullen]

Judy,

"I tried using the WS fall colors at first and didn't like them either."
What makes of Fall colors do you use? Jim

 

[jawatkins]

Hey Jim how are you doing on your back drop??

I did use some of WS fall colors. However, on my first layout I used the WS tree kits and dried florals. On most of my layout I made regular green trees using the plastic armitures and clump foliage. I purchased craft spray paint from Hobby Lobby in the shades of Santa Red and Primary Yellow. I would first spray them lightly with the yellow and then a few seconds later lightly spray with the red. You can play with this and adjust it. I bought some different colors the other day that I want to try. I used the green clump foliage to make the trees then spray painted them. Also, to make ground cover that looks "autumnish" I took the green clump foliage and rolled a batch in red craft paint and then I custom mixed an orangey-red and rolled the foliage in that. Then I spred them out on paper towels to soak the excess paint and let them dry. It's a great way to get the fall color in the underbrush.

I've tried air brushing the colors on, but craft spray paint works best - just be sure to wear latex gloves of some kind.

If you look at my original thread on "Pictures of my scenery work" some of the pictures have a little bit of a close-up on the WS trees. I'm going to be pulling some of those trees out and refreshing the scenery here in the next week or so.

Let me know how it works for you!

 

[Jim Cullen]

Thanks for the info Judy. The backdrop is coming along slowly; it's not something I really enjoy doing cause I don't think I have the right skill that's needed, but I think it will come out OK. I'm redoing the colors from multiple shades of green, to green, brown, red bright, red dull, orange, and yellow. Once the hurricane gets over-head, and then out of here, I'll be able to get back to it. Jim

 

[jawatkins]

Jim - sounds great. Can't wait to see the pictures. Try to stay dry. I've been so busy at work today and I've barely had time to keep up with the hurricane news.

 

[MasonJar]

Try this...

You can try this link to "How to Make Ground Foam".

I have tried it, and it works pretty well. Since you already have the blender for the moss and twigs...

If you use the off-white upholstery foam, it will take pretty much any colour you choose. I used green sponges from the dollar store - ok for various shades of (you guessed it...!) green, but a little "shiny".

Andrew

 

[Ray Marinaccio]

I've been wondering how to make ground foam. Thanks .

 

[Jim Cullen]

Last 6 or 7 days have been a little hectic; the hurricane had come and gone, small downed tree set upright, in and out of the hospital, and I finished redoing my backdrop in autumn colors. Like it better than the previous multiple shades of green. Now it's onto fixing a couple of bridges. Everything would be great if I could only get my daughter out of Baghdad... Jim