Making Bushes

J

Jack10

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any tips for making realistic bushes for dioramas? 1/35 scale
 

Gern

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There are hundreds of videos on making all kinds of scenery for wargaming and model railways - and lots of different ways of doing it. Many of the sites promote specific manufacturer's products, but they will give you some useful ideas. Try 'The Terrain Tutor' - his videos are more watchable than some.

I've used the stuff you buy for tropical fish tanks - but don't buy it from your local pet store!

This is about a quarter of what I got last year direct from China for about £40:

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A lot of these are made from several pieces which can be taken apart or added to. I used some of them for the bushes and shrubs here (The figures are 28mm (1/56) scale from the Wargames Factory):



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You can also use plants from your garden. These will need to be preserved though if you want to keep the dio for any length of time.

I did this one about two years ago. All the plants are from my garden and were just sprayed with matt varnish. They've kept most of their colour (The figures and vehicles are from the Airfix Robogear range which I think is also 28mm scale):

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J

Jack10

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Cheers for the reply bud, some nice ideas there.

Didn't realise you could use stuff from the garden I just presumed it would die. Matt varnish keeps it looking good and in good nick then? Probably won't work for the dio I'm doing at the moment but useful to know for the future projects

That first diorama pic looks like a scene from last of the Mohicans?

I've been on YouTube since posting this and have watched some useful videos that have given me somewhere to start, will check out the terrain tutor now
 

Gern

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Varnish doesn't work for all plants - you'll have to test the ones you find. I know most leaves can be preserved by soaking in a 50:50 mix of glycerine and water but whether that works with flowers I don't know.

You're right. That dio was my version of one of the battles from Last of the Mohicans.
 
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