I would like to know if anyone has a method to make a piece of twig look more like a waterlogged tree trunk that is half submerged in a river or stream. Twigs just dont have the right color or texture. Just dont look right to me. Any help would be appreciated.
wdcrvr
Another tough one... I have never done this, but I know what lumber looks like in a river, having seen it multiple times in this area. Wet lumber has a dark grey look that is difficult to model. First you need to find the right twigs: We have a lot of trees and shrubs on our property, so it's pretty easy for me to find convincing twigs. Shrubs are a good source. I used a band saw to get a clean cut. The wet look might be achieved by applying a coat of varnish.
Maybe someone else will provide a more informed opinion on how to do this.
Simon
Try weathering powders, as wood rots, it tends to turn black from decay. Experiment by hitting it with dullcoat first and then use black, brown, and grey powder on it along with a couple of shades of green to represent different green stuff that may grow on it depending on the geographical area. The powders may give you just enough texture, if not add a little ground cover, foliage will often grow on dead things.
The best hint I ever got when it came to modeling nature was to use as many different colours/shades of colours as possible.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Here is what I am doing:
I find that sagebrush and rotten sticks work well as long as you get the grain and look right for the scale.
Here are the sagebrush pieces:
Alyssum roots:
I am also installing some JTT cattails and reeds:
Still don't have any water yet but getting there
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
That sagebrush looks great Guy. If you really take a hard look at all the colours and shades on it, that shows what mother nature can offer over what we can pull off.
What I recall from the creek across the street from my childhood home is that a really old log, one that became mostly submerged in the creek water, would become green. We called it seaweed but of course it was not seaweed per se, but green and mossy. Submerged rocks also got green in that same way.
It also seemed like the bark was fairly quick to deteriorate in the water and peel off.
Dave Nelson
BATMAN that shows what mother nature can offer over what we can pull off.
that shows what mother nature can offer over what we can pull off.
Brent so true. I use as much natural rock and sticks, crushed leaves, dirt, etc that I can find for exactly that reason.