Realistic Scenic Trees - Wire Armatures (Twist technique)

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In this part of the realistic trees series, we look at making fine wire tree armatures using the twist technique
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Music - Only Summer Girl & Tonto from the KZbin Lib.

[@BarringtonDrive]

Made my first tree 3 weeks ago. This technique is great! I'm also making jungle terrain now! Absolutely loving your big burma build!!!! Thank you for posting these online, this is high quality stuff.

[@StandUpForChildrenToday]

This is absolutely amazing. Never even crossed me mind as I'm fairly new to all this stuff. But now I have a new technique to try out. Thank you so much ☺️💖

[@keacrea]

After watching a lot of miniature tutorials for a looong time I am making my very firsdiaroma right now. And I have been learning sooo many thing from your videos. Thank you so much🥰

[@xx1norm1xx]

Crazy, the ways to use random materials when it comes to terrain

[@georgetaylor5482]

That 's the inspiration for my willow tree structure.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+George Taylor nice mate

[@johnkelley9877]

I have heard of this technique before but this is the best explanation of how to to make the base tree I have seen. The tree looks realistic and the method of making it is very clear. Thank you for taking the time to share it and I look forward to the bark application. Great job!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+John Kelley no worries matey

[@jimulm2460]

I found you tutorial looking for a tutorial on creating wire Bonsai. Honestly, I found you video far more informative than most on the actual subject. Your technique explication and WHY made it easy to replicate. Thank you for that.

[@Pipedog42]

I make all my deciduous trees like this ... with recycled wire pulled from electric motors. :) Love building them, so relaxing.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Pipedog42 I know exactly what you mean mate

[@terrainaholic]

I always wondered why these trees were so expensive to buy and know I'd say they are a BARGAIN!!!!! Thats a lot of work for a BEAUTIFUL looking tree! Your AMAZING Buddy:)!!!!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+terrainaholic Cheers buddy

[@dep92]

I found some old 18 gauge stranded wire, I was able to make weeds and small trees. I'm a train guy and trees are expensive! I'm looking forward to trying this out with thicker wire!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+dep92 Nice one matey

[@PPPointyEars]

Thank you! Most tutorials involve buying ready-made tree armatures. You're a lifesaver man!

[@fluffchucker13]

A couple of ideas for you. Instead of undoing the wire clips, it’s easier if you pull the wire from the centre, where you’ll see 2 of the clips cross in the centre. Screw a cup hook into say the edge of your bench, put the centre of the wire strands in the hook, then use both hands to make the horizontal twist, preferably clockwise, so the hook doesn’t unscrew. ALDI have the wire a couple of times in their sales, so it’s good to stock up

[@ajknaup3530]

Thanks for the Aldi tip: I'd not have thought to look there

[@lesleymicuda4041]

What a delightful chap you are! Thanks for the lesson and for being such a cutie-petutti!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Why thank you! :-)

[@bluwtr]

Instead of cutting the long ends just keep twisting. You can end with finer branch structure. Love this technique!

[@SPBurt1]

That tree had barking good strunct tructure. Thanks for the great vid and the chuckles.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

no worries matey

[@livewithsiska741]

Thank you. i am making my tree now. will love to show you. Your video helped my a lot.

[@B.Wildered]

You really decoded the process for making wire trees, thanks bro.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

no worries bud

[@brochj42]

just wanted to let you know i tried your technique and my trees came out awesome

[@georgetaylor5482]

your braking up the right tree now, Mel, as always another great vid.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+George Taylor you know me mate ;-D

[@mooncabbagere]

Looks, great can't wait to see the next vid in the series. Should arrive around the same time as my local hobby shop gets more milliput. With regards to wire thickness, let me suggest that if you can scrape together $20, you get a cheap digital calliper. Nothing will ever be "about" a millimetre ever again. I got one on sale last year, and I have to say, they really are super useful. It's one of those tools you don't realise how much you need it till you get one.

[@billd.iniowa2263]

+Mooncabbage Nice tip. They're good for transferring parallel lines and scribing arcs too. Great for copying dimensions from one thing to another.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Mooncabbage I'm not that desperate to know the diameter and $20 could go on a lot more useful stuff I need, like wire! ;-D Soo many things on my wantlist, I suppose one more can't harm lol

[@mooncabbagere]

Fair enough matey, maybe the clearance fairy will sprinkle some magic dust your way :P Can't hurt to have your eyes open for 'em.

[@stefanfrisk9598]

Fount you the other day - almost seen everything - Love your videos man - keep it up! :)

[@carolyngaulin8297]

I love this technique I going to use green and light green crystals I saw them on face book twisted trees Thank you so much ! 💕🌲

[@manueldriggs7099]

Thank you mate. I had a blast watching you make that incredible little tree. You are an artist!!! = )

[@makinachange]

I look forward to your videos so much. thanks for uploading!! :)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+7am_2bottles no worries mate

[@mateunoguera2796]

Hello! Me gustó tu vídeo!!! No hablo inglés, pero mirando se aprende!! Jaja. Desde Mallorca, España.

[@adrianbk698]

Brilliant video, as usual! I've been making a host of bonsai trees for my Bushido table. Been using Half Hard Copper/Silver jewelry wire for the trunk and branches. I recommend Siflor/MiniNature for the leaves, held on with Hobb-e-tac glue. The glue stays tacky long enough for you to reposition the Siflor and does a great job. I completely agree with you though about the terrain being for 'at home'. Combined with the 4Ground terrain, I'd be a tad annoyed with anyone who wrecked any part of the table. Keep up the good work!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Cheers bud

[@jimsimmonds8974]

You’re videos are fantastic. So helpful. Thanks for doing these!

[@brunosimini5061]

Very useful indeed, I've made my first tree!

[@kagan6724]

he is a great guy. Very encouraging and educative video thanks for sharing it :)

[@badwolf73]

I like the idea of looping the wire around a book. I'd been cutting individual lengths. I just wrap mine in masking tape after the armature is done and go straight to painting and adding foliage. Depending on how you wrap it, you can get some neat bark texture. It's tedious as hell though.

[@StalkeraBg]

badwolf73 I have found a quick easy way that actually hardens the tree too. Find a thin concrete primer, get PvA glue and get herbs. Or tea bags.. i love using charmomile tea for it. Sifter, grind the finer bits, make a playdough substeance and apply it on the tree. You get the details and dark colour in one package

[@rozhanmirzaei3512]

wow it is pretty good it can help me for my DIY project👍👍👍

[@hassanelouasni4718]

Nice video good continuation

[@MCLEOMOO]

thank you so much! i needed a tree for my project with 3d design and this is perfect! :)

[@billd.iniowa2263]

Darn good video Mel. I just learned why when I twist wires together I get one around the other like a vine climbing a pole. ..."keep the wires horizontal"... great tip. You're actually doing the twisting between your fingertips right? I may try this for 10mm sometime, but I'll use much finer wire and definitely be wearing glasses. Thanx a bunch!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Bill D. in Iowa glad it helped bud :-)

[@dTHQb00new]

Thanks Mel. I will make a lot of these "strunk tructures" for my gaming boards

[@4hedgesfamily]

I used to grab a bunch of twist ties from the produce department when my wife and I went grocery shopping, and twist them into trees while we walked. I got to make terrain, and it kept me from "helping her." Win-win!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Win!

[@abrahamlopezhernandez5669]

Estupendo y maravilloso trabajo que además de mitigar el aburrimiento podría generarnos algún dinerito. Anoche me atreví hacer un arbolito y no. Me quedó tan mal.. Los felicito y adelante

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Solo sigue intentando compañero

[@robme8631]

CONGRATULATIONS :-) You said "Yeah" 101 times in this video.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

That's a verbal tic for you

[@HaussVonHorne]

I sneezed while doing the "Twist Technique" and now I have braces.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

LMAO

[@aaroncronin3801]

Literally lmao

[@Piqueblinders99]

I can confirm, im the wire

[@sophiemjbest]

Wow! That is really amazing it really does look realistic and pretty, i'm gonna try this for my art project to get some higher marks! Thanks.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Hope you get a great grade!

[@sophiemjbest]

Thanks!

[@bigdon1a1]

I like to take the single strands double back , twist and cut to make fluffer branches

[@geekfreak69]

I will be trying it

[@atomstrom]

"Twist and Bark", I see another T-Shirt comming? Been using wire before but covered it with a structured tape, pva and some grid though I rarely get to do trees mostly playing on industrial ruin and wasteland terrain. I should do a diorama to get more into these things. I always wanted to do a kamasutra of positions before barking.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+atomstrom LOL, that's a lot of positions buddy

[@shahi348]

It looks amazing yet it!s simple 🤔😮 I am thinking to do it with my kids as summer craft. Could you kindly tell me what it that thing you used to be dangling? You didn’t mention it in the video …. Thank you so much for sharing with us this idea ❤

[@heretictom]

thanks so much!!

[@Hobbyrepubliken]

Great video, as always

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Republiken thanks bud

[@wolfgangspeer8192]

I agree that bare wire is stronger than plastic wire. When I use plastic wire, I hit it with my heat gun just enough the melt the plastic. When it cools the plastic fuses together the tree gains strength. This is a subjective observation. I did not quantify the gain in strength through any test.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Oh, that sounds interesting, thanks for the heads up!

[@hethdavid]

I also like to mix smaller gauge wires with more sturdy wire. I will put in 3 or 4 pieces of heavier gauge wire with the thinner stuff to form the main branches .

[@easycraftsandbeauty6613]

Really nice wokr

[@IDICBeer]

Good stuff mate

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+IDICBeer Cheers bud

[@gonodalf2]

TheTerrainTutor

[@sportsbanter3885]

Great job, I may try this some day but for now I believe I will just buy them pre-made.....lol

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Well at least you know how bud ;-)

[@sportsbanter3885]

Oh yeah for sure, I build all my other terrain, the trees would take quiet a bit more time.....

[@mitchelbaker3546]

Hi David Martin I've been watching some of your tutorials on wire trees and I was hoping you be able to tell me how many strands of wire you use on the twist technique video

[@TheTerrainTutor]

About 20 mate but it's down to how big of a tree and how many branches you want from it

[@merasmussen82]

Great tutorial, learned a lot from it.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Glad it helped mate

[@s3pt1c54]

Great ideas from this, cheers👍

[@HughesGarageSCA]

Fantastic!!!

[@LawTaranis]

You're from Staffordshire, yeah? Yeah, yeah? Yeah. :P

[@leejohnson5539]

Hiya m8 have just started modeling again since I was a kid but now trying dioramas I e watched many videos but urs are great nd for little money ur funny too bonus but u ha e helped me no end gonna try a tree t morra as I'm doing WW11 stuff at the mo so will be watching more videos so keep up the great work u e inspired me thank you ill look haw to do the 60p thing is the a week? Any way im 9n it in the morn cheers bud ur a star

[@ta24u]

Killer tree bud!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+ta24u thanks matey

[@fadetoblack1026]

Very informative video. But do you have a video where you show where you go from here?

[@georgetaylor5482]

Mel do you remember the name of the music that you used for this video?

[@diyhomeviolet9313]

Great video!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Thanks mate, nice avatar! :-D

[@shyampratap1854]

amazing

[@stringstorm]

I used to use aluminum foil and those clay that harden if you bake it!

[@TheTerrainTutor]

It's a good technique, love your stuff mate

[@nassimadz8285]

thanks it really help me

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Glad it did

[@22kokoszka]

Thanks!

[@ak47a]

6:45 OMG PUT IT ON A SPOOL!!!!!!!!!!!

[@RobertLonsdale]

I used to work with a Chindit.

[@David-Field.Stuff01]

Gold dust. Thank you.

[@Wastelander2281]

Brilliant

[@joshentsminger456]

Hello sir, how many yards of wire is used?

[@ngoclamvu6733]

Ko hjeu a noi j nhung e van xem het.hok them dc chut kjnh nghiem.thankyou a

[@alm7707]

What is millie port? that you are going to fill the trunk gaps with

[@StalkeraBg]

Eventually returned to this video again 😀. Have few questions: -Can i add detailing by using extremely finely grinded herbs mixed with PvA/Latex ? Can i use 0.7mm wire ? Ill proly base it with the extremely hard mix of concrete liqiud primer/PvA/Herbs.Bonus is it actually gets very dark after drying, almost like this is actually below a forest.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Yes on both counts mate

[@jacke7949]

Hi Mel, have you considered making a tutorial for roads? I know it's something I'd like to see.

[@antiquariancrafts2454]

+Jack E Me too.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Jack E It's on the list mate

[@jacke7949]

+TheTerrainTutor Nice one.

[@antoniodorsi8985]

At the end of the creation of a tree, how you cover the body? It's possible to make a video also for this procedure? Thank you.

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Check the foliage playlist mate

[@AugustCooking]

Great!

[@rhondahague1173]

Thanks

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Awesome, thank you!

[@SolventAbuseUk]

keep mean to make some trees for something not sure what yet but fancy making some with wire

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+SolventAbuseUk Do it!

[@phimuzhoyio1254]

👌👌👌

[@muhammadirfan9631]

Thank you :D

[@TheTerrainTutor]

no worries bud

[@magicmark20]

Mel did you ever work at Creda many years ago?

[@meiyuezhou]

thanks a lot! awesome!

[@evolvedcreations8638]

DC here...so I will simply say :-)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Evolved Creations ;-)

[@andybuckland6790]

okay so doing a large tree with this possable or would it be to much wire ? I need some trees 12-18 inch and they are to dam expensive to buy lol

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+Andy Buckland Nah, easy done mate

[@paolodaros7284]

The hands are the best tools invented, and a mind to guide it, plus nature to teach you something, continuesly. Are they all guys, no kids, thats where you got to stimulate future adults.

[@quytchimte7741]

Bạn làm hay quá

[@kagan6724]

does anybody know what is the name of the "green plastic thing that is used as a cutting board" he is using?

[@TheTerrainTutor]

It's a cutting mat mate

[@moonmystic2569]

And I’m treeeee...... Tree formin.

[@dean564]

DISCO PARTY!!!!

[@erikakiraly2839]

Jó lenne, azonban vannak akik nem értik a nyelvet. Sokat gesztikulál. Várom már a vizuális lényeget!

[@gmangaz2007]

never thought of using a book for length measuring. andy buckland try using a4 pad or flat long length of mdf/wood/ pvc for length

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+gmangaz2007 As long as you can wind wire around it, it'll work mate

[@creativenoyan3200]

nice

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Thanks!

[@giulisperanza6853]

what is the best thickness of the wire to make these trees?

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Explained in the vid

[@georgetaylor5482]

Mel, how tall was the tree without the foliage on it?

[@TheTerrainTutor]

+George Taylor about 7 inches mate

[@rainsocks]

cool!!

[@philkyle8919]

Great Vid was that tree on scale with 00 Gauge 1.76 ? it looked very close

[@TheTerrainTutor]

It wasn't done to a scale mate, I just aimed for a rough size

[@philkyle8919]

thanks for the reply dude you thought of making these and placing them on ebay you would sell a lot i think i would buy for my large train lay out these look really good :)

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Phil Cool thanks matey

[@tomr3822]

how long was the total build time for this model?

[@taithays]

First time for me and it took me around 40 minutes. Going back and forth looking what Mel was doing.

[@akbarrmd7714]

This does not only applicable for wargaming only right? This can also used in tabletop RPG too right? Thanks

[@TheTerrainTutor]

And even little trees to hang earrings off! it's just a technique, use it wherever applicable mate

[@23101979T]

Hi! What kind of wire is it? Silver, copper? thanks

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Aluminium

[@savannsun9130]

ow my god, you desreve way more subscribe.

[@denitewel5673]

kreatif,,, good

[@aubreypasawa7745]

How many hours did you consume on making this?

[@TheTerrainTutor]

20 - 30 mins

[@Jerviso]

what kind of wire it is? (material) i can't catch this from listening

[@TheTerrainTutor]

Garden wire mate

[@Jerviso]

+TheTerrainTutor thank you