Wire Palm Tree Tutorial - Model Railroad Scenery

Making a great palm tree isn’t as hard as it seems, follow along in this easy tutorial and make your own fantastic looking palm trees. No special tools required just a lot of time and patience!
Whether you’re making a palm tree for your model railroad, war gaming terrain, architectural landscape or just for your own diorama, making some fantastic looking palm trees will certainly deliver a sense of warmth and tropical climate to you model not to mention just look amazing!
Below is a list of materials used to build the palm tree
Materials
28 Gauge Florists Wire
2.7mm Diameter Insulated Electrical Wire
Air Drying Modelling Clay
Gesso Acrylic Paste
A4 Printer Paper (and a computer & printer to print the leaf design)
A Marker Pen
Jute Twine
Spray Adhesive
CA Glue (Super Glue)
Helmar Super Tac Glue
Wide Masking Tape
Vallejo Paint
Golden Olive
Burnt Umber
White
Light Mud
Buff
Tools
Camera (phone is good), Computer and Printer
Side Cutters
Tweezers
Needle
Various Paint Brushes
Scissors
Sharp Hobby Knife (I use a number 2 blade)
Music:
Rhodesia by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommon...)
Artist: www.twinmusicom...
Camera and Equipment:
Panasonic G85
12 - 60mm Panasonic Kit Lens
45 - 150mm Olympus Lens

[@stevieandthebarbies]

Making the leaf fans gives a whole new meaning to the phrase “life’s too short to stuff a mushroom”. Seriously, how much patience does this take?

[@sillylittlejacki]

I know this is weird, but I don't make model railroads and I have watched all of these videos. They're so well-produced and enjoyable to watch. Always nice to see someone's hobbies, especially when it's so well done. I just donated to your patreon. Thanks for entertaining us!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thank you so much 😊I truly appreciate your support and I hope you will continue to enjoy the videos I post 😊 Thanks again Cheers Luke

[@Hardtek5399]

Alberi in miniatura

[@alfredbbp]

I don´t make model railroads either....but I super enjoy watching this videos...so detailed, so precise.............amazing!!!. Cheers from Argentina.

[@RaeMachiavelli]

​@@BoulderCreekRailroad Would making a tree fern be too difficult?

[@skchaos9172]

you're like the new bob ross. i don't do rail road modeling but it is still entertaining

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Cheers :)

[@blew1t]

i swear i almost cried when he revealed the he cuts out each himself individually

[@juelzsutton172]

i guess Im randomly asking but does anybody know a trick to get back into an instagram account? I somehow lost my account password. I would appreciate any assistance you can offer me.

[@zahirgunnar1644]

@Juelz Sutton Instablaster =)

[@lrc4263]

I wish I could intern with this guy, or take a workshop or something! This all looks so relaxing! Like meditation, I love creating stuff from scratch :)

[@samr.1073]

I doubt I'll ever build a model railroad, but I find these videos oddly addicting. Hard to not appreciate the artistry involved

[@Jetem52]

Boy do you have patience. In holland we call this monkishwork. But the result is beautifull. Really perfect.

[@EnderLord007]

In addition to the listed materials, godly patience is required. Nice work.

[@seniorpz1969]

This is someone REALLY dedicated to the craft..very nice job.

[@jamesthomas700]

Luke, you are truly an artist! Your creativity and cost effectiveness are impressive .

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thanks James 😊 I try to show cost effective techniques where I can, I'm glad you enjoyed watching Cheers Luke

[@Z1PP00]

I'm an airplane scale model builder. But your high quality builds showed with high quality videos make me wanting to do dioramas. Even in HO scale. ;)

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

cool, I'm sure you could make some dioramas to display your model aircraft? The techniques I use can be adapted for almost any scale 😊 Cheers Luke

[@Advection357]

I'm building a full scale Douglas DC-10... in the computer though :P It will go into a VFX physics simulation which i will later composite into live action video... BUT, I've loved miniature models ever since I was a kid & I can't stop watching Luke's videos to learn techniques! Got no practical model building skills... just software lol... (maybe I'll cheat with a 3D printer lol)

[@joshjohnston7388]

I paint gundams. Those videos led me to these. Now, i spend more time on diorama than the robots themselves. 😂

[@TheMedzMedic]

I don't know how I ended up here watching tutorials on model railroad palm trees..but I love it! Subscribed :)

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thanks MedzMedic. Hope you enjoy the rest of the videos.

[@icenesiswayons9962]

You could add different sized pepper corns for coconuts.

[@christinevermeulen9472]

Hi I'm from France. What a great patience ! Result is so nice. Congratulations

[@cofranCOFRAN]

you're really a great artist, I'm following your tutorials and I'm learning a lot of things ... thank you

[@eliasknapp5391]

I just saw it on your Blog "comming soon" and there it is.. You make the best Videos on youtube !! Thank you

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Good timing 😊 Thanks for the great compliment Cheers Luke😊

[@purrosleukos253]

Another master class in making miniature realism.😎

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

thanks mate :)

[@gingerginger3413]

Such an intricate detailed work !! A great lecturer than all of my diorama making teachers during my high school years! We are all captivated by your passion and effort to make these kind of tutorial videos. I feel like I'm in architectural class

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

lol, I'm glad you enjoy the videos 😊 I've never built architectural models but it's something I'd like to do one day 😊

[@dan8400]

These trees are great. Don't know how you come up with your ideas but I like 'em! I do not need any palm trees but I do watch all of your videos. You have very good delivery, nice and calm. I have made some of your round bales and I am also going to have a crack at your rusty metal barn. Keep up the good work!! Thanks, Dan

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Cool, thanks Dan :) Glad you've been enjoying the videos :) Good luck with the barn as well. Cheers Luke

[@guidofreire9530]

Internet is a wonderful place, I dont know how I arrived here, but I LOVE IT, Subscribed!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

wow :) Thanks for the great compliment!

[@ChrisG5857]

Another great tutorial as normal Luke, they are great looking palm trees.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thanks Chris, glad you liked it :)

[@justinhealey2408]

Excellent bro I'm mixing your technique and another guys. It's so relaxing, I feel like it's meditation. As a kid we used to build models as fast as we could and destroy them in almost every way possible. Wish I still had all those kits because since covid I am into models again but adding them to dioramas.. I have three going that I put time into whenever I'm just relaxing and tuning out this crazy world. Thank You for sharing your amazing works!!!

[@palmtreegamer1012]

I AM ADDICITED TO THIS VIDEO THE PALM TREE IS SO MLG

[@paolodebonis781]

There is something oddly relaxing about watching this, subscribed!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thanks mate 🙂

[@phillipandreopoulos1194]

I've made palm trees but by far your's are the best keep up the good work, enjoy all your tut's there great.

[@karenmusa3052]

Dear God Luke you have the patience of a saint mate 🤣 They are amazing 😃

[@joseluismorenolopez4919]

Buenos días LUKE, acabo de ver tres vídeos tuyos por primera vez y estoy ALUCINANDO!!!!, con todo lo que veo. Eres realmente un artista. Muchas felicidades y gracias por compartir. Saludos desde Barcelona.

[@peterpocock9062]

Hi Luke I thought your Rolled Hay bales were good, but you have done it again. Palm trees were no where on my radar, they are now! Very well done, my wife reckons she is going to have a go at them, bring my chief tree maker and all (grin) Pete

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

ha ha cool :) Good luck with the trees, I'm sure your chief tree maker will do a fantastic job :)

[@realmagicjon]

Now thats a Palm tree,. Stunning work Luke.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thanks Jon :)

[@luckyguy4694]

That is the best model trees ever, your patience is far more advanced than mine. Great job, great video

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

lol, yeah patience is an absolute necessity for making these trees! Cheers mate 😊

[@amarufilmworks]

You are AWESOME... and that's not a word I like to use, because it's over-used... but you ARE :) :) Well done!!

[@madeinuk68]

amaruonline Same here,a word that is overused,especially by Americans.But this really was a great tutorial.And the results were very realistic.

[@amarufilmworks]

I know, right? What talent... I was a captive audience, lol ;) ;)

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thanks mate :-)

[@limited50scla]

Your videos showed up on my feed. I just want to tell you I admire your work. If I had this much passion in this craft as yourself I would also join this hobby. Maybe later in time. It looks so fun.

[@ShubhamBhushanCC]

SOOOO BEAUTIFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@lerse666]

your works are simply astonishing. i make military dioramas, and your tutorials will boost their quality!!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

thanks mate, glad I could help :)

[@nawali111]

Dude you are the best, speachless!!!

[@garnermcculloch2778]

Good on you! No way will I ever attempt this, but it makes me happy knowing you are. Lol

[@RumblerGaming]

Genuinely thought they were real in the B-roll shots, amazing video again!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

wow thanks for an amazing compliment 😊 Cheers Luke

[@trojan403]

Brilliant work Luke. Very painstaking but the end result is so good!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thanks mate

[@johnkelley9877]

Simply incredible! They are so realistic.

[@chrisdav3179]

As Always Luke...Brilliant job! they look just like the palms I have seen in California when I was there. Well Done!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Cool, that's awesome 😊 I have a few similar palms in our neighborhood. Thanks again and I'm glad you enjoyed the video Cheers Luke😊

[@CrankyPantss]

I'm very impressed with your detail.

[@lu-x-ey2195]

Even tho i wont build it (Money/effort) But i See the effort He did for the Video :D

[@gustafpeyron]

Money? This is super cheap

[@lu-x-ey2195]

SuperCellProductions i know but i only have 2Dollars ( i am a Kid xD)

[@gustafpeyron]

I'm an adult. I've got $2.85 atm :)

[@lu-x-ey2195]

SuperCellProductions 😅

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

lol, a lot of my models are made using cheap materials but then sometimes you just need to spend a little more money to get a good result. I'm sure you'll have plenty of money soon to buy what you need 😊 Cheers Luke

[@timothyscranton5577]

These look great! Probably my favorite video on your channel

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Cool, in about 13 hours I'll be posting another palm tree video using a craft cutting machine to make the leaves :)

[@darulfarah8669]

Beautiful M speechless regarding his creativity. Great

[@dolnick7]

Thank you so much for this! I'm in the early stages of modeling part of the Southern Pacific Sunset Route, which traverses the deserts of Southern California, Arizona, and New Mexico. I'm wanting to add some palm trees but haven't been impressed by the ready-made options. These look like a PITA, but in the end, well worth it.

[@r.catssapin191]

Noticed he does this with his naked eyes! No magnifiers of any kind -&-or- eyeglasses. Talk about perfect vision, wow!

[@dannylaguer515]

Best Video Tutorial....Again!!!! Thanks for sharing Luke !!! Cheers Mate, Danny

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

No worries Danny

[@althrox]

I thought I had patience. Excellent video.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

lol, apparently I have lots :)..... not always! I hate being stuck in traffic. Thank you :)

[@r.catssapin191]

I have learned shortcuts. All of what he does, takes hours off of what I do. Thanks Dude 👍😎 🤔And the Spray glue.... I got to try that 🤗

[@lyviadsouza3073]

Unbelievably amazing!!!!

[@mattrolls1765]

From Italia a big BRAVO to you Luke !!!! :-)

[@ausaiden]

So tedious, but so impressive! Nicely done. I wouldn't have thought it would be possible to make model palm trees so 'simply', for want of a better word. :) Really well made tutorial.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

thanks mate, yeah they are very time consuming to make but the end result looks pretty good and they are very cheap to make! Glad you enjoyed the video Cheers Luke😊

[@Rasdock]

You're like Bob Ross, if Bob Ross did train scenery. And was MacGyver. I doubt if I'll make palm trees, but this was informative and fun to watch.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

lol, Bob Ross/MacGyver.... I like it 😊 thanks for watching mate 😊 Cheers Luke

[@matthewemmerik7420]

patients ha ha ha,you forgot you need a bottle of retalin ,a good pillow on the chair,great video.

[@konradjagosutz7614]

Amazing Palm tree! Wauuuu!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thanks 😊

[@stblad3]

Wow!!! Amazing Luke!!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thanks mate 😊 glad you enjoyed it

[@andreasscheidl4454]

Amazing job! i've never seen such good details

[@myanr.p637]

is beautiful thanks for sharing your creativety so that I can use it in my models of the university the technique that you employ gives life and. realism to a model and that is makes difference, greetings from Bolivia...

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

thanks for such a fantastic comment 😊I'm happy that you enjoyed my video and picked up a technique or two that you can use on your models as well Cheers Luke

[@florineldicu8239]

I like your work it's really great needs ton of patience you're a grat man

[@lotr1238]

I don't have the patience to do this but it's really awesome to watch! great job! ^^

[@t.s.127]

very nice palmtrees, very nice 👍 thank you for the video

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

no worries mate, glad you enjoyed watching the video 😊

[@mm73ify]

Wonderful.. Amazing artist! So so great job! Congratulations

[@SUSANASCAGLIONE]

congratulations great job!!! from argentina!!!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thank you Susana :) Glad you liked it

[@capucinebuddy]

You are insanely creative, I love it!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thanks for the amazing compliment 😊

[@LeudisGittens]

Beautiful Trees, love your work.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thank you

[@kamalrex1]

we are follow you in Turkey. Really amazing.

[@joeltb]

Nice job! So realistic looking!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thanks mate :)

[@sakm3872]

an other great and beautiful job, congratulation luke

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thank you, glad you liked it :)

[@YGOrochi]

I genuinely thought the pictures at the start were reference material XD very convincing mate they look great! I am not a railroad man myself however I am planning on building a huge desert theamed Warhammer table and these palms (and the coconut palms) were extremely useful so thank you.

[@pppppppf]

Awesome as usual. Thank you so much for these vids, they are the best!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

no worries mate, as long as people continue to enjoy the video I'll keep making them 😊thanks for watching

[@TheDobermanTriangleMusic]

Happy new year! My ocd is satisfied.

[@marcopoto5878]

Really very impressive! Congratulations!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thank you Marco :)

[@at5203]

I really like your vídeos about plants, keep up the good work!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

thanks mate, it seem I have a theme and it's mostly about plants 😊

[@Dorfnase]

You Sir, are the very best!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thanks again mate :) glad you're enjoying the videos :)

[@Dorfnase]

Yes, really nice!

[@prasadattanayake1991]

Hi Mr Luke. I am Sri Lankan. This is very useful to us because we are doing models.Thank you so much.

[@kingahmad5043]

Love what u have done..really give me an idea how to make this palm tree..

[@ScottDowneywoundedbear]

Very nice. You did a great job. Scott

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thanks Scott :)

[@brabopainter]

Thats a awesome palmtree. Thanks for sharing

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

No worries mate :) thanks

[@Rooku_Spooku]

Thank you so much for using the metric system and not the damn imperial one

[@pinkelmansdekaboutermakela4971]

Thanks forte Great tutorial 👍

[@teacher2tattooartist]

you definitely own my subscribe for those leaves

[@ghewitt94]

Luke, Another very good video with an impressive result. Keep up the good work, and have a great Christmas and New Year.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thank you :) Merry Christmas

[@pinkelmansdekaboutermakela4971]

Thanks for the Great tutorial

[@fernandoalanis3572]

Great video Luke, thank you

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

No worries mate :)

[@buyen9163]

ur my idol luke.. thanks for all ur video.. making my diorama gundam.. haha.

[@slowdive101]

These videos are amazing.

[@martarengifomendoza2363]

Muy hermoso la palmera te felicitó

[@godknows4454]

So professional!!!

[@Westimation]

Great palms Luke. However you could print onto green paper and then dry brush highlights onto the paper before cutting out. Also you mention die cutting in future, you could use a laser cutting service to cut a stack of sheets, as a couple of my fellow modelers have done for ferns.

[@atrainman8796]

You are great.. Did ever consider becoming a craft teacher? I imagine you work but when do you find time. I lived in Sydney in the mid 70's. That was quite an experience.

[@LovelyiDawn]

Amo tu creatividad 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼

[@shamimsultanakarim5248]

Loved it 💕

[@lenov8062]

Well done !!! Great job.

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Thanks mate 😊

[@user-pw1rw2no3k]

Браво! Очень красиво и аккуратно!

[@Sgt_Hest]

They look really good, but I would never have the patience to build Them :D good work

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

lol, thanks mate

[@MrNikorna]

Wow .I very like its. I find the way for a long time

[@bobbyb9258]

This guy is the MacGyver of model making.

[@derekblackston4831]

I love watching your videos. I know that you mainly model in HO. I was wondering if you could perhaps make a video showing the differences in realistic modeling in some of the various scales? It would help me when deciding what scale to pick. I believe I like the modeling more than the trains!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

Yeah that's what I've discovered, I prefer doing the scenery over the trains but I love watching the train pass through the scenery! I've built N scale but I eventually moved to HO scale because they have a bigger selection of products! If I do end up modelling in other scales I'll be sure to do some videos on them.

[@timgoldie8205]

Great

[@2007bing]

Amazing!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

thanks :)

[@123mvsmith]

Beautiful, of course my two cents, I would have made some brown palm leaves to hang down over the Jute before the green fronds. Just how they grown and die, but again great job!

[@BoulderCreekRailroad]

thanks mate, I've actually made a few newer palms with brown palms hanging near the bottom. They look great :)