Wire Tree Tutorial - Model Railroad

Building fantastic looking and very realistic trees from scratch doesn’t have to be hard and I’ll show you just how easy it really is.
This tree will look fantastic on any model railroad, war gaming terrain or a display diorama and it will add life to any layout.
Follow along as I step you through the process I use to create this great looking apple tree. The great part is you can still manipulate the tree to change its shape even after you’ve completed it. It’s a time consuming process but the results are well worth the time and effort.
This particular tree is in HO scale, the wire I used scales down well to N scale and it’s simple to use thicker gauge wire to model in the larger scales.
Check out www.bouldercreekrailroad.com for more articles and tutorials about modeling and model railroads.
Music:
Lazy Day by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution license (creativecommons.org/licenses/...)
Artist: audionautix.com/

[@sharknadostinks6402]

There is no reason to send hate to this guy, even if your not interested in what he does you have to admit that's he's great at what he does

[@sureshvssuri2940]

SharkNadoStinks when

[@TheF0xskibidbopmmdada]

Sureshvs Suri 12:30

[@whiderboss]

@@TheF0xskibidbopmmdada wrong 12:32:18:2*

[@ThatOneCanadianBud]

@@TheF0xskibidbopmmdada the video doesn't go up to 12 mins

[@TheF0xskibidbopmmdada]

@@ThatOneCanadianBud i hate to say this but r slash woosh

[@maskedmustachio9472]

I remember watching this 5 years ago and it inspired me to do this then. I was just telling my now wife what I did wrong since I gave up on the project until I learned something about spray adhesive a few years later. Spray adhesives (or at least many of them) will NEVER lose their tackiness without sealing them. I waited for my finished tree to stop being tacky so I could use it and it never did. Even after ~a year of dust collection on my shelf waiting it never stopped being tacky. So seal your tree when you are done with some sort of spray lacquer or whatever. Just wish I had realized this 5 years ago :)

[@embee293742]

I have an exam tomorrow and I am learning how to make a tree :D

[@LukeTowan]

I hope you did well in your exam 😀

[@jontxurrin]

You're getting an A if your exam is about how to make a tree! Haha

[@embee293742]

I am a qualified medical doctor now 🙂🙂 was studying for my finals 2 years back 🙏🏻🙏🏻

[@alexandernagel8205]

Did you pass?

[@embee293742]

@@alexandernagel8205 yes and im a Cardiology resident now :)

[@imreadydoctor]

This is incredibly relaxing to watch! It's like the Bob Ross of miniatures.

[@jorgenlannock]

this is why i love youtube! artists everywhere, and everything you need to know you can find here. great tutorial!

[@FtheDo]

I've gotten back into building scenery after years away from the hobby. Your videos have been a great help and inspiration. Thanks mate!

[@CaptFuzzy]

I used to love making dioramas for school projects, but moved on to model kits later in life. Now that I'm older, I've kinda renewed my interest in making dioramas and your series has one of the best that I've seen. Keep it up, I can't wait to see more and thanks for reviving an old man's love for dioramas.

[@reaghanmartin6018]

i’m a landscape architect major and this saved my life for this project!!!!! thank you so much

[@RMeitzen]

This is pure art.

[@LukeTowan]

Thanks mate, glad you liked it :)

[@flubbibuh2709]

Luke Towan wwxe

[@WA5ON1]

Rain Damn, i was about to comment the same.

[@patrickmoloney672]

No it's computer programming.

[@TheZombifiedFairy]

Jaune Smiley He didn't say it was his, he just made a video. And his method is just fine, as there is no single right method to use.

[@bluemtnsman]

By far one of the better explanations of the entire process. Cheers indeed. ~ Charlie

[@LukeTowan]

+bluemtnsman Thank you very much for the amazing comment. I'm glad you enjoyed watching :) Cheers Luke

[@tammyhuang7941]

+Luke Towan Luke, do you need any diy model material ?like tree leaves ,model people and grass. pls contact me , thanks.by the way, i like your video. :)

[@michaelwied4034]

+Luke Towan WOW!!!!! your videos are so cool and they HELP a lot. Keep doing these videos

[@douglazmoreira4257]

bluemtnsman iu

[@scalestuff]

Mr. Luke... Thanks so much for sharing. I have a number of trees to produce, and they really need to look great. Purchasing them outright was going to be cost prohibitive. I was never really "pro" on wire aperture trees before. Watching this video (which I have now committed to memory) gave me hope that I could produce decent looking trees. I have just finished my first twisting of the wire, and I am so excited by the results. You are a master hobby artisan, and a phenomenal teacher. Can't wait to watch more of your videos!

[@Killerdog228181]

I am so happy I found this artforum! I can picture myself creating magnificent landscapes

[@malusgrey792]

Great work. My Grandfather had a model railway table. He spended alot of Time and money into it, but ive never seen such a great Tree before. Makes me wanne go back in time and help him -.-"

[@abdulkareemh]

I am glad KZbin brought your videos in my feed! I spent hours staring at the models in the museum as a kid and wondered how these were made... am now am addicted to your videos. Many thanks mate!

[@nourhan7132]

6 years ago I added this video to my watch later playlist and I just found about it now :)

[@RahmatSiswanto]

this is HQ video (sounds, voice, tone colours, camera angel, averything). Very nice. You got new subscriber

[@LukeTowan]

Thanks Rahmat 😀. I do my best and enjoy what I make, I feel every detail is important and it counts even if it's just a hobby.

[@slaveNo-4028]

i dont know how i got here but i definitely like it

[@LukeTowan]

Thank you :)

[@jamesthomas700]

Luke. I have been viewing your videos for some time and I must say I am in awe of your artistry and craftsmanship. You set a standard of excellence which inspires me to approach each new modeling task with a goal of always bettering my prior efforts. Thank you

[@WigWagWorkshop]

Mind Blown! One important thing I have learned from your tutorials, its all about the minor details, the details that you, has the creator will only notice. However, without those “hidden” details, it’s a night and day difference in the final creation.

[@carolinepereira5518]

Que legal! Estava procurando "como fazer um bonsai" e ao invés disso encontrei esta bela obra de arte! Que lindo!

[@laruto4649]

Never heard of diorama before, but I instantly subscribed! PERFECT JOB

[@soulofnature5439]

I bet in a year you've learned a lot about dioramas huh?

[@leapingkitties]

This is possibly the best tutorial on wire tree making I have found. Thank you.

[@NQY-flyer]

As a newcomer to UK Railway Modelling I find your tutorials invaluable They are extremely well presented and I look forward to catching up on your back catalogue Thanks Luke 👍

[@NizzamX]

I love this guide! Tried making a couple of small trees, well, bushes really, and it was SO easy following your step by step. I already had some foilage left over from making a couple of cherry trees so I used those instead of either turf, fruit or leaves but I'm gonna try my hand on a few more next week!

[@ebishippo3271]

Incredible! This was so beautiful, and very relaxing to watch. I look forward to trying it out sometime!

[@craft-o-matic2377]

You're creating ramification of the branches. Nice!

[@maxbrandt6]

Excellent tutorial! It's not difficult to make detailed and realistic trees, you just need a few items and a bit of effort and before you know it you have great look scenery. How could anyone not enjoy this? The more realistic the details, the better the presentation of your models!!

[@TerryMcGearyScotland]

That was brilliant and very relaxing (just what I needed!) even if I don't have a train set to use it on - yet! Thanks for sharing the tips.

[@rokpodlogar6062]

youtube is a curse! now i want to make my own model tree.

[@LukeTowan]

lol....... good luck with the tree :)

[@canalfeemcristo7981]

Luke Towan

[@mdhabib-kr9nq]

Rok Podlogar beautiful

[@localnemesis94]

Luke Towan where would I get all the material to do this stuff? I’m in Canada and I just wonder if there are is a store around that I could get everything in one stop. Thanks.

[@StalkeraBg]

Tree Rat Wire can easily be found in any crafts shops..Or you can buy from ebay. Or try from a shop that sells plastic plants (its florist wire) Copper wire possibly from DIY , tech, or 2nd hand cable and tear out the wires . Usually hobby shops sell everything listed here, minus the wire. Or.. Sponges for the covering of the braches(the thick coverage). Latex+PvA glue for the bark shape. For the paints, if you want to go cheaper tho uglier look, decant air paints and mix em with water. Some people make scatter with wigs or from natural fibers or brushes. As far as the tiny leaves..no idea sadly Edit: or you can use a nail polish for the bark shape too (ugly but replaces the need for me to use the latex+PvA mix) Get a 3 or 4 bottle ,3 droppers and get equal amounts of nail polish into the last bottle, mix and apply and you get a weird colour which can be matte too

[@lisabarnes8004]

Oh my! That’s amazing!!! Beautiful work! You’re truly gifted!

[@sandrajohnson2489]

Model railroads isn't one of my hobbies but your apple tree is amazing. I love the way everything turned out. So cool.

[@Sponge1310]

That looks awesome! I've seen real trees that look less realistic :o

[@LukeTowan]

lol, I often look at some "Real Trees" as I'm driving along and think about how unrealistic that tree looks! Thanks for the great comment :) Cheers Luke

[@LevitatorMusic]

you're so badass dude! My wife and I want to get into this kind of art so bad but until RIGHT now, had no idea where to start because it's so expensive but this obviously saves a ton of money and is more custom and rewarding.

[@LukeTowan]

cool 😊 making your own trees and other scenery will definitely save a lot of money, it's just very time consuming 😊

[@ralgith]

Luke Towan But for getting those few special foreground "super trees" that are focal points for whatever you're building there is no better way!

[@WhimsyLuna1up]

@LevitatorMusic saw dust mixed with acrylic paint makes a good substitute for grass. If it's too big of pieces you can put it in a blender and lightly blender it. Most people that work with wood will gladly give it to you :)

[@MayaLiladiVento]

WOW this just kept getting better and better!!!! Thank you for sharing your amazingly detailed process! Can’t wait to make my own.

[@TRUTHSEEKER-mh4jv]

Anyone sending dislikes to this channel is jealous and insecure with who they are. This is a channel that offers knowledge, and the pleasure of beauty, what's not to like.

[@costalitodepollo]

this is the best tutorial to make a tree i have seen before. AWESOME!!

[@bebegina4024]

nestor alejandro Me too ☺

[@pedlynechety1438]

nestor alejandro and my uncle are the only uncle I know he was my uncle and family

[@WildJester]

oh this is great, I would like to try doing one of these things some day - thank you!

[@mariejeannedewit2043]

Tried a tree yesterday and the result was amazing. Thank you so much for your tutorials👌

[@TheBattlechaser]

Hi Luke, Thanks for your tutorial. My daughter (8 years old) have done his first tree by following your explanations (just watching, she don't speak english). Finally she made the structure in 1 hour. Thanks for what you do

[@gregghatfield9946]

man I tell ya, it's hard to find detail I like for a railroad and your work and ideas are gold, thanks for sharing your talents and skills for detail,, 😎

[@LukeTowan]

Thanks Gregg :)

[@aakritisingh731]

gzzb

[@Bgenk507]

Miniature train and diorama visit my channel

[@jeremylilly4218]

i dont do models or anything but man are you good at what you do. looks awesome!

[@akjha1312]

Jeremy Lilly Me too

[@TerryMcGearyScotland]

That's me too!

[@pranavjayachandran307]

Today I just revisited this video I remembered around 6 years ago ith video randomly popped in my recommendation and I watched it and made one tree with materials that I had old electrical wire and stuff I was 12 at that time and it soon became a hobby now I really enjoy making stuffs hope some day I will able to afford nice materials even today I do all my projects with scrap materials luke really inspired millions into this diorama making .

[@blossy8788]

tbh imo this is probably the most amazing kind of art or creation. I love miniature models so much!

[@Shooterpirat]

Really nice! I'm interested in starting modeling and you are a good source of inspiration :) Thanks for the great tips!

[@LukeTowan]

Thanks mate, good luck with your model making :)

[@Shooterpirat]

Tank you :)

[@emilysfun3534]

Back in the early 80's, this is how my dad made trees for my model train set..... only he wrapped the trunk with brown cotton.

[@cindyd4333]

You were lucky. My dad made trees for my model train set by taping a green balloon onto a toilet roll. For my birthday I got a green balloon taped to a kitchen roll, it was my tallest tree and stood proudly towering above my railway set.

[@mikedominguez5783]

S S lol

[@sissy3719]

Have a project due tomorrow and my logo is a tree under a fishbowl. Little did I remember, It has to be 3D. So here I am, 3 hours later, hands raw from untangling the wire from pipecleaners, and I have myself a tree. Thank you so much for having an amazing tutorial!! I would've been doomed had I not found this.

[@grantv2313]

So far I’ve bought alot of trees for my layout and while they look pretty good they don’t look this good! This is the best tree I’ve seen done. I was wanting an apple tree for a cow pasture and lo and behold without even searching your video is here . I didn’t know woodland scenics made a bag of fruit. Awesome tips here. Thanks!

[@eduardoparera9748]

Simply amazing. Nice work !!!!

[@LukeTowan]

Thank You :)

[@violoxesnaily5805]

This was in my suggestions and it's freaking awesome

[@LukeTowan]

lol, cool I'm glad you liked it :)

[@markjones6358]

It's very seldom that I actually appreciate One's ability. You have stepped outside the norm of sub-miniature formication. Brilliantly done!

[@andystocks3252]

Excellent tutorial. Great narrative voice. Made me want to go try for myself!

[@minigear168]

Fantastic art 👍👍👍

[@LukeTowan]

😀 Thank you.

[@artishrivastava8270]

@@santhoshwalter haha

[@devideigner5665]

@@LukeTowan mg iz bot verified

[@exlibrisas]

Holly crap, I always wanted to know how these are made, even wanted to start doing this myself. Just found this channel, gonna watch a lot of it.

[@LukeTowan]

cool :) Good luck with your model making and I hope you enjoy watching some of the other videos :) Cheers Luke

[@Roserussell100]

Very informative, thank you. I've made the static grass applicator as per your tutorial and it works better than I expected. Grass is now done and dusted and your ultra realistic trees are on the drawing board... 😉 👍🏻

[@USCBeastmode]

How could anyone not like this? This is an excellent tutorial Thank you I’m gonna try this👏👍🏽❤️🌹

[@edsheewalk5139]

THAT is good for making a miniature City and Miniature town. gotta try it sometime.

[@jenneblink4333]

Wo i like it

[@tvoommen4688]

As a boy I have spent a lot of time on amateuristic efforts to create tree trunks as seen in this video, with poor results - far from being realistic . This tutorial is so thrilling that I have already started creating my own Bonsai trees with this easy technique ! So easy compared to my early efforts. Thanks for the video.

[@LukeTowan]

Thanks mate, I'm glad you've been able to improve on your techniques :)

[@alexisp2522]

Por Dios, cuánto detalle, qué arte! Admiro la delicadeza de tu trabajo, me encantó. Saludos desde Colombia

[@JP-my7hs]

Wow, with this video I was able to complete an assignment at school. I made a tree with this tutorial and ended up getting full marks, thank you for posting

[@ZoeM-zk6hk]

KZbin thinks I like railroad modeling. I didn't even know this was a thing, but damn that's cool...

[@iqtidarrahman2148]

haha

[@noodlepoodleoddle]

Wow this is art. Very satisfying to watch.

[@LukeTowan]

Cheers mate 😃

[@vinnregi4882]

You are an artist man. I am just getting into scenery modelling (mostly for tabletop purposes) and i amazed by the work and detail!

[@Estel2121]

Just got started in wargaming and these really help. Thanks for the video!

[@clashroyale-xg5hv]

This guy is talented

[@bimalsahoo7138]

clash royale fan tastk

[@tlyke]

Came for the recommendation Stayed for the content

[@wwkdiecastmore5647]

From start to end you nailed it! Thanks for all the info and minute by minute explanation!! Now I am convinced I need to try this for my diorama's!!

[@69adrummer]

I could watch this dude make trees all f'n day!

[@noodlesgalore]

No seriously that tree looks real

[@joe-ut7ee]

I used FLEX PASTE from Woodland Scenics and my trees look fantastic.

[@tlyke]

Lol

[@ournovascotiaadventure1619]

I had a railroad layout around 20 years ago now I'm going to see of my son wants to start one...(He loves trains) lots of great tips and tricks thanks so much

[@brendamorris7882]

You are blowing my mind today! Love your videos, thank you for sharing your work! 🖤❤🧡💛💚💙💜🤎

[@MrDanbecker]

You are crazy man .. Fantastic work ..

[@LukeTowan]

lol, thanks.... :)

[@art.aylinzeynal]

this is really so amazing! You are so talented. Congratulations! ^_^

[@LukeTowan]

Thank you, I'm glad you enjoyed watching :)

[@art.aylinzeynal]

Luke Towan 😊

[@TarirotracyChikukwa]

I always love your tutorials

[@Zenithxblack]

I'm viewing this 4 years late, but it has truly 🔆 brightened my morning!

[@fgp4973]

Perfeito . Belíssimo trabalho 😍😍

[@LukeTowan]

Thank you Barbara :)

[@MMiler]

Magnificent!!! :)

[@LukeTowan]

Thank You :)

[@ronaldolima9579]

M. Miler

[@sparky107107]

always good to go back and catch any tips you might of missed the first few times in watching this one.. hope all is well Luke

[@deanwilder4375]

Luke! This is fantastic! Best method I’ve ever seen. Cheers

[@senju6198]

Wow that was amazing!!!!? Thanks for help!!!!!😍😍😍😍😃😃😃😊😊😊😘😘

[@LukeTowan]

No worries :) thanks for watching

[@Slycarlo]

Holly molly how did you transform those wire to a mini tree? Are you a wizard?

[@rajababy2009]

No He is artist

[@jjmartin1214]

@@rajababy2009 ...and a wizard.

[@Green-vf6ff]

Absolute mad lad, I've been looking for this channel a long time ago.

[@davidspears7314]

Beautiful trees Luke! I'm going to mention them in my Christmas village column, 'Just so you know!' Then I plan to suggest to my wife she should assemble several for our displays. Thanks for the great instructions.

[@Feintgames]

I might do this for the top of my cubical wall at work.

[@jefwisse1957]

They are so realistic that I would give them water every day.

[@Zalamandar]

They are so realistic I would somehow kill them from neglect

[@jefwisse1957]

@@Zalamandar Thats a good one, even better than mine, LOL

[@steveyates2091]

Artistry .....Pure Artistry ..... Thanks Luke !

[@sureshvssuri2940]

Steve Yates chairwoman

[@blackkened1]

Awesome sauce!! The kids and I are loving this! Just started the hobby and this info is great! Awesome work!!

[@BitterTRUTHH]

we appreciate if you mention all products name and online links you were using in this video. Good work👍

[@vikkiwilson5069]

Latex is a great idea to solve the bendy tree problems - it ensures the tree doesn't crumble in your hands.cheaper & bendier than greenstuff. :)

[@LukeTowan]

+Vikki Wilson I bought some green stuff just the other week, it was quite expensive for a small amount. It's great stuff though, I plan to use it on the rural saw mill kit from Woodland Scenics to fill in and mold some of the gaps. The latex does a fantastic job, I think that tub cost me about $20 aussie dollars? Thanks for the great comments as well on Patreon, glad you enjoyed the video :) Cheers Luke

[@vikkiwilson5069]

Check out dem leaves, Luke!

[@wendymorton321]

Great tutorial!!! Love the artistry and easy to follow directions

[@leelap1679]

Sir, you are very talented man. Big salute.....!!!!

[@ABW941]

Nice!

[@LukeTowan]

Thank you :)

[@fjoa123]

I wish I had had 600 of these when I was making my final model for architecture school ):

[@evibot4718]

AAAAAHHHHHH!

[@robertgotsbey7587]

feel you

[@Sucrose_the_Maid]

Same here creating a site model for a final.

[@abhisheksrivastava2569]

ਕ3ਐ3ਐਂ i3ਤੱਤਤਫੜਗਫ਼ਫ਼ਗਫ

[@marcfrick9666]

Excellent tutorial! Quite realistic as well. Very well done!

[@emmabee_14]

great tutorial, super helpful! I had bought 18 gauge wire so it was a bit harder to work with but this method still worked really well!!

[@kingdarkem]

Just cuious how youd tackle bald/swamp cyprus trees?

[@jejewoyoy]

dude i can imagine myself as a kid climbing up that tree

[@LukeTowan]

😀 LOL!

[@wolfpack4694]

As always, top shelf Luke! Great ideas. Thanks!

[@michaelmulligan1875]

so easy yet so detailed. loved the tutorials

[@bwakel310]

What about trees 1 foot tall? What gauge wire do you recommend?

[@LukeTowan]

Probably 16 gauge wire, a one foot tall tree is massive (for a model) so you'd need pretty strong wire!

[@bwakel310]

Looking into making models for DnD. Trying to figure out if it would work. Thanks for your answer.

[@LukeTowan]

cool :) good luck, sound like a good project to try.

[@bwakel310]

Thanks.