Some quesions on ground work

[ghamilt1]

Good Morning everyone;

I am in need of a little help in putting the finishing touches on Pegaso's 90mm Samurai release. Specifically, I need a few pointers on doing up the ground work for him, which is the part of this hobby I enjoy the least, and so struggle a bit with it.

I wanted to create a "screen" behind the figure which would consist of a grove of young Bamboo. My idea is to show the Samurai backed up against the bamboo confronting his attacker. I got quite a few good pictures of bamboo groves and I'm wondering how you think I should go about making the bamboo shoots? I could use brass or metal rod, or see if I can get plastic, but I would love to hear suggestions on what worked for other people who have tried to portray this sort of vegetation, especially the leaves (I can hardly wait to start applying each *$&@# one individually! :angry: ). Thanks in advance everyone, I appreciate your help.

Glenn

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Hi Glenn!

Could this be an option, scroll down a bit to find the bamboo.
Scale Link Etched Foilage

Cheers

 

[ghamilt1]

It could very well be an option. I see that it's 1/32. Do you think that would be appropriate for a 90 mm figure?

 

[Lancer]

Hey Glenn
I see you have benn busy as usual, and all I have to show for my summer is 5 submarines waiting for paint! I have a fret or two of the bamboo leaves floating around the workshop somewhere and your welcome to a twig or two! There won't be a problem for scale, they're more than large enough! Your problem will be the trunk or stalk! I seem to remember the outside edge of the frets were actually stalks but what use is a flat stalk other than reference? It might be putty time for you my friend! Of course the easier solution is have him backed up against a wall! :lol: Let me know if you need the leaves!
Chers
Mark

 

[ghamilt1]

Mark, you are a saint! I will happily accept your kind offer. I think I'll use plastic rod and some creative painting and shading techniques for the stalks. Your picture is spot on the money for what I'd like to achieve. I'll bring the samurai out for the next meeting so you can see the in progress work up close. Cheers and thanks again.

 

[bwildfong]

Glenn,

Although I've never tried it, you might be able to use the wooden kebab skewers sold in supermarkets to replicate the stalks. I think they might even be made from bamboo (with a built in wood grain), although you'd have to faux paint the joints.

A possibility ? Good luck with it, and please share your finished product and technique with us, whatever method you end up using !

Cheers,

Brian

 

[ghamilt1]

Thanks Brian. I actually have some of those very skewers in our kitchen drawer. The only concern I have is with that very grain you mentioned. In scale, the grain looks too pronounced, so that's why I was thinking of the plastic rod, which more closely resembles the smooth surface of bamboo. You're right though, I don't see any other way of showing the joints other than with some tricky painting.You can rest assured I will share the finished result with everyone here. Cheers.

Glenn;

 

[Major_Goose]

Well there is a painless way to have as many bamboos you like withthe knods already done and with almost no painting needed

Check this diorama of mine

Gnome Land

On the second post of mine (row of photos ) check pictures 3 and 6 , that i have done a loose bamboo fence .

The material used is branches needles of a tree called Australian Pine - or Casuarina .This is available to near seas areas. Its dried branches have thousands of needles that are ready mamboo sticks suiting every scale with the knods done by nature and also with natural coloring .

If you can not find , i could do a small 20 minutes travel to an area that i know it exists and pick some for you

Check it out

Cheers

 

[Uruk-Hai]

Sorry Glenn, it totally went over my head that the scale were 90mm.

Cheers

 

[ghamilt1]

Thanks for the offer Costas. I am pretty sure that species of tree cannot be found in my part of Canada, (I am about 800 miles away from the closest ocean, the Pacific). That is a shame because they look perfect! I hope some of those needles would be large enough for a 90 mm figure. I will try painting some wood, plastic or metal rods and see how that turns out. If it is not satisfactory, I hope I have your permission to e-mail you and take advantage of your kind offer. Naturally, I would pay for the cost of shipping.

 

[ghamilt1]

So...What does everyone think so far? This is a piece of 1/32" diameter plastic tube, which I've painted. I'll add the required leaves and shoots to the top a bit later. I'm not entirely sure about this, so I would value your input. Costas, do those pine needles come this big? Thanks everyone.

 

[Paul Kernan]

Glenn:
Definitely gives the impression of bamboo. You may want to to make the section ends more pronounced by either whittling the space between each joint or adding a small roll of putty at each seam to give a slight 'knuckle' look to each joint. Then again in this scale, the joint may not be that noticeable. Good luck

 

[Major_Goose]

My friend HI . The pine needles come to lengths like maybe more than 8-10 cm 's or more . They dont have that straight up look , andtheyre usually a bit curved so they might look a bit more naturall. What you have done here surely looks like a bamboo , but maybe its too straight and stiff for my likes.

Just mail me if you need help .

Cheers
Costas