How to make scale model bushes quickly
Build bushes and shrubs for your scale models and dioramas with these tips
When building a scene from scratch, there’s no reason to alter your artistic vision by settling for premade scenery, like bushes. With just a few supplies, you can make your own to suit your tastes.
Cut short lengths of jute twine (available at your local hardware store) between ¾ inch and 1¼ inches long.
Unwind the twine snippets, leaving one end still intact, and fluff them out. Prevent the other end of the twine from unraveling with white glue or superglue. Make holes in a scrap piece of foam core large enough to accommodate the base of each new bush.
Airbrush the bushes an appropriate color. In this case, I used AK Interactive Real Color (RC) Light Green (No. RC028).
Companies like Ammo by Mig Jimenez, Modelscene, and Heki produce materials for modeling bushes. These are perfect for cutting apart and augmenting your own bushes, providing the appearance of leaves, flowers, and simple variation.
To model dead or bare branches, snip appropriately sized sections from a luffa sponge. Use masking tape as a handle for painting. I airbrushed these branches with RC Flat Black (No. RC001) followed by Buff (No. RC014).
When the paint on the jute twine bushes and bare branches has dried, they are ready to add to your scene.